The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-10
OLD SONGS.

One OF the features of the diary OF
Charley White. the old-time negro min
strei. was the history OF the famous song
Dixie" White spent much time I'm trac-
ing the history OF other songs. and IN his
diary he gave the results " his work
Some of these song histories ara interest
ing. and few OF them are printed below
The words Of THE Star Sosnglcd Ban
ner" were written, as every one knows
by Francis s. Key during tho lombard
ment OF Fort McHenry during the war OF
1912. but the history OF the music to which
they were set Is less familiar.
1.-The verses" wrote White, ''vere
printed In ballad form. and scattered
through the camp at Federal Hin. Baiti-
more. One evening one OF the soldiers
picked up a copy and read II aloud three
times. until the entire division was cleo
trihed by it's patriotic eloouence.
IAN idea struck Ferd Durang. an actor,
who hunted up an old volume OF hute mu-
sic which he found I'm his tent. He impa-
tiently whistied tune after tune, Just
as they caught his quick eye.
zone called 'Anacreon In Heaven
struck his fancy and riveted his atten.
tion. Note after note fell from his lips.
With a laugh and shout he exclaimed:
Boys, I've hit It, and fitting the
words 90 the tune there rang out for the
first time the song OF 'The Star Spangled
Banner
Getting a short fYrlough Ferd and
Charley Durang sang IL on the stage OF
the Holiday Street theatre The music
was first published by George Willig. Jr.,
OF Baltimore.
''Ferd Durang died in New York in is2o
I we'll remember Tom Bakely, an actor
saying 10 his wife. Poor Ferd Durang is
dying Durang was born in Harrisburg.
Pa. His father was a Frenchman. and a
fair musician. Durang died In extreme
poverty, and but for his co-laborers on
the stage he would have found a paupers
grave.
The Hunters OF Kentucky was very
popular I'm my early days. II was written
by Samuel Woodwork. a typescttcr. The
Hunters was written just after the bat
tie OF New Orleans i'm 1915. The tune Is
from an old English ditty, Unfortunate
Miss Bailey
1T was sung for many years by an ac-
tor. Noah NJ. Ludlow. who died In lS5 or
1856 in St Louis at the age Of so. LUDLOW
came near having his brains knocked
out on tho stage while singing the song in
New Orleans. An Englishman threw
large piece OF gas pipe at his head. but
fortunately missed its mark.
Woodwork wrote funny verses as ad-
vertisements for n keeper OF fancy
n
Bonfanti. who made large fortune from
his poetry. When the California sevor
broke out in 1919 Woodwork went to the
Pacific slope and was engaged thero as a
reporter I'm the Alta. He died thore and
his remains lie in the Home Mountain
cemetery.
4" Kathleen Mavourneen' was sold by
Crouch, the author for SOS and brought
the publishers as many thousands. Crouch
Ia. -
later DAYS became a tramp. When Mile
Totiens was I'm this country number Of
years ago she sang Kathleen Mavour-
neen' I'm New York. A dirty tramp irtro-
duced himself as Crouch. was recognized
and thanked her for singing the song so
we'll
4" Life on the Ocean Wave written by
Epes Sargent. was pronounced a failure
by his friends Russell. OF n Boston firm
of music publishers, took the words from
Sargent and the latter tells this story Of
the melody:
" we passed through the music store
Russell seated himself az n piano. read
over the lines attentlvely. hummed an air
or two himself and ran his fingers over
the keys. then stopped. as II nonplussed
" Suddenly a bright idea seemed to
dawn on him A melody all at once came
into his brain and he began to hunt II
Then striking the keys he at last conf
IDENTIFY launched into the tune since
known as Life on the Ocean Wave
THE melody proved success. Tho
copyright became very valuable. though
the author never got anything from IL
but fame. IL was popular In England as
well as I'm this country.
"The Arkansas Traveller The famous
traveller known as the Arkansas Travel
- t. hut haa M hos hta
being I'm that state. Tho traveller lives in
Little Rock and may be seen every day
on the streets Of the town indulging his
taste for music and story telling.
'He Is known as Colonel Sandy Falt-
ner. He was born in Kentucky In 2S0&. In
1892 he went to Arkansas and became az
quainted with Walter Wright. the orig
inal squatter In the song.
=" My Maryland was written by James
II. Randall. Randall was Described as
one OF the most delightful men TO meet
I met Randall some time ago in Annis-
ton, Ala. He was city editor OF the Hot
Blast I'm that city. He said that he only
received s25 In Confederate money for his
song"
Charley white did not hesitate TO as
cribe Beautiful Snow" 10 Henry w. Fax
on. OF the Louisville Journal
+" old Dog Trsy,,-.SHwenee River
'Massa's in de Cold. Cold Ground.
Camp Town Racss old Folks at Home.
Ellen Bayne.' Willie. We Have Missed
YOU. and My Old Kentucky Home. were