The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-22

hold fast to this sort of musical offering.
But these soldier ballads are becoming so
worn out in the East that the more intelh-
gent audiences are growing pretty tired OF
them OF course a really fine patriotic
song, such as My Own United States that
Is now being sung in the military opera,
When Johnny Comes Marching Home is
an altogether different sort of proposition.
There Is a song that has good sound, pa
triotic words and a beautiful melody, and
there is always a real demand for such
compositions. Just listen TO this
The reviewer played over a few measures
that were of the kind that make an in
slant appeal to the listener and then while
he played a graceful accompaniment, he
sang these words:
The poet sings of sunny France, fair
olive-laden Spain,
The Grecian Isles, Italia's smiles, and In
dia's to-rid plane,
OF Egypt. countless ages old. dark Afric's
palms and dates.
Let me acclaim the land I name-my own
United States.
And then the stirring refrain:
love ev'ry inch of her prairy land,
Each stone Of her mountain side.
j love ev'ry drop Of water clear
That flows in her rivers wide.
I love ev'ry tree, ey'ry blade OF grass,
Within ColuTnbia's gates.
Ahc queen VI lhlc CoA III 40 thC AoA4N " MY
Ny own United States
SOMETHING LIKE A SONG.
NOV, that's something like a song"
said the singer-pianist with show of en-
thusiasm. And the beauty of it is that it
isn't being sung to death by every bur-
lesque show on the road. for the publishers
are trying to protect it from mutilation and
have succeeded so far. Now, here's song
that comes from one of the big New York
publishing houses. 1t has a very pretty
title and the melody is not altogether bad,
but the words what impress me as
particularly notable. 1t Is one Of those
favorite sentimental things known a
descriptive ballad, and it is called The
Message Of the Rose One OF the singers
with our show is going to put it on soon.
She thinks it's awfuily touching. And so
1t is-in its way. Listen
Again the performer played over one Of
those very familiar introductions such as
always precede sentimental ballads, and
then gave utterance to the following verse:
{" Il fingered In the gateway as my father
softly sighed,
In tones that told Of mingling hopes and
fear
did you catch that?'' interpolated the
singer In soto yoice-"that peculiar sigh Of
the old mans? It's worth remembering"
AMI then he went on
" He said, Go seek your sister and may
heaven be your guide
stopped to kiss away my mothers
tears
She sobbed. If on my darIing's brow the
blush OF folly fingers now.
Don't write the words at which my sight
She turned and plucked two roses, one of
crimson. one OF white.
And whispered, Let these flowers bear
the tale
"And then" said the man at the piano,
'the old lady is supposed to speak the
words OF the refrain, which runs, in waltz
time, OF course
"'Send the white rose home IL upon her
brow
~ the imprints of truth remain;
Send the crimson one If her cheeks burn
With the blush of nameless shame
But I'll pray each night for the rose OF
Prayers that only a mothers heart
knows:
Go and learn her fate. while watch and
For the message Of the rose'
NO CAUSE FOR SUSPICION.
'Now, the old folks had no business to
feel suspicious. for the second verse tells
how the son. who is meant to be telling the
story, sent home the rose Of white, and
you find that there has been much ado
about nothing. The author never tells
what the girl went away from home for
that's his secret. but think she wanted to
buy a new spring hat. II the truth were
known-and ], for one, would like to find 1t
out. just to satisfy my curiosity-I be-
lieve we'd learn that the girl merely went
To a nearby town where better hats were
20 be had than those for sale in her home
place. and the silly old people immediate
ly jumped to the conclusion that she had
done all sorts OF outlandish things. The
author intends his song to be a very tender
one. and I've no doubt that he wept over
it. Well. I have. too. to tell the truth.
I weep over most OF the stuff that re-
ceive nowadays in the shape Of popular
SONGS"
How about the coon songs?" suggested
the Interested newspaper man who had been
the one lone auditor and listener to the
musical review OF the burlesque show d.
rector. 'sYou haven't played over anything
In ragtime yet"
mo, and I won't play over anything in
ragtime. either" replied the man at the
plano. with flashing eyes. I'm sick of rag
time I thought a year ago that ragtime
was on the wane. and was glad Of It.
bur. by George. It's taken a new lease OF
life this season and can't see the end OF
It. What with your Bill Bailey and your
'Khs Yourself Goodbye and your 'Gamb-
iine Mem and your Ping-Pong Coon and
you. Way to Spell Chicken and youl
Eva and your Under the Bamboo Tree
and your COMPOUNDED 'Oo-ooo-oooo
songs, I've had no rest since the troup.
started out on the road. The members O,
our show keep me banging out new rag
time songs for hours at time. All of the
merry little soubrettes in the compan,
want to sing coon songs, no matter whethe,
the syncopated stun fits In with theil
specialties or not. No. sir, draw the line
at the new ragtime effusions You've brok
en- the spell by the mere mention of RAJ
time. haven't the heart to continue play
ing now. The review is over for the dav ,
GIRL R0BS HER FRIEND.