The Republican journal., 1903-02-05
FAMILIAR SONGS,
"Annie Laurie" an Old FavOrite-Once Pop
ular in Soldiers Camps.


them in honor of his sweetheart. An
ME, the beauty among four daughters
OF Sir Robert Laurie, the first baronet
of MaxWeilin. The church register
gives Annie's birthday as December 16,
1852. Douglas was killed in war; and
Annie married Alexander Ferguson,
the hero of Burns song, "The Whistle"
The present air of "Annie Laurie" was
composed by Lady John Scott alicia
Anne Spotteswoode), authoress of both
words and music of many songs. In
the original there we're only two verses,
and written, according to Lady Scott,
by Allan Cunningham. Lady Scott add
ed the third verse and materially chang
ed the others. AS sung today, it is as
follows:
"MaxweltOn braeS are bonnie,
Where early fa's the dew,
And it's there that Annie Laura
Gied me her promise true,
Gied me her promise true,
Which ne'er forget will be;
And for bonnie Annie Laura
I'd lay me me down nd q e.
''Her brow is like the sno
Her neck is like the swan,
Her face it is the fairest
That e'er the sun shOne on
That e'er the sun ShOne on.
And dark blue is her e'e;
And for bonnie Annie Laura
I'd lay me down and dee.
s'Like dew on the gowan lying
Is the fa' O. her fairy feet;
And like winds in summer signing,
Her voice is low and sweet
Her voice is low and sweet,
And she's the world to me,
And for bonnie Annie Laura
I'd lay me down and dee"
Annie Laura has come to mean the
universal soldiers sweetheart. 1t was
sung by British soldiers in wars on
every continent. Words and music
combine to make it popular. In the
Crimean war the night before the Bri-
tish troops stormed the Redan, at Sc
bastopol, a corporal of the Second
battalion rifle brigade commenced to
sing "Annie Laurie He had a good
tenor voice, and sang with expression,
but the boys took up the song in much
lower key, and hundreds Of voices sang
together:
'And for bonnie Annie Laura
I'd lay me doom and dee"
The effect was magical and extraord-
mary; the camp was forgotten, as the
melody swept on and subsidized in the
midst the Russian cannon, the heart OF
each singer was evidently far away
battle a soldier thinks only of his love
finished when the bugle sounded to
quarters, and the brigade dispersed
never to meet again. Ere the next sun
set the singer of the song and hundreds
of those who joined in the chorus were
lying dead in the ditch Of the Redan,
having 'lain down and died" at com
mand of Sterner mistress than any of
womankind.
Immortality was conferred on the
memory of this incident when it inspir-
ed the American poet, Bayard Taylor,
to write the beautiful poem here sub
joined:
THE SONG OF THE CAMP.
sGive us a Song." the soldiers cried,
The outer trenches guarding,
When the heated guns of the camps allied
Grew weary OF bombardlng.
The dark Redan, in silent scoff,
Lay grim ana threatening under;
And the tawny mound of Malakotf
No longer belched its thunder.
There was pause A guardsman said
eve storm the fort tomorrow;
Sing while we may, another day
Will bring enough OF SORROW.
There lay the battery's side,
Below the smoking cannon;
Brave hearts from Severn and from Clyde,
And from the banks of Shannon.
They sang of love and not of fame;
Forgot was Britain'S glory;
Each heart recalled a different name,
But all sang "Annie Laurie"
Voice after voice caught up the song,
Until its tender passion
Rose like an anthem, rich and strong
Their battle eve confession.
Dear girl, her name he dared not speak,
But as the song grew louder,
| Something upon the soldiers cheek
Washed off the stains of powder.
| Beyond the darkening ocean burned
The bloody sunsets embers,
| While the Crimean valleys learned
How English love remembers.
| And once again fire of hell
Rained on the Russians quarters,
With scream of shot and burst of Shell
And believing of mortarS.
| And Irish Nora's eyes are dim
For a singer dumb and CORY;
| And English Mary mourns for him
Who sang of "Annie Laurie"
| Sleep soldiers! still in honored rest
Your truth and valor wearing;
| The brayest are the tenderest-
| The loving are the daring.