Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-21
SINGS STAR SPANGLED BANNER
Experience of Edith Helena with
the Great National
Song.

Twice every year, on W~ashington's
birthday and the Fourth Of July, Edith
Helena, the sweet singer at the Orpheum
this week. sings The Star Spangled Ban
ner," and, in conformity with this pa
trlotic custom, she will sing It tonight,
for the first time on a vaudeville stage.
Miss Helena first sang the grand national
song five years ago, just before the declara-
tion OF war with Spain. 1t was at a con-
cert in New York City, and she so aroused
the patriotism of the audience that they
cheered her again and again. Then she
sang II the night before the Seventy-irst
regiment left New York for the front,
/ 200 strong. In August Of the same year
Miss Helena was at Montauk Point, and
she saw the same regiment, wasted and
thinned by fighting, hardship and disease,
march by from the transport to the deten-
tion camp. That night she sang The Star
Spangled Banner" again, but tears were in
her eyes. and hundreds of officers who,
bare-headed, stood at attention, we're pro-
foundry moved by the wohdrous music.
Mrs. John A. Logan put her arms about
the beautiful young singer and kissed her
while she thanked her in a tear-choked
voice.
In the spring Of 1900 Helena was in San
Antonio, Tex, and was asked to sing at a
reunion Of confederate veterans. She sang
9Th Star Spangled Banner" and by her
side on the opera house stage stood a
white-haired man who had been a member
of Jefferson Davis cabinet during the re-
bellion. The former boys in gray stood
while the song was suns and when 1t was
finished voiced their delight with an old
time rebel yell.
Then came u request from Oklahoma City,
in July Of the same year, for Helena to
sing the song at the second annual reunion
of Roosevelt's Rough Riders. She went
from San Antonio to the reunion and there
sang THE Star Spangler Banner" to an
audience Of 10000 people. Theodore Roose-
welt stood beside her as she sang and his
lips moved with the words. A sergeant
waved the torn battle flag of the Rough
Riders over the heads of the singer and
Colonel Roosevelt and the people cheered
again and again. After the song Colonel
Roosevelt said to Miss Helena:
81 have heard that SONG all my life; 1t
is as familiar to me as the Lords Prayer,
but 1 wish to say to you that never before
have / really heard it sung"
A golden key to the. City of Oklahoma
was presented TO Helena and when she took
the train for Texas she was escorted to the
depot by 1000 Rough Riders and cowboys,
who, as the cars moved of, gave her a part
ing salute of honor with their six-shooters.
The next important occasion upon which
Helena sang THE Star Spangled Banner"
was at the opening of the republican ma
tional campaign in Louisiana in October,
1900. For the first time since before the
war OF the rebellion. THE Star Spangled
Banner" was heard in public in New Or
leans. She sang it for 5000 people in the
old Washington artillery armory there, and
the scene was one never to be forgotten.
Men stood with the tears streaming down
their cheeks and at the end went wild with
excitement and enthusiasm. One old white
haired man, who had worn the stars Of a
general in the confederate cause, escorted
Helena to her carriage and as he bade her
goodnight bent over her hand and with
trembling voice said:
Madame, / wish to thank you for what
you have done this night. You have sung
that song back into my heart once more"
nd so before she went on the vaudeville
stage Edith Helena got to be known as
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner girl, and very
proud is she of the title, for she loves the
song above all others, and she sings 1t
with all her soul in her voice.