The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-30
CONCERNING WOMAN
 AND HER INTERESTS

, debutant living but could profit by these observations!
 STORY OF THE STAR
 sPANGLED BANNER. | W. B. Beard in an exchange gives the following interesting account of tie circumstance under which The Star Spangled Banner" was written: Many interesting newspaper stories have been written around the circum- stances under which this or that well known song came into being. "Lo7 rena," Maryland My Maryland" fThe Bonnie Blue Flag" Annie Laurie" ''The Rosary" are among the number whose stories have been told and retold. and not long since well known newspaper devoted something like half a page to a description of the original European setting of quaint old Van kee Doodle" going on to show that it was not an American production at all. though for years it has been al- most as closely identified with the country as has Dixie :"
 1 Generally speaking, the facts con Inected with the history of the National anthem, "'Fhe Star spangled Banner" are well known, but few of the pres ent generation have perhaps seen a | statement of the songs story as writ 1 ten by the man who carried the verses of Francis Scott Key to the office of The Baltimore Patriot in which, &C., cording to his statement, they were first printed. Iris man was J. S. Skinner, who during the war of 1872, was agent for flags of truce and ex- ange of prisoners. His article was written for the old Washington news paper, The National Intelligencer, for the purpose of correcting some slight errors appearing in IngersoIps history of the war. It was copied in one of the papers of this section in 1s49. pos sibly shortly after its original publica- tion. The portion of the aAticle relat- ing to the story of the >songAis as fol- lows;
 "On a visit to the enemy upon busi- ness growing out of the capture of Washington, the undersigned was in structed to take along with him Mir. Key, of Washington, his mission hay ing exclusive reference to the release of Dr. Beans, a venerable cavalier of Prince Georges country, who, on the retreat from Washington had been seized in his house and carried off in the night under circumstances of gross
 harshness and indignity. His friends
 were persuaded that something might
 be hoped for Mir. Keys tact and per
 suasive manner in getting the doctor released, and though that was enectec by different influence, MT. Keys visil ended happily in giving us one nationa
 song that will be imperishable as the naval renown, it will serve to cele'
 brate and to cherish. Such was tho
 origin of The Star Spangled Banner shortly after this release the attacl on Baltimore was made, commencing
 with a night cannonade of Fort Mo Henry, during the striking concussiol
 of which, says Mir. Ingersoll, the sonl
 of The Star Spangled Banner wa
 composed on the Admirals ship
 Now it is not unworthy of that no
 ble inspiration that it's circumstance
 should b eexactly known. The autho
 of The Star spangled Banner was nev
 CT on board the Admiral's ship after W
 were in sight of Baltimore. We ha
 been invited during our detention, t
 take up quarters with the Admiral
 son, Sir Thomas Cochrane, on board tn
 Surprise Frigate, the Admiral express
 ing his regret that his own. the flag
 ship, was so crowded with officers tha he could not accommodate us as h
 wished. but promised that his so (which he -redeemed) would make Il z comfortable until after the denouemer