The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-16

now, in conjunction with my visit to Pointe Coupee. and for the benefit of those who, in this generation, may be pleased to read it. reproduce the inci- dents, which find in an old publica- , tion
 The story of .My Maryiand.y The story of the writing of My | Marylandi" is told by Brander Mat thews in his book of essays Pen and Ink"
 My Maryland was written by MT. James R. Randall. a native of Balti- more. The poet was a professor of English literature and the classics in Poydras College at Pointe Coupee, on the Fausse Riviere, in Louisiana, about three miles from the Mississippi; and Tn April. 1861, he read in the New Orleans Delta the news of the attack on the Massachusetts troops as they passed through Baltimore. This ac- count excitedly me greatly MT. Ran dall wrote In answer to my request for information. had long been absen. from my native city, and the startling event there influenced my mind. That night could not dismiss from my mind what I had read in the paper About midnight I rose. lit candle, and went to my desk Some powerful spirit ap- peared to impress me and almost in- voluntarily I proceeded to write the song of My Maryland I remember that this idea appeared first to take shape as music in the brain--some wild air that I cannot now recall. The whole poem was dashed off rapidly when once begun. It was not compos- ed in cold blood, but under what may be called a confiagration of the senses, if not an inspiration of the intellect No one was more surprised than I was sat the widespread and instanteous popularity of the lyric had been so strangely stimulated to write.''' MT. Randall read the poem the next morning to the college boys, and at their suggestion sent 1t to the Delta, in which 1t was first printed. and from which it was copied into nearly every Southern Journal
 Published in the last days of April, 1881, when every eye was fixed on the border States, the stirring stanzas appeared In the very thick of time. It was MT. Randalls good for tune to be the instrument through which the South spoke. By natural reaction, his lines helped to fire the Southern heart. To do their work well his words needed to be welded to music. It was left for a lady of Bal of Professor H. Newell Martin, to lend the lyric the musical wings 1t need to enable it to reach every campfire of the Southern armies"
 The house of Mrs. Martins father was the headquarters for the Southern sympathizers of Baltimore. Cores pondence, money. clothing, supplies of all kinds went thence through the lines to the young men of the city who had joined the Confederate army
 Mrs. Martin tells how the "enthu- siasm of the girls who worked and the boys who watched for their chance to slip through the lines to Dixie's land, found vent and inspiration in such patriotic songs as could be made or adapted to suit their needs. The glee club was to hold It's meeting in our parlors one evening early in June, and my sister. Miss Jennie Cary. had charge of the program on that occasion. With a schoolgirls eagerness to score a sue cess. she resolved to secure some new ardent expression of feelings. that by this time were wrought up to the point of explosion. In vain she searched through her stock of songs. and airs; nothing seemed intense enough to suit her. Aroused by her tone of despair. I came to the rescue with the sugges- tion that she should adopt the words of Maryland. My Maryland I pro- duced the paper and began declaim- ing the verses. Iauriger Horatius, she exclaimed. and in a flash the im mortal song found voice in the stirring air so perfectly adapted to 1t. That night. when her contralto voice rang out the stanzas, the refrain rolled forth from every throat present with out pause or preparation; and the en- thusiasm communicated itself with such effect to a crowd assembled be- meath our open windows as to endan- ger seriously the liberties of the party
 A few weeks later. shortly after the battle of Manassas. when MT. and Mrs Martin and her sister were guests Of General Beaureguard at his headquar- ters, they were serenaded by the fa4 nous Washington Artillery of New orleans, aided by all the fine voices within reach. After expressing their thanks. they asked if there was any service they might render in return ." Let us hear q woman's voice., was the cry which arose in response And. standing in the tent door. under cover of the darkness, my sister sang. My Maryland The refrain was speedily caught up and tossed back to us from hundreds of rebel throats. This. be- lieve. was the birth of the song in the army As the last notes died away there surged forth from the gathering throng a wild shout-'We will break her chains! She shall be free! Three cheers and a tiger for MarylandH And they were given with a will. There was not a dry eye in the tent. and, we were told the next day, not a cap with rim on 1t in camp.
 "In a few weeks My Maryland had found its way to the hearts of our peo- ple and became a great national song.
 My MarylRndI
 The despot's heel is on thy shore.
 Maryland! His torch is at thy temple door,
 Maryland! Avenge the patriotic gore
 That flecked the streets of Baltimore And be the battle-queen of yore
 Maryland! My Maryland! Hark to an exiled sons appeal.
 Maryland! My mother State, to thee I kneel
 Maryland! For life and death. for woe and veal, Thy peerless chivalry reveal.
 And gird thy beauteous limbs with
 steel.
 Maryland! My Maryland! Come! 'tis the red dawn of the day,
 Maryland! Come, with thy panopled array.
 Marylandl With Ringgold's spirit for the fray. With Watsons blood at Monterey. With fearless Lowe and dashing May,
 Maryland! My Maryland! ------------ -----------------