Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-02
"a Autograph COPY OF a1ef S1a1S1ed Banner" %

1t was taken from Philadelphia to New York and was
equally popular there.
1t is said that the air to which Hail Columbia"
sung that Of THE Presidents March COM
posed by German named Pfeyles in 1889. 1t in
contradisnction to the revolution called
"Washington's March" 1t sung one night when
President Washington attended the theater and the
audience called for "Washington's March" soon
Hail Columbia" concluded and greatly appauded
the latter This at the old John street theater in
New York.
Another claim is that a German teacher of music
named Roth wrote the air to which Hail Columbia"
first sung. This lived in Philadelphia and
the air written In honor of the president,
George Washington 1t is doubtful which is correct.
George Washington Parke Curtis claims that the
composed by Pfeyles and that it struck
up whenever the president entered the stage box with
his family
The Girls Serenade
AS for Washington great many songs were made
for him during his presidency and his triumphal
swings about the country carpeted with colonial
poetry. For instance, when he came to Trenton on
April 81, 1889, triumphal arch was made over the
bridge and he passed under 1t a number of young
girls dressed in white and decked with flowers held
baskets of flowers in their hands and sung follows
Welcome mighty chief, once more,
Welcome to this grateful shore;
Now mercenary foe
Aims again the fatal blow,
Aims at thee the fatal blow,
''Virgins fair and matrons grave
Those thy conquering arms did save,
Build for thee triumphal bowers;
Strew We fair his way with flowers
Strew your hero's way with flowers"
AS the girls sang they scattered the flowers in
front of the president, who halted until the sonnet
was finished General Washington was then given
a copy of the music and he afterward wrote a note
of thanks to the ladies for his reception
"The Star spangled Banner"
Perhaps the most romantic story of any of these
national songs is that connected with THE Star
Spangled Banner" which written by Francis Scott
Key while witnessing the bombardment of Fort Nc
Henry from British man-of-war which lay in front
of the fort There authentic story of the COM
position of this song but have account of its
origin from r. B. fancy who aferward chief jus
tice of the supreme court Judge fancy broth
er-ln-law of Francis Scott Key. 1t seems that Mr.
Key went out to the man-of-war to request the re-
lease of Dr. Beanes, who had been seized by the
British and was kept on that ship Mr.. Key one
of the doctors intimate friends He lawyer
by profession and resident of Georgetown living
in a house the Aqueduct bridge. which is still
marked by his name. Mr.. Key courteousy re-
ceived by Admiral Cochrane and his officers, but
they refused for time to release DR.. Beanes and
before they did so the bombardment began. 1t was
then impossible for Mr. Key to leave the fleet and he
was told that he would be detained until the attack
on Baltimore, which about to be made, was over
In his story of the song TO Judge fancy, Mr.. Key
described the scene the night of the bombardment
during which he remained on deck, watching every
shell from the moment it was fired until 1t fell.
while the bombardment continued 1t was suff-
cient proof that the fort had not surrendered But
1t suddenly ceased some time before day,and as they