Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-02

had communication with any of the enemys ships,
Key did not know whether the fort had surrendered
the attack upon it been abandoned. He paced the
deck for the residue of the night in painful suspense
watching with intense anxiety for the return of day
and looking every few minutes at his watch to
how long he must wait for It; and as soon as 1t
dawned and before it light enough to see objects
at distance his glasses turned the fort un-
certain whether he should there the stars and
stripes or the flag Of the enemy At length the light
came and he that flag was still there. And
as the day advanced he discovered from the move
ments of the boats between the shore and the fleet
that the troops had been roughly handled and that
many wounded men were carried to the ships At
length he was informed that the attack on Baltimore
had failed. that the British army was re-embarkng
and that he and Mr.. Skinner and Dr. Beanes would
be permitted to leave and go where they pleased an
soon as the troops board the fleet ready
to sail
Written Amid Cannon Balls.
HE then told me that under the excitement of
the time he had written song, and thereupon handed
me a printed copy of THE Star Spangled Banner"
When l had read it and expressed my admiration
/ asked him how he had found time in the scenes he
had been passing through to compose such song He
said he commenced it in the fervor of the moment ON
the deck of the vessel when he the enemy hastily
retreating to their ships and beheld again the flag
he had watched for anxiously
He said he had written some of the lines on the
back of a letter which he happened to have In his
pocket, but for the others, he proceeded he was
obliged to rely altogether his memory. He I'm
ished composing the song in the boat on his way
to the shore and wrote it out, II stands at the
hotel that night Immediately after he reached Balti-
more. He said that the next morning he took Il
to Judge Nicholson to ask him what thought of IL
and the judge was so much pleased with it that he
Immediately sent 1t to printer directed comics
to be struck off in hand bill form He believed ba
said that it favoraby received by the Baltimors
public"
Where the Tune Game From.
The air of "Anacreon in Heaven" was adon.od %
the words Of "The Star spangled Banner" and 80 n
is sung to this day The music and words of ANA
creon" were current in England during the reyolu-
tionary and the song itself was published IN a
number of American music books along about the
first of the last century and thereafter 40 that
was commonly known in country The music of
"Anacreon" adapted to different popular songs
and it can be traced through dozen or more be-
ginning with 1897 and ending with 1873 The form
and meter is practically the same as that of 1.-The
Star spangled Banner" give the first verse:
ITO Anacreon in heaven where he sat in full gIee
rev sons or Harmony sent a petition
That he their inspirer and patron would be
When this answer arrived from the Jolly old
Voice, fiddle and flute
No longer be mute,
I'll lend ye my name. and inspire ye to boot.
and besides, I'll instruct you like me 10 entwne
Inc myrtle OF venus with Bacchus' Vine.'
The song was published broadsde in septam
ber 1914, and 1t appeared after that in many sonR
books. although It generally looked mon a.
national air for some years thereafter
FRANK @. CARPENTER.