The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1914-11-12


old colonial home places It In the art
gallery beside those Of Mount Vernon
and Arlington.
The Key house, in which Francis
Scott Key lived for many years OF
his life. stood In Georgetown, the
old aristocratic West end OF Washing
ton, which is full of historic interest
from the time when General Braddock
landed there with his red-coats. Ii
was small, red brick house of two
stories and gable, and stood directly
on the street. not far from the ridge
leading over the Potomac to Airing
ton. There was a beautiful colonial
door which opened into the hall with
the white winding stairway, and ma
hogany rail, while, in the early days,
there was a garden all about the
place, terraced to the river.
1t is more than 80 years since the
house passed out Of the hands OF the
Key family, and in the meantime, with
deplorable disregard for historic spots,
and an utter Indifference to Ameri-
can shrines, the place was allowed to
fall into a state of neglect and de-
cay.
"A thrifty shopkeeper, who carried
on small trade within the low
ceilinged rooms. realized that a GER
tain commercial as well as patriotic
value might be obtained, if the place
were identified, and painted The Key
Mansion above the door. Thus for
years it was pointed out to the tour
lists as the house where the man who
wrote The Star-Spangled Banner"
used to live, but today there is moth
ing to tell the stranger about the
house that once stood there, and the
history of the spot is known only to
those who remember.
Francis Scott Key was a successful
lawyer in Washington. and he was liv-
ing out in the Georgetown house when
he went to Baltimore TO undertake the
release of his friend, Doctor Beanes,
who had been taken prisoner, and his
life was threatened by the British Ad-
miral Cochrane. Key boarded the flag
ship under flag Of truce, but was not
allowed to leave until after the bonn
bardment of Fort McHenry 1t was
all during the night of September
13, 1914, that Key watched DER the
ramparts for the broad stripes and
bright stars that he had hailed at
the twilight's last cleaning" and
when by the "dawn's early light" he
saw the flag was still there, he was
inspired to write The Star-Spangled
Banner"
1t was hurriedly done, in notes and
broken lines, on any kind of paper,
but when he went to Baltimore that
morning he put the words into shape
and showed them to friend to whom
he was telling the story of his thrill
ing and perilous experience. Instant
ly the friend recognized the national
significance of the hymn of which
Key himself did not dream, and In
sisted that the verses be published
Immediately.
1t is John Ross Key, the grandson
Of Francis Scott Key (who, with one
other, was specified in his WILD, who
had painted the beautiful old Key man.
sion, and thus preserved for the Amer
lean people at least a portrait Of what
1t once was, and what 1t might be to-
day II there had been enthusiasm
enough to preserve the walls and re-
store its garden. Said Mr.. Key:
"Of course / regretted that the
house could not be saved, and know
the other members of the Key family
felt the same unwillingness to see
the old place go, but there seemed
to be no alternative. either practical
or sentimental"
1t will be 100 years on the 14th of
September since the song was writ
ten, and the city of Baltimore is max
ing ready for the celebration of the
centennial, when, in the midst of all
the spectacular display of ceremony,
and the splendor of the pageant, the
words Of The Star-Spangled Banner"
printed on handbills, will be distrib-
uted on the streets and thrown into
doorways.