62 
Music and Flowers 
of Other Days. 
NO FLAG BUT THE OLD FLAG. 
No flag but the old flag— the red, white 
and blue. 
With the stars of a Union unbroken 
and true ; 
Arise and defend it ! ye sons of the 
brave. 
Whose blood bought the banner your 
valor must save. 
CHORUS— 
The old flag, the dear flag, the red, 
white and blue : 
We rise to defend it and prove ourselves true, 
The old flag, the dear flag, the flag which you see, 
We’re ready to die for the flag of the free. 
Wo ! wo ! to the traitor who drags to the mire, 
The flag crimsoned deep with the blood of his sire. 
If he rouse up the legions on land and on sea. 
Who are ready to die for the flag of the free. 
Up ! up with the Stars and the Stripes, and go forth 
To save our great Union brave men of the North ! 
No rest till the Star Spangled Banner you see 
Triumphantly float from the Palmetto tree. 
God bless the old flag ! as He ever has done. 
Since He strengthened the arm of our own Washing- 
ton ; 
And God bless the free men, devoted and true 
Who are ready to die for the Red, White and Blue. 
Great clumps of lilacs flanked the 
steps between the large square posts 
and the wings— which were on each 
side of the main part of the house, and 
closed the ends of the porch — and af- 
forded delightful seclusion from the 
highway. Looking up and over the 
lilacs at the left, could be seen the top- 
most boughs of tall twin wild cherry 
trees which I had christened the Guard- 
ian Angels because they had the ap- 
pearance of hovering protectingly over 
our front yard. The yard was enclosed 
with a picket fence, painted white, 
built from the outermost corner of 
each wing toward the road to the wild 
cherry trees on one side, and to the 
drive from the road in on the other 
side. The corner of the fence near the 
drive was draped with festoons of a 
climbing rose we called the Eglantine. 
In the yard was a large shrub of the 
ordinary snowball, and clusters of flow- 
ering almonds. Sprouts of the old 
rose, Refulgence, came up thickly and 
opened their semi-double crimson 
blooms and when they faded, the grass 
was cut, with a scythe, usually just be- 
fore the Fourth of July. Near the house 
and hiding the foundation, cinnamon 
roses grew in riotous profusion. They 
were never trimmed and were so dense 
and thicketlike that the catbird yearly 
made a home there. 
From the entrance to the porch I 
could see, in the distance, the dark, rich 
green of a hemlock forest which met 
and intermingled with the lighter green 
of other wood, and through an open- 
ing, the blue waters of Lake Erie made 
pleasing contrast. 
Outside the yard and across the drive 
to the right, stood a tall maple like a 
grim sentinel ever on duty, and at 
whose command a row of large sweet 
cherry trees waved their branches in a 
most threatening manner. 
The war (civil ) was well over but my 
earliest recollections were of the stories 
of incidents connected with it, and it 
was small wonder that my 
childish imagination peopled 
the trees and birds and flow- 
ers as participants and 
survivors. Forme the blue- 
jay wore a “ Faded Coat of 
Blue ; ” the oriole played a 
fife and the flicker was a 
drummer boy. 
From my fortress, the 
porch, I first heard the old 
war song: “No Flag But 
The Old Flag.” It came in a clear 
sweet soprano, a voice of volume, 
which filled the house and carried well 
into the distance, yet losing none of its 
richness. In keeping with the words 
the voice swelled in pathetic appeal 
and undoubted triumphant victory. It 
was accompanied by the pure mellow 
tones of a Bradbury piano. The musi- 
cian was my mother, a small slen- 
der woman but strong-willed, deter- 
mined, somewhat arrogant. One who 
accomplished a purpose planned, and 
who sang and played with an ease 
and freedom which showed perfect 
command of both voice and instru- 
ment. 
Mrs. Austin’s mother at the piano "Singing the Old 
Songs." Pianos in ante-bellum days were not as 
common as they are now by any.means. 
“No Flag But The Old Flag,” solo 
and chorus, music by Chas. G. Degen- 
hard, and words by Jennie M. Parker, 
was “Dedicated by permission, to Maj. 
Millard Filmore, of ‘The Union Conti- 
nentals’ and Corps under his com- 
mand.” There is a picture of the 
American Eagle and the Flag with 
Thirty-four stars on the cover page. 
Another interesting old piece is a 
descriptive one called “ The Celebrated 
Battle of Prague.” Composed by Kot- 
zwara. 
The Battle of Prague between the 
Prussians and Austrians took place, I 
believe, about A. D., 1756, with Fred- 
erick the Great ruler of Prussia, and 
Marie Theresa ruler of Austria, and 
resulted in Prussian victory. The 
music, written to represent the con- 
flict has printed calls of the various 
parts which are to be given by the 
player. It starts with a Slow March, 
followed by emphatic chords as the 
word of command. Next is the 1st sig- 
nal cannon, then the bugle horn for 
cavalry and cannon in answer to the 1st 
June, 1918 
signal cannon. Trumpet call followed 
by cannon at intervals. Next comes the 
attack in allegro time, the treble clef 
representing the Prussians and the bass 
clef the Imperialists. There are several 
bars of this interspersed with cannon 
and representations of flying bullets, 
after which come trumpets and kettle- 
drums. This is followed by an attack 
with swords during which is an imita- 
tion of galloping horses which sounds 
very real. 
There are several bars of Trumpet 
light dragoons advancing, heavy can- 
nonade and cannons and drums in gen- 
eral. Running fire — a mournful strain 
of cries of the wounded, then the trum- 
pet of victory. God Save the King fol- 
lowed by Turkish Quickstep, and end- 
ing with Go to Bed Tom. 
Another piece of music which has the 
appearance of being very old is: The 
Ship on Fire. A descripitive Scena. 
Words by Chas. Mackay, music by 
Henry Russell. The cover page shows 
a very early style of sail boat on fire. 
A musical drama of the Settlement 
of Jamestown selected from the most 
celebrated opera of Rossini, Bellini, 
Auber and other celebrated masters. 
The personages : Narcissa, Lelia, Capt. 
Smith and Goswold. The drama be- 
gins with “ On the Ocean in a Storm,” 
solo sung by Narcissa with chorus by 
sailors and emigrants. Descriptive 
call. “They hope the storm is o’er, but 
hope in vain.” 
Following are parts of some of the 
solos and choruses : 
“Lament. For Home — 1st verse. 
Where are now the hopes we cherished. 
Where the joys that once were ours? 
Gone forever ! all have perished, 
Till despair now o’er us lowers. 
Ne’er again shall friends or country 
Greet our eyes or cheer our hearts. 
We near the land. Cheer up there’s 
land ahead.” A song of praise. They 
approach shore and land. 
Enjoy the forests but fear danger ; 
“ When daylight’s going, and night winds flowing. 
When stars are twinkling, the heavens brightening. 
Oh, then the savage lurks in the wildwood. 
Yes, the savage lurks to seize upon his prey." 
“ The Chough and Crow to roost are gone ; 
The Owl sits on the tree ; 
The hushed wind wails with feeble moan 
Like infant Charity.” 
Part 2nd — Captain Smith accom- 
panied by some of the colonists leaves 
home to seek food from the Indians. 
Song, welcoming his return. The 
drama ends with : 
“ Sweet is the joy of the home and the fireside 
Dangers are past, the savage appeased." 
An Irish song, "Pat Maloy,” with 
words by Dion Bourcicoult is of in- 
terest, and was sung with immense 
success by Mr. Dan Bryant in his in- 
imitable character of "The Irish Emi- 
grant” at Wallack’s Theatre, New 
York. 
Later old songs are: "Tramp! 
Tramp! Tramp!” (The Prisoner’s 
Hope.) Words and music by Geo. F. 
Root. " Bell Mahone,” " Take Me 
Home,” " Little Barefoot,” " Silver 
Threads Among the Gold,” "You Are 
Always Young To Me,” and many oth- 
ers published about the same time that 
are well known. 
( Concluded on page 69.) 
Ol)e Slower (Brower 
MRS. AUSTIN’S TALKS 
= [ W ritten expressly for The Flower Groiver. ] 
