Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-09-07
."WHEN THE BAND,n 60.

Did you ever, dear reader, (and not 80
very dear either, for you only pay US q in
inflated currency for keeping you in Spirits
all the year round did you ever live next
door to baud or did you ever live In
town where there were two young Bands
Brass Bantams just fedged and growing with
all their might and main out of tunef If not,
you can never realize how pleasant it is
"When the Band begins to"-stop.
When they first talked offs Band in Charles
Washington Town We we're enthusiastic on the
subject; we remarked eve be bowed if we
mustn't have band )" We talked until We
were out of breath and our voice was as hoarse
as Bass Drum We ate, slept and drank
music and dreamed that We were turned into
big horn, and We got up early the next
morning and turned in big horn.
They got up band, they got up the horns,
they imported Professor, and band number
one blew like a hurry -cane Professor Turner's
Cane was the one they hurried) for q while
They met ut twilight, and we used to wander
up street till we were opposite the hall, and
taking off our hats prepare to receive notes
from the Band; first the bass horn would
come up street, the important imported horn,
Dave imported it; then the little horn, with
a middle cough in Its music, would be borne
around the corner aud up the stairs; then all
the other horns, big drum, little drum and
cymbals would drop in one by one and the
little boys would stand around and whistle,
We then would lean our elbows on our ven
cradle kuees, and in this un- knee-sy position
listen till the little horn commenced .'Way
down in Dixie" and the Bass Drum solowed
on stFlee as bird" and the Alto altoed on
-"Katy Darling" and the sharp Els rolled in
"Life on the ocean wave" and the Flat BIS
Kept lingering in quick step, and the Kettles
drum stuck right straight along to roll as
long and. tough as boarding house ditto, and
in this harmonious discord our enthusiasm
paled slightly-it was impaled afterwards
But one Band couldn't use up all the super>
fuOus air in Charles Washington Town, so we
started number two. The first band kept look
ing out for number one all the time and ,cafch-
ing all the chances; and at last there came
the glorious long looked for time when our
two bands played on the streets together ':the
air was heavy with the signs (of considerable
size) of music that gushed FORTH" and our
happy citizens remarked, let her gush.
The Constable got out an attachment e
very fervent one) for the instruments of the
Mechanics Band, but the hard listed sons of
toll held on the Moore with Will, and they
had Concert aud Box and Cox, aud by this
We began to get little tired aud to enquire
of the members if their internal organs would
not be thrown out of tune by their continual
visits to Sarah Made, but they said not.
Then the old Band gradually blew up. and
their notes we're no longer current; the even
tenor of their ways became so iow and their
base notes so high that they couldn't raise
current Of air, aud as they couldn't see Co
sharp thew soon would be (B) fat. and we
missed the band and the horns, and We sighed
and they let US do it (duet).
"Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are, twas but 1t hadn't ouEhter
BEEN"
But we still have one band left, and they
practice slightly and they serenade muchly !;
in the still hours of the night the music wakes
US as with quick step the jump from "Dxie's
land" ''Nearer to thee"
Yours, Sin a horn,"
AMOS keller.