Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-05-08
A REMINIsOENOE OF THE LATE NED
ae KENDALL.

A h6MlnlSUENUE VI THE LATE NED
KENDALL.
An old story told of Ned Kendall,
when at the hight of his popularity,
nearly forty-years ago, will be new to
many at this time: 1t appears that
celebrated New York bugle-player had
heard SO much of Kendall's playing, and
had had comparison of his own execu-
ton so frequently made with that of
the Bostonian, and to the favor of the
latter, that he naturally had great de-
sire to meet the rival performer, and ac-
cordingly visited Boston for that pur-
pose. On the very day of his arrival,
which was at the hight of the sleighing
season, he was invited to join sleigh
ing party, which he did.
Arriving, after glorious ride, at one
of the then popular out-of-town resorts,
"The Punchbowl," old "Phenix," or
Brighton" the party found that the
ballroom of the place was lighted up,
and grand dance was to take place by
large party which had, arrived from
Boston. The New York musician, find
ing the bar-room crammed with gentle
men partaking of various warm fluids,
stepped into side parlor to wait bet
ter chance to do likewise, and to warm
himself by the fire, before which sat
three individuals, who courteously made
room for him. On the table near by
lay bugle, evidently just taken from
its case, which lay near. =
"Ah!' said the New Yorker, having
warmed his fingers into fexibility as he
leaned his hand upon the table and
toyed with the keys of the instrument:
Any one of you play on this?"
"Yes, do little" said somewhat
thick-set, dark-complexioned man at
the fire.
"Play for parties, I suppose2'
CHOW and then, when l get job"
said the other, his eyes twinkling, do
you?'
"Oh, do little, in my way" said
tho New Yorker, with assumed indiffer-
ence, and seizing the bugle he ran over
the scale, gave half dozen strains and
pretty snatches of melody that brought
a dozen or two listeners to the balf-open
door.
The dark man opened his eyes wider.
"You are an excellent player" said he:
"Oh, only so-so," was the gratifed
and somewhat pompous reply, al sup
pose you don't go into much except
dance music?
Well, yes, little; I'm pretty good
at initiating thing I hear played once
OF twice" and he took up the instru-
ment, and played the same strains the
other had performed, awkwardly and
with half dozen bitches and omis-
sions.
"Pretty good" said the New York
bugler, but you want practice and
accent, especially in solo playing"
"No doubt of it, said the dark man.
"Now even in dance music there can
be vast deal of ornamentation," said
the New Yorker, warming UP with de-
sire to show off his skill before what he
thought an inferior player, and the
gathering group that the notes of the
instrument had attracted. "Now the
Fishers Hornpipe' is lively tune, but
see what can be done with it," and he
took up the bugle and put the country
dance through series of variations that
made the nerves of every foot, whose
owner was within hearing, tingle with
electric thrills.
"You can hardly follow that as we'll
as the scale, suppose" said the per-
former, laying down the instrument
amid buzz of applause from his now
nroumented audience,
"Well, don't know about follow
ing anybody, but may give you my
idea of it, said the dark complexioned
man, as he took up the instrument.
II the first made the other player
start, the succeeding ones transfxed him
as tho performer executed strains with
q correctness, skill and beauty that he
never extracted from o bugle before.
The variations, trills, tone and melody
of the familiar old dance were rendered
into electric poetry as never before
dreamed Of as they flowed from the
bell OF the instrument, and beneath the
skillful manipulations and never-fail-
ing wind of the performer, who at the
conclusion of his performance, amid
roar or applause, remarked, with the
same SLY twinkle in his dark eye.
What do you think nowY'
Think" said the other as he stood
with his eyes distended with astonish-
ment. "Think! Why that no living
man could have done that! You must
be either Satan or Ned Kendall"
"Ned Kendall, and no Satan" said
the player, as he grasped the others
hand, extended to him.
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