The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-04-06

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A BRIEF FMUsIcAL.CAREER.
The Incidents of One Days Training witt,
j 9sde the EagievilIs Cornet Hand, : !
In the the boarding b house last night,
after Mr.. Maguffin had told particu-
larly long-winded story, Mr.. Magru-
der yawned: 'Maguffin, I should
think you would be a valuable man in
brass band .li3l ssSs3 lIaolsz-ssftiie
4sMr. Magruder,' said Maguffin STERN
ly, you little realize the unpleasant
momory revived by your flppant re-
mark. 1 did belong to brass band
once, but my stay in: the organization
was characterized chiefly by brevity
and violence. That was before I came
to New York-when lived in Eagle.
vile. Some of the boys formed 3
band, The Eagleville North American
Cornet Band, and they wanted me to
join; but L had other business, and
they went on without me. s.li.,
In the course of time member, Of
/ the Eagleville Blues died, and the
band resolved to attend the funeral.
1t so happened that the bass drummer
fell sick on the day prior to the obse-
quies, and the leader sent for. me to
take his place. OF course I couldn't
refuse, and went to the head quarters
had the big drum strapped around me,
and marched with the band down to
the house. There weexecuted q little
preliminary dirge, whose good points
l emphasized strongly on the drum.
The leader took his E hat from his
mouth and stared at me indignant as
supposed, because didn't get in
heavy enough and 1 said to myself.
Patience, my friend, patience. I'll be
on deck when the procession msves.'
And was. set ssa-f 8
4 have since learned that the entire
subsequent misunderstanding arose
from my misapprehensien of the bass
drum part at funeral celebration 1t
seems that on such occasions the drum
should not be pounded vigorously,
but subjected to soft and continuous
irritation, which produces ? sort of
rumbling, muffled monotone, that is
supposed to present griefof q strictly
prime, A brand, Now as I had seen
the science of bass drumming illus
trated on festal occasions only. when
it seemed to be merely a personal
question between the drummer and
the drum head, I governed myself ac-
cordingly, and l flung myself with 3
vehemence that believe has ne par
allel in the annals of that noble but
bulky instrument. I rose right up on
it and let myself loose, resolving that
whatever my sacrifice of personal
comfort might be, there should be no
just ground for complaint against my
part of the music. = 9h3 - sssf2i q g
sWe hadn't gone ten blocks before
perspilation began to slop over the
tops of my boots, but 1 never let up,
and two or three times when the lead
er shook his icornet at me answered
with series of double efforts that
attracted very general attentions. The
crowds on the sidewalk seemed dumb
founded, and the people in the carri-
ages stuck their heads out of the win
dows and stared at me. There was
one curious feature of the general at.
tention that [ didn't understand at the
time, and that was the behavior of the
hearse driver. In front of the house
1 had thought him the most solemR-
faced man 1 ever saw. but now he
laughed and shook until 1 thought he
would fall off the box. ssi'z5ii 81 q g.
well, we got to the cemetery and
the last sad rites were over. Then the
band began final dirge and 1 gath
cred myself together for final effort.
The leader was blowing his widest
-svailea- -t}se-coruet cad -hass- horn
man was decorating all the corners
and angles of the music with enor-
nous patches of sound. Then I shift
ed the string down from where it had
crawledep around my neck, and spit
on my hand. l braced up and four
ished the drumstick in the air for one
great terrific eclipsing boom, and at
the same time the sexton raised his
shovel as at that moment supposed
voluntarily from an infectious enthu-
siasm caught from my drumming.
sDrumstick. and shovel descended
together, and 1 realized in an instant
that the sexton had mistaken his CALI
ing. AS bass drummer he would
have been the unchalleHged champion
of the world. l was so impressed by
his power that I stopped drumming
at once and lay down and | didn't
come to until some time after they
had carried me home. Inever in all
my life have had anything exercise
over me such an overpowering mar
cotizing effect as that shovel did, and
l firmly believe was drugged.'
Magruder stretched himself and said
sleepily: 'Magufiin, when shut my
eyes l can't realize the difference in
effect between your story and that
shovel.
TO MAKE BOOTS DURABLE.
- e+tlz
The durability of soles Of boots may
be greatly increased by coating them
with gum copal varnisl, which also