The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-05
BORDENTOWN ASTONISHED.
THE IRIUNPH1L PROCESSION OF NEW
JERSEYS BRASS BANDS.


OLhcGi Dh6f'' D<f'Dos
One Hundred and Fourteen Instruments and
Accompanying Journaiists and Photo
grsphers NJ akIng IA sortie upon the Town.
II came on to rain yesterday morning in
Bordentown. n. ia fine. sharp drizze. with
melancholy pufTs Of east wind and that looked
| bad for the brass bands of New Jersey which 1t
was understood were 10 assemble. About 10
O'Clock reporter Of THE Sun. who had come
| down from Trenton on the red turnpike In
buggy that was ingcnously tied together with
bed cord. noticed that as he eapproached Borden
town the drizzle and melancholy grew dcnser.
He also observed that there were absolutely no
| indications of the impending havoc nor Of the
mad desire Of the population OF Bordcntown to
escape. SO he interviewed the driver Of tho
buggy prcliminarily.
Can you play on the T. fiat buglc, my friend?"
He was equal to Rochefoucauld. was this Jer-
sey driver. He said he didn't know; he'd never
tried.
We'll what has Smith got against Borden
town."
Smith ?"
"Ycs. Smith. who plays the cornet and leads
the Bordentown band. He invited all the other
! bands to come TO his town. What did he do II
for? OF course | understand that he is a mis-
anthrope and worth"
mo. he amt neither. He's as white as you
be. an better man don't toot this side o York"
But he's trying to depreciate property in
Bordentown"
"Wall. as to that. bent smart enough to
say. I'm darned If l see why he should. any
way"
Come. now. be honest. Smith has got some
| plan for an insane asylum or something"
| Not that ever heerd on"
The reporter had intended to give this driver
an extra fifty cents. But now he vowed TO see
him in the Delaware first. II there is anything
| in the world that n reporter hates in such di-
lcmma. II Is an unimaginaiive native.
| So they trundled on into the dreamy old town,
squat there 10y the broad river: and one of them
noticed the reporters and brilliant sketch writ
ers from the great metropolitan Journals sitting
| along on the fences with their portfolios and
| notebooks; and under the great antique Nor
way pines that Joseph Bonapartc set out along
| bright fellows from the Masterpieces.
Mr.. smith. it was perceived. had succeeded in
| awakening profound expectation. These men
| come out only when there Is something funny
or ormcancholy astr.
But the only music that the reporter OF THE
Sun heard during that long ride was the sharp
| swish OF the buggy wheels in the Jersey sand
and the staccato slap OF the reins on the horses
Once u farmers wagon came slowly by. 1t
was loaded with goods and chattels. ard the
| owner and his wife. both in honiespun. walked
by the side OF the wagon in the road. 1t was
evident the reporter said. that they, were the
advance guard OF hos. 70 come. They were
fleeing for their lives. An arrow OF pity for
them Shot through his heart as he thought OF
the reporters they would have to pass further
The driver Of the buggy. however. would not
allow the SUI man TO hug even this harmless
come from Bordentown
B9rdentown is quaint old burch,, with
dozed quietly in the Jersey sun these many
lethargic years. its life flowing as placdly and
lis doors Probably nothing has come to it out
OF the fretful and SNOWY world to make it up
notables. dashed along Main street and went
laundering of TO the grand old Park and its
stands the house-one of them-thc stucco of
in places; the green conferv@ creeping up its
white walls here and there window boarded
In its dreary phantom way. that even u princely
effort was vain in this dr9wsy atmosphere.
Leader Smith is another sort Of IAan. and
he determined to stir up BOrdentown. So he
invited all the bands in the State t9 ONE there
Having huredthis fell thunderbolt so 10 speak.
that is, having sent out his invitation and had
self from the sight OF his fellow townf,peopie in
a sequestered cellar. trusty relative bringing
him his food IN the dar9. and assuring him
that the Internal scheme WIS working well. 1t
WAS all in vain that the town Office - sent out
tardy warn ngs 10 the nearest villag' Is. and had
sertion in the Bordentown Bugle. The editor
OF that reprehensible sheet was in the plot. II
all over the country. Rumor had itthat extem-
poran-ous bands were 10 b. hur ed upon the
place from ia 'ktnSAck ana ldSSh'. lnut one
corps, a hundred strong, was coming down
from the pincres armed only Wit trombones.
One company OF two hundred and fifty was
actually projected ut Long Branch. every man
OF which was Ia be drilled 10 play different
tune simultaneously.
These stories were the cause OF much anxiety
In this city. For II there is anyth ng that N,sw
York especially likes 1t is a noise and a senss.-
tion. Besides. this looked like u ca rniyal. II ma
ouihurst of the dcmoniac spirit Of the musisl II
classes. an upheaNal Of brass. Il chAos Of Jerse y
drums AMI cymhas.
Hence the distinguished literary delegate n
sent 10 BorlrntOwn yesterday from Il Z
metropolis. Hence the musical editors ST I
ting on the fences. and the mob OF par /
graphcrs hourishing their lethal pencil J
around the astonished hotels. Probably 4 d
spectacle presented to tho eye Of So y
reporter over equalled that which was seq d
when the Medford cornet band II twelve piec,
arrived in Bordentown. To their newilder,n
ama1emcnt. they We're surrounded by an arm
OF journalists. and they ned down Main s,rcs
a poor little dom pursued by raycning mo
| OF insatiate writer's funny writers!
Ii is not TO the credit oi the Bordentown pee -
pie that they closed their doors on these hunIe j
wretches. who were Obliged to take refuge in
church.
Al this juncture Leader Smith came to II
front. Al II O'Clock there had arrived rigl 4