Morning journal and courier., 1880-09-06
The Drum-NInjOr. rFro,,, tho rbInayc 1rin,ae I

1 To properly photograph drum-major would require 8 complex use of vivid coloring. l The plain black with which the face of type 1 is bedaubed can convey no conception of his
 magnifcence. A description of the glorious creature should be printed ill red ink on @ bright yellow background, to be at all effica- cious truthful to nature. Ignorant and mfsinformed people have been led to suppose that the recent demonstration was to enable the Knights Templar to show what they could do in the way of display. This Is a great mistaKe It was gotten up in order that the drum major might have opportunity to prove his greatness as an institution.
 Twenty-Five thirty thousand uniformed
 Knights were sandwiched between the hundred so m-majors, to be sure, but it
 was merely to show them off to greater ad-
 vantage by contrast.
 When caparisoned for dress parade, the drum major is wonderful and awful creation. One look at him is enough to frighten tinid children into fits and two looks would drive them into early graves. His uniform is thing of beauty and joy forever. Like Joseph's patchwork coat, it is composed of many colors, and none are sober colors,
 either. When the firemen were asked what color the ''machine'' should be painted they instructed the artist of the brush to paint it any color he pleased, so he got it red. And thus it is with the drum-major; his instructions to his tailors are to rig him up any kind of a uniform so it is of bright gold, scarlet, pur- pie, blue, red and white. He has choice, to be sure, and if left to his own selection, his garb is usually cardinal pantaloons and @ crimson jacket trimmed with red and yellow. There is profuseness of gold braid about his jacket that dazzles the eye, and his epaulets are marvels of the creative art They make him look at least three ax-handles across the back. A parti-coIored belt and bewildering sash go far to make the outfit complete; and when he is buttoned up and belted he begins 4<1r + rxxyJfh foil v1oin ed sky blue. But he is not complete until he dons his enormous bear-skin cap, surmounted by three-story plume, and seizes his ponder ous baton.
 Then, if he is fortunate enough to have a big mustache, or, better yet, full black beard, he is ready to go forth and conquer. With that astonishing head gear, fastened on by a leather chin strap, and his coat buttoned up tight, he is & perfect specimen of hls kind, as big as skinned horse, and twice as ugy. He looks for all the world like the picture of huge ogres in iuvenile.publications who are shown in the act of swallowing wicked chil- dren, the smallheels only being visible as the monster is gulping them down without chewing. The more ferocity he can get into his makeup the better drum major is he con- sidered, and one of piratioal appearance is a prize indeed
 He took charge of the procession yesterday, and his gyrations during the morning were the wonder and admiration of full grown beholders. He knew the eyes of the world were upon him, and his contortions bordered on the painful. He whirled about with an abandon and recklessness that was theS acme of studied carelessness, and the vigor with which he yielded his dreadful cudgel was a warning to incautious spectators to run for cover. He imperiled the lives of everybody who had the temerity to venture beyond the curbs on either side of the streets, and he was at once the terror and the idol of the multitude. His club and his size enforced the respect of the crowd, and his gorgeousness won their love. No man has yet been found who can tell what drum-najor is for or what purpose he serves in the economy of nature.