Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-07-11

that oxford County in the matter OF music
was Al. The q. t. accommodation had
extra cars, and soon q large delegation was
speeding linked trains are proverbially the
reverse, but speeding is handy word to
use down the valley. At the thrifty VII
lage OF Mechanic Falls two bands, the w.
Poland and Casco, with many passengers
'oined us. At Danville Junction there was
delay OF two hours, but the time was In
good part occupied by a concert from the
seven bands which woke the echoes oil the
neighboring hills and the ideas of the score
OF jewellers in that hamlet. Finally the
Maine Central special came along, with
two engines and fourteen cars, and, coupi-
ing on TO our four or five cars, made up
train that headed for Maranocook for all 1t
was worth, and that was no hlliputan
amount for il carried more than thou
sand happy excursionists, supplemented by
twelve "full military bands" One has to
exercise little patience when conveyed by
an excursion train, for the regulrr trains
have the right-ofway over the road, and
delays are unavoidable; so we will not
complain of their tedionsness. The scenery
along the route is varied and IN the lain
pleasing hamlets, farms, woodlands, lakes
and streams; the twin cities of Auburn and
Lewiston showed TO good effect in the
glinting OF the bright morning sun; and
the grass and cereals were looking green
and growing fast enough to we'll nigh atone
for the lateness of the season.
At 1850 the train slackened and the
conductor shouted MARANoCooK He
might, however, have saved himself that
trouble, for il needed but glance as the
I A. .h,z haH
OF maple, birch and pine, and the dozens
Of psvilions, booths, halls and offices con-
nected with this famous popular resort
came into view on our right, to say nothing
Of the multitudes that thronged the park
with its avenues and envirors, TO convince
US beyond the slightest skepticism that we
had arrived at the place where sounding
brass with al its Accomplishments OF tibk-
ling cymbals, etcetera, was to hold high
carnival.
Nearly every one OF the patrons of the
DEMOCRAT read the announcement OF the
programme, and for the lack of space we
will simply say II was successfully carried
out There were between Il, 600 and 1900
people on the grounds, all ofwhom came on
excursion trains, representing nearly every
town in the State from Kittery Point TO
Quoddy Head. By actual count there were
Seventy-two hands. There was plenty or
shade, ditto OF facilities for sailing on the
lake; nobody complained OF lack of food or
ice-water; there was 4 mammoth pavilion
in which one hundred couples-perhsps
more, but we will be modest in our use OF
figures, even though we are dealing with
big thiugs-could dance TO the music OF
- full military band" without its costing
them 8 cent in cash, or any effort except
for the gents 10 find partner, and the
good-looking ones, including the altos OF
our band-oh yes, we won't be partial,
so the cOrpetists, and tenors, and bassos,
and trombonists, and barito1es and drum
merS are included, also-of course had no
trouble on that score. Then there was the
clam bake YOU could 60 up aud lean on
the barbed- wire fence that enclosed the
concern and watch the operations, and get
your eyes full of smoke, and smell the (un-)
Savory shifts OF the sizzling bivalves al the
same rates as the dance; but 10 get inside
and az the table was another matter and
required a consideration; nevertheless,
those who had the nerve and the means TO
accomplish the feat report themselves well
satisfied with the net results. or course,
the over-present peanut man and all his
kin rcaped a rich harvest, and the catch
penny side-showS with their threadbare
parapternalia wee there also. \ dozen
b,ue-Costed repre- 5entasives OF the Com
1 OuwealthS criminal code preserved the
best OF order. only one serious fracas &C.
curing, N which the party OF the first part
hid his cOuntenance somewhat thoroughly
tattooed
The contest for the prizes was not quite
so animated a. was expected, from the fact
that but three bands CO npeted; but the
six selections rendered BY these were well
worth the Journey TO hear. To our untu-
tored ear il was hard 10 discern which
was the superior; the judges, however,
took the matter Of deciding the question
into their own hands, and awarded lst TO
Gloyer's Band Of Auburn, 2ud 70 Miller's
Band of Lewiston, Grd 10 the North Ber-
wick Band.
The $1,000 prize competition for best
cornet player was an equally interesting
feature OF the day. +. L. Lindall Of Port
land took the prize, leading his two COM
petitors BY several points, though Maste-
frankie Cash Of Br,dgton deserves honor
able mention, which he here gets, ii being
al we have 10 beStow; for a lad of fourteen
he j. certainly musical marvel, and befor"
he is aS old as Lindall will make it inter
estins for him, 20 say the least.
But the crowuiug element OF the enter
tainment was the grand combined and con-
solidated concert by the united bands un-
der the leadership Of Prof. Collias. Five
selections were given Hail Columbia,
Company Quickstep, ""Zingari March,
Home from Camp Marcel" and America. -
About sixty-fve bands participated in this
part Of the exercises; allowing fifteen to
each band, a moderate estimate, there were
scarcely less than one thousand trained mu-
sicians, and il may well be Judged that the
effect was none otherwise than thrilling.
Company ID" is fayorite with all the
bands. and was twice repeated 10 the de-
light OF the immense audience; the clear
tones OF the silver cornet played by Master
Hatch, a boy of thirteen, were easily heard
above the mingled peals OF hundreds of
comets, trombones and other instruments
OF blaring. resonant music, while the
rolling rattle OF little drums and crashing
thud of big drums were equalled only by
the incessant discharges o. musketry aud
salVoS OF artillery on the field of battle.
'sZiugari March" was splendidly rendered,
and ''Home from Camp was handled pref
" well, though even novice could see
that the average player was little shy OF
il; il is difficult piece. America" that
grand old national anthem, always good,
was very appropriately the closing piece,
and, Of course, in the hands OF thousand
musicians was moro sublime than ever.
Well, the days festivities were brought
10 a close, and the scramble for the home
ward bound trip was eager and intense.
The Maine Central and other roads were
equal 10 the occasion; train after train
averaging from twelve to twenty-five cars
were dispatched in quick succession by
Supt. Tucker, who was present and con-
tributed not little to the pleasures of the
festival. Tired and dusty, at 10 P. VI. no