St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-11-19

OhihSo W iOllOW' hO DdhLd hOAl-
cana," with the strange music that was
made SO popular last winter by the
Mexican band, was the second number
on the program. Michaelis' "The
blacksmith lin the woods" came next
with music suggestive of pretty much
all the features of daybreak in the
country. The selection which gave the
most satisfaction to the lovers of music
was the fantasia from Wagner's Lohen-
grin with it's beautiful swan song and
bridal chorus. If there were those in
clined to criticise the melOdiOus dis
cord in which these gems were set
they cOmforted themselves with the
thought that it was all truly Wagneri-
an, and the master himself might have
felt gfatified at its Interpretation by
the band. Following this came bod
wOrth's Marching Review, which show
ed the height of cultivation and drill
on the part of the performers. Music
representing the playing of German
bands at night at the siege of Paris,
Scottish airs and LamOthe's "Indian
Mail" made up a program that cover
ed pretty much everything in the way
of national airs. The cornet solo was
ArOnsOn's "Sweet Sixteen" In re-
Spouse to hearty encore Mr.. Church
gave Richardt's ''Image of the Rose"
which was one of the gems of the even
ing. The piccOlo solo by Fred Padley
was also well received. CuriOusly
enough the selection was by DeCarlo,
the only piccolO sOloist who was ever
here that will bear any comparison to
Mr.. Padley. The band was generous
in its responses, cheerfully complying
with the many requests of the audi
ence for more. The Baby polka and
Chicken galOp were given in response
to recalls and elected a good deal of
merriment. Too much can hardly be
said in praise of the entertainment as
a whole and the band won multitude
of friends in st. JOhnsbury.
There seems destined to be a story
attachment to each one of the course
entertainments. Nothing but the per-
sistent efforts of tile committee secured
the band anyway, as Mr.. Reeves was
unable to make other engagements in
this vicinity and was obliged to come
the long distance from Providence on
purpose. The band left home before
o'clock Monday morning. An acct
dent caused them to miss connections
at Worcester for the North. After
much tribulation they reached White
River junction where special train
was chartered to bring them to st.
JOhnsbury, which was reached at in
the evening. The extra expense OF
$50 or so was shared by the committee.
FATHER BOISSONNAULT'S VIEWS
OF REL.
''Did you ever meet Riel ?" asked
The CaledOnian reporter of Father
BOissonnault on the day of Riel's exc
cutiOn. "Oh, yes" replied the worthy
father, ~ know him very we'll. We
were students together in Laval uni
versity at Montreal for six years"
Father BOissOnnault favored the
writer with some of his impressions
and recOllectiOns of the famous half
breed who was hung last Monday
Riel was regarded in school as very
peculiar fellow, said Father b. He
would at times engage heartily in play
with the other students but when any
thing went amiss he would abruptly
withdraw without explanation, anC
without apparent cause. He was {
quick scholar and diligent student
When among his people he was natur-
ally IL leader, rs he WAS the best -edu-
Gated of his fellows. Father b. had
not met his old schoOlmate since leav
ing school until eight years ago, il
1877, when a number of old student
friends, Riel among them, met a
Montpelier and went together tt
Burlington to visit others of thei
mates. a change in Riel was nOteo
by members of the party at that time
When talking upon ordinary subject
he was natural enough, but when pc
litical matters were mentioned he wai
very strange and eXcitable and it wal
two years or so later that he was sen
to the insane asylum in Quebec. Tha
Riel was insane Father BOissOnnault
has not the least doubt and that hii
punishment by hanging was gre a
misfortune he is equally sure. 1t W il
arouse bitterness of feeling and, while
| fighting may not directly result from
it, no man can tell the extent Of tn
injury that may follow.
Many coincide with Father BOissO
nault i'll his view of the case. Tn
/ Springfield Republican calls the execu
ton one of the blacklist political act
of this generation and declares tina
"Riel was the John Brown of the halt
BREED fanatic with just cause be
hind him, at least cause which reste
on the bedrock of justice in the mind
of his supporters"
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