Wichita eagle., 1888-03-07
STORY OF A BASS DRUM.

|
His life had been blasted by his failure,
in moment Of observation-disclosures to hit the
bass drum at the proper moment.
So the old man said, and he looked truth
full Il appearances went for anything his
life had certainly been blasted He and
fortune undoubtedly had been on the outs
for long time, and he seemed to be con-
WINGED that the lane he was travelling had no
turning His shoes were disreputable and
his hat was shocking. His tailor had never
been fashionable one, but the worst suit Of
clothes he had over palmed of on a country
customer was a work Of art in comparison to
| the wretched toys that now dill duty as a
| protection against November breezes. There
were lines in the old mans face that told Of
privation rather than age, and many Of these
took flight as he slowed away a comfortable
meal of roast beef and baked potatoes. But
when he had topped of with pony Of
brandy he looked actually youthful. The
old man had not had a really square meal
for months, and to tho lack of the good
things Of life was due his generally worn out
and down at the heel appearance. He wasn't
really so old. after all, for be had only just
passed the half way century house, and had
the world gone well with him fifty years
would have been . mere feather for his
shoulders.
His story was curious tale Hard knocks
had made him uncommunicative; but the
generous meal, to say nothing Of the pony Of
brandy, had put new life into him and oiled
his tongue. His companion was in every way
q contrast. He wasn't old or ragged, and he
! heI NOD fho hrop Iv cfoo uo
a good listener, too and his object in provid-
| Ing for the immediate wants of the ancient
tie counter was 20 hear his story That
promised half hours distraction if nothing
more. There was something very much out
of the common in the idea that a mans
career had been destroyed simply because he
had hit bass drum at the wrong moment.
! The more thought the old mans companion
devoted to the idea the moro ridiculous it
seemed. Finally he expressed wish to hear
tho story.
Lighting cigar with which he had Just
| been presented, and leaning back in his chair
with degree Of ease that spoke well for the
dinner just dispatched, the old man blew q
cloud of smoke from his mouth and musingly
| said: II remember tho night just as well as
il it was only a week old"
|
nan, land where did it all happcn,"
| The old man was in no hurry. He felt
much as cat does after luxurious meal of
| mice. The beat of the blazing coal fire added
to his enjoyment, his cigar was of a very re-
spectacle brand, and, all things considered,
| life had not held so much attraction for him
| for many years as it did this particular even
| ing. Everything was so pleasant that he
loto ~ 70 cA,, rh ~{o
until he could no longer avoid it. But every
| thing comes to him who waits, and the old
man finally awoko to the knowledge that no
was indebted for pleasant hour to q stran-
ger, and that tho stranger was sitting at the
other side Of tho fireplace quietly awaiting
payment The latter could not be made in
coin; of this fact both were aware, but it
was expected in the shape Of story.
With q shake the old man got rid OF his
rlusing fit, sat bolt upright in his chair, then
leaned forward es if he were about to tell
what 10 saw in the fire, and said 81 can see
it all.n Then he raised his right arm, just as
il he were preparing to give tho bass drum
tho biggest blow of its life, and pitched into
his tale without further ado.
"It happened down in Texas, be said, ''et
Fort Worth. Queer town that l often felt
| L
| there. They're an enterprising peop> there,
and mighty handy with gun. They've get
| q way, too, that carries 'em anywhere ex-
cept on through train. How many of EN-
got into the circus by Offering the ticket
tak.r the barrel end Of a revolver don't
know, but there must have been a good
many Of 'en, or the ticket taker lied. We
pitched the tent on the northeastern outskirts
~ fhn of for
| the town was just dropped into the middle of
| prairie, and there's breathing space around
it for q million. People in Texas like plenty
Of room, and they generally get it. We
looked for q big house at Fort Worth, for we
were told that more people landed there than
in all the other towns in Texas put together.
This may be true, but we afterward found
that they only landed. They generally took
tho next train and got out Of the place, for
Fort Worth is sort Of railroad center and
distributing point. But I'm not saying any
thing against Fort Worth as q circus town.
There were plenty Of people there to ill q
| bigger tent than ours, and they filled ours
until nothing but the ring was vacant Of
course everybody connected with the show
was tickled at tie size Of tho house, and the
manager promised a winc-Rhine wine-sup-
PtI dAtcI INC ioSt pei oI lldNCc.
did you get the supper"
'No-there was no wine supper that night"
"How was THAR
"Well, that was my fault, suppose They
ell said it was my fault, and I've been told
that so often that long ago l made up my
mind it must be SO. 1t happened this way.
We carried six acrobats. The bills said
| twenty five, but We only carried six, and one
fH,---
steel jaw. They were all good and never
missed an act, whether our last journey was
made in Pullman or cattle car. OF course
VIC carried band. The band showed twenty
fivo strong on a street parade, but eleven Of
'em were dummies"
"Dummies!n
"Yes; fakes; couldn't blow horn for a
dollar note Nine Of US made all the music:
the rest were only padding l played bass
drum, and until that night wouldn't take a
back seat from no one as a bass drummer
Some folks think any one could play bass
drum, but let EN- try. Why, if the bass
drummer don't know his business he breaks
up the whole band. guess ought to know :"
Ever break up bandr
They said ! broke up the show The
afternoon performance passed off all right
Everybody's work was up to the top notch,
and the house nearly worked the show to
death. My right arm was so sore l could
hardly do justice to the grub, and We were
little late in starting the evening perform
ance. Things didn't 60 right from the first
blow l hit the sheepskin. The largest ele-
plant in the known world got cranky in the
middle Of his act, and walked out of the ring
fourishing his trunk and believing 50 loud
that every man in the house pulled his gun
and stood ready to shoot. The woman with
the steel jaw dropped her husband when he
was twenty feet from the ground, and he