Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-07-14
The GERMAN BAND.
Peripatetlo Musicians Who Can BE Found
All Over the Globe.

All Over the Globe.
A more lugubrious spectacle than is
presented by German band droning
forth "Herz mein Herr" in front of
your windowin asnow-storm it would
be difficult to imagine. We suffer
much from German bands. but we
have only ourselves to thank. love
music, and l am possessed by the de-,
fusion that it is my duty to encourage,
the practice of instrumental execu-
ton. Five or six years ago there was
q band of eight or nine performers
who perambulated Norfolk, and they.
came to me at least once month.
When they appeared l went out to
them and gave them shilling, air.
ing my small modicum of German
periodically, and receiving ilattering
compliments upon my pronunciation,
which gratified me exceedingly. These
people disappeared at last, but they
were succeeded by another band, and
n very inferior one. and l took but
little notice of them. There were
seven of these performers, cornet and
two clarionets being prominent-very.
However, they got their shilling and
vanished. Three days after their
departure came another band; this
time there were only four thought
that rather shabby. but l was busy,
did not take much notice of them, and
again gave them q shilling The cor
net-player was really quite respecta-
bic. Next day came four more. and
there was no cornet, only the abomin-
able clarionet Ii was insufferable !
said l really must restrict myself to
siXpence, and that was fourpence
more than they were worth. Two
days after their departure came sim
gle solitary performer; he had q pan
pipe fastened under his chin. peal of
bells on his head, which he caused to
peal by his mods, a pair of cymbals at
tached to one of his elbows, big drum
which he beat by the hold of a crank
that he worked with one of his feet,
and powerful concertina which he
played with his hands. He led off
with u dolorous chorale in minor
key. 1t was really more than flesh
and blood could bear. "Send him
away, Jemima. Send him awayl
instantly! Tell him am
Sclw krGnb. Send him awayr'
The fellow smiled with unctuous COM
placency. Bat when he got only two
pence, his face fell Zach, nein! You
plaise, u professor, he geeve one
shilling to re band-I am 70 band.
He geeve re band only twopence. He
do not understand am re bandit You
plaise tell him am re bandr" mo!
You're to 60 away. Masters very
krankyw II band loitered for half a
minute, then it took itself 10 pieces
and went its way. But the fellows
hint about the shilling was significant,
and led to an investigation, Then it
turned out that the band of seven or
eight which was going its rounds that
year, split itself up when it came into
my neighborhood, and, in view of my
shilling, presented itself in two de-
tachments, each of which reckOned on
my shilling, and several times carried
ut off. Now give one penny for each
performer, and only when there is q
f cornet do | send out coffee to the in
strumentalists.
E 1t was, however, not in flesh and
9 blood to withhold the shilling from
, the players of that quartet on that
!. bitter morning. 1t was heartrending
to think of their having at the peril of
their lives staggered through three
+ miles of snow-drifts 1t was inhuman
: to send them away without coffee.
: And they had it accordingly. Poor
things! poor things! Where were they
going! They were going back to the
,, "Red Lion" stones throw off, where
they had slept the night before, and
t where they meant TO spend this night
in delighting the hearts of the rustics
g by waltzes and polkas, and gathering
q not such bad harvest for the nonce.
! "Lor' sir!' said Mr. Style, ito hear
that there trombone Soyeing Rule
Britannia! That made you feel he
: was real musician-that he did" -
: DR. ,JeSSo)D an Nineteenth Ceutu9u