St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-04
AND THE BAND PLAYED

Indianapolis.
AND THE BAND PLAYED
And the Horses Came Out-So Did
the Musicians of Haverly's Big
Forty.
The announcement by the manage
ment of the Grand opera house of the
early appearance at that place OF amuse-
ment of Thatcher, Primrose & Vests
greatest minstrel show on earth. calls
to mind an experience that George
Primrose once had in this city, about
1882. when he was member of
the '.Original Haverly Account
'em-4O' show. The first morn
ing that the company got into
town they were going to give parade,
but as there was a DRILLING rain fall
ing they thought it more satisfactory
to ride under cover than walk, SO they
sent for big covered band wagon, and
1.-THE great and onlys" of the company
would ride in hacks. Dell Ma tiSOn
drove eight big, gray plumed horses
around, backed the wagon up to the
curb, and then made the startling an
nouncement that he had to catch train,
and he didn't have driver diSengaged
in the barn who could handle
eight horses, especially as these
horses were very gingery He further
said that if Haverly could get man to
drive them he could use the wagon and
give his parade, if not, he would have
to take the wagon back to the barn. 1t
seems, to fill in time on the cars, Prim-
rose had been telling the boys some big
OBJ fPatC
driving he had accomplished about the
White mountains. So said Haverly,
.'We've got man in the company that
has few equals in America as a driver.
All right, Madison, leave the horses;
pll fix it-Primrosep'
"Who wants me?" inquired George.
"Here," said Haverly, after explain
ing the dilemma, "get p on that high
seat and drive those horses"
But" said George, wishing to tell
Haverly it was big lie about his drlv-
ing exploits and that he had never
driven two horses together, much less
eight. Haverly, however. had gone
to get the others in the hacks, and as
the band was coming down stairs.
and all occasional tute from a
cornet or puff from from
bone was attempted preparatory to play
show signs of uneaSineSS. So Primrose
mounted high in the air to the drivers
seat and grabbed two hands full of
lines. The musicians now commenced
to climb in the wagon, the horses COM
menced to prance and George COM
menced to offer up silent prayer for
his safe return.
my God," thought Primrose, 81 will
not ONLY be killed myself, but SO will
all these musicians"
He commenced to yell at the
| top of his voice for Haverly,
but every time he yelled it seemed
| the cornetist, the trombonist, the fiutist,
the snare drummer. individually or all
| together. would commence to tune
up" so his cries were drowned in a
| pandemonium of noises. Cpl be a
murderer" almost Historically shouted
Primrose. Then somebody blew the
| whistle to start and the horses, having
been there before, started. They
| pranced little, trotted little, paced a
| little. cantered little and shook their
proud heads nObly for just five seconds,
until the drums gave the signal for the
band to play by going 'ta-ra-tara-ta-
| bum" The first sweet stratus of
the band were souI-harrowing strains
| to Primrose. The horses broke into a
| helter-skelter rush.
'And sixteen plumes with their silvery bars,
| Flapped in the morning breeze"
| Primsose pulled with all his mi ght on
| the light strips of leather he had
punched in both hands, then he tried
to separate the lines. and vigorously
pulled again. This had some
effect. for the hurrying greys
turned up on Fourth street.
| In the midst of the kaleidoscope view OF
the Clark house, Elder Stewards place
4 and the neighboring scenery, he saw that
| his last effort had been effective, so he
| pulled with the right hand again, just
| as the musical excursion came to the
alley where Geesaman & Murphy's
place now is, so the grays, Primrose,
| musicians and all shot down that alley
like a meteor through the heavens.
Over boxes, barrels and rubbish in gen
eral that are usually found at back
doors, rushed the band wagon pell-
nell, and as the horses couldn't turn
right or left in the narrow alley Prim-
rosa s'let 'um run" After vainly try
ing to stop them for two or three blocks
('let 'um rum by the way, is good,
Dogs scattered, rag-pickers and back.
door tramps hid, and debris flew till
the air had cyclonic appearance. AS
the "blg musical bO0m." as snowman
might call it, came down near Oswald's
to Washington avenue, Primrose saw
ahead of him deep excavation where
water main was being repaired, and
realized that he must make turn or all
was over. So he tugged at the numerous
lines, but they had got tangled ur
and as the horses turned a sharp corner
to the left instead of right, their prog
ress was suddenly stopped by two loads
of hay being directly in front of them
If Primrose's coat hadn't caught OIL
the whipstock when he slipped in max
ing the last desperate tug at the lines
he would have been precipitated under
the wheels; but as it was, there he hung
as the papers sometimes describe it
midway between heaven and EARTH
But the musicians. Oh, where were
they? Scattered up that dirty, ash
overed, rubbish-ridden alley lay the
several members of 81. 81. Haverly's
prize band" some in rubbish barrels
some showed clean through screer
doors, and some lying in small pools Of
water. Primrose had obtained revenge
on the trombone player, who had beer
fired into mess of rotten apples bach
of fruit store, and the hated cornetis1
was trying to force some manure out o.
1 his instruments that had heen iamme(