The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-03-26

, The air grew wavy in the hot blaze of
, noon. Devoted to Frank, with faith in
each other, knowing our leader was put
ting forth all his endurance, we Just
heard that difficult bugle come singing
around the beginning, and go singing
on to the end, without a note of hesi-
fancy, without faltering breath, with
out breaking trill, full and even grace
full as if on honest parade, through that
awful stretch of sunshine to the pasture
bars. Ere long even Mendall was evil
IDENTIFY surprised at the endurance. He
knew what this thing meant. He gazed
with wonder upon the dilating form of
the young musician, as he played on and
on, and not note betrayed WEAKNESS,
and not one discord in the Band showed
we were tagging.
| And now at last the multitude began
/ to understand the meaning of the strange
conflict. Cheer after cheer rose around
us. And we heard it-and we gave it all
to Frank! Who can tell the struggle of
an eXhausting hour like that? Frank
Slye never could for in after years he
used to say he remembered it only as
dream, and all he knew was he was go
ing to play the procession to the grove.
And he did They marched clear to
the stand provided for them, and we kept
up the tune. But the moment silence
was safe Frank signaled for the end.
Then such a cheer from the vast crowd!
how the old forest rang and rang again |
as the voices shouted!
But the exhausted man grew suddenly |
pale, and tOttered to a seat near the |
trunk of tree. Richard Morrison just |
took him up i'll his greatgentle arms and T.
bore him into dwelling close by. He
had hemOrrhages from his lungs all that |
night. And he was never himself for |
all the years thereafter. Six weeks of |
terrible suspense, during which life flut- |
tered upon Il watt of wind, at last wore |
their slow length away. And then he |
came forth again. But he never under |
took to play the bugle as our leader |
thereafter 1t was reckless eXpoSue. |
cannot find he heart to blame him. |
But it was not right. A life must not be |
periled upon such an issue as that.
tits pleasing to record that by one of
the singular freaks of that most eccen- |
trio mans character Ed Mendall seems |
to have been moved to actual admiration |
of his young competitor. He sent him
letter, full of sympathy, full of kindness |
and apology. He told him how the com
mittee had given him annoyance, and he
had shown bad temper. He said that |
Frank played with wonderful skill as
well as unparalleled endurance. And he
said more yet-that was the way we |
came to hear the letter-that any man |
ought to be proud to have his whole |
band stand dby him as we did.
Frank himself read the letter to us at |
one of our rehelrsals, in the peculiar
whispering tone he always now had to |
use. And he thanked us with simple |
unaffected words for our steadlastness. |
And Richard MOrrisOn'S face twitched, |
just as it did when his little boy Sandie |
was trying to sing; aud George Alison
looked suspiciously moist in the eyes;
and William Danforth absurdly got up
i'll chair calling for three cheers-gaye
one alone, and collapsed.
Then James Chaplin, who always did
the literary part of our work, surprised
us all-delighted us all-with Just this
set of resolutions:
81. ResOloed. That the name of this
Band be hencefOrth and hereby is
changed from the Mechanics Band to
'SLYE's BAND OF BELLINGHAM.'
so. Resolred, That the place of honor
in this band be always aud forever, and
hereby is, in the front platoon, the first
on the right hand.
SO. Reso're That Mr.. Frank Slye be
invited to occupy that place always, and
nobody else can go INTO it. If he will
walk there and carry his bugle, because
he can no more play, he hereby is in
vited. If he is not in the Band, that
place shall show that that is that place
where he belongs"
And that is the reason why the be-
loved old leader of that Band used to
walk in silence in the place of honor.