The morning news., 1892-02-21


how the military dress and bearing. the
martial music, enter at.opr eyes and ears,
and stir In our blood, With vAgue sugges-
tions Of camps and fields. gallant deeds and
honorable rewards. Here they come, this
little reminder of the worlds romantic years
when man was warrior, OF the times OF
chivalry, Of wars and war-like expeditions,
and every eye brightens as they approach,
every foot keeps time, responsive to the
thrilling horns and rythmic drums.
The drum major is mood. Old or young,
big or little, handsome or ugly, he Is pure
mood.
Look at him swelling down the street in
advance OF the band! Wouldn't you give
all your painfully acquired pslf and pes
simism, your neuralg 10 and notes negotia-
BILE, to feel like him for Just ten minutesa
How elate that head--how rigid that
spine-what fluent step-what fabricated
prancel What happy conceit, and rollick-
ing abandonment Of superlative swagger.
A fool; but not solemn fool. A gay and
waggish fool who tips you the sly and
knowing wink as he goes strutting past, as
who should say, "All fun, you know
How often has he been minel So often
that have come to know him well, even
by name. And when walk out in the sun
shine. holding my gifts OF youth and health
and modest measure Of success, and feel
the ebullience of sheer mettle and vain
glory expanding in all my veins, mount
ing to my head, lifting my feet high,
rolling my eyes. dilating my nostrils
and thrusting out my under lir in glorious
buncombe and bravado, laugh out loud
and say: "Ah, here's the drum major! Hail
and thrice welcome, sir soldier-foolw
Talk not to me Of brigadiers and major
generals. and as for captains and such, let
no mention be made Of them, the drum
majors the man for my money.
The excess aud ectasy of fiamboyant or
namentation and martial splendor bursts
out all over him-nothing is gorgeous and
gallant and sumptuous enough for this
magnificent mood. The gold epaulettes
and cords and buttons, the fur and
fringe and flying feathers are but
symbolical Of the jocund vital currents
and streams of spring that leap in little
electric shocks, through soul and sense. |
am sorry for you IL you have never known
him, the drum major; there must be some-
thing aniss with your conscience. your
liver. or your digestion.
1 rode in from Eckinton the other day
when the only other passengers In the car
beside myself were number OF vulgar peo-
pie. There were eight or ten OF them in all,
men and women, young fellows and girls,
from some country town; and when l had
ridden about seventeen blocks with
them they all the time performing
actively 1t broke over me. all at once,
with the force of a Drand-new startling
truth, that the happiest- -indeed, the first
really happy-people Ihed seen here.szs
Now L am hardly vulgar at all Alas! 1t
has come toobefalmost sscofid nature with
me to behave, right along as, what z.we call
a well-bred person should. And I have
gone forward blipdlY rejoicing ~ this fact.
have belieyedT5as ! was taught that, it is
thing tosbs glad ofs5o,Jq sia o5ai a3ao6
l have held myself better than vulgar
people; indeed the Boston woman who said
to her 5-yeeF1eld Sson, ofa someV offeEse he
had committeis ~ Wiclcedl r. lis wmuch
worse than Wicked, it's vulgar quite epits
omized mEY iews on the matters9go tel.
And now my eyes were opened all at
once. As looked at them | felt how
everlastingly they had the bulge on me-
Their cheeks were too red; much of their
clothing and get-up was eccentric, all of
it inelegant; they talked loud, and took
everybody into their confidence; they
despitefully used the queens English
the men spat upon the hoor--they did
almost everything they should not have
done; but o, the hearty, childlike goodwill
with which they poked each other in the
ribs, the loud rallyings and equally vocifer-
GUS disclaimers, the retofts and bridlinRs,
the fun they, got out Of scufling over who
should pay the fare
/ groaned 10 spirit, and my prayer Is now
Dear Lord, please let ma be vulgaragain. y
For, Of course, we were all little natural
vulgar batiesf bowling when we were
hungry oTofick, laughing when we we're
tickled, and not caring q cart for appear
ance. ALICE MACEDONIAN.