The herald., 1895-08-02
HANCOCK BANNING'S BAND
Came Up From Catalina to Play to Him
Yesterday
What q Thoroughly Domestic Man Will Do
When His Family Is Away and He
Gets Lonesome

Yesterday morning was unusually hot,
things were very quiet on the streets. and
barring fresh outbreak in the suicide
epidemic at the other end of town, and
d dog fight down near the postoffice, there
was little excitement anywhere. Men
we're going aimlessIy about their bust
ness. and even the women were more
than ordinarily lIstless in the pursuance
of their besetting sin-shopping when
suddenly, about half past IL the tantaliz-
ing and always infectious strains of the
muscle dance were heard, and down
Spring street from Fourth marched the
Marine band from Catalina, their brill
iant banner held aloft and playing De
Wits Midway Plaisance medley.
In the middle of the block between Sec
ond and Third they stopped. and from
the doorway of his office Hancock Ban
ming gave the banu a cordial welcome
and bent upon the men his benevolent
and patriarchial gaze.
1t seems Prince Hancock's family are
away; far, far away, in the north. at
Castle Crags. they are enjoying the brac-
ing mountain air. and being nothing, if
not domestic man, Sir Hancock's spir-
its were dropping in consequence; he was
lonesome and needed moral support. SO.
as he couldn't leave the pressing obliga-
tions incumbent on conducting a lively
summer resort and go to his isle in the
Pacific. he did the next best thing. which
was to order the best part of the isle-the
iband-to hls urtiec that they might play
to him there.
OF course, inside of ten minute business
in that part of town was suspended. q
mob had collected in front of the Office
and around the band, that almost OBJ
structed the travel OF street cars, ETC.,
and the windows in the lawyers and
other offices in the upper stories of the
surrounding blocks were filled with an
admiring audience.
Munselgnor stood IN the doorway of his
Office, his face wreathed in its own wide,
sunny smile. and he wlcomed friends and
acquaintance with that generous hospi-
tality which always marks him as gen
tleman and good judge of-human ma
ture.
incidentally it may have occurerd to
him when he sent for the band that there
is still plenty of tent room on the island,
but it was. of course. only incidentally;
and really it was solely because his tenn
porarily bereft soul hungered for music,
because the coal business being some
what slack. owing to the heat, and the
recenl remarkable oil development here,
his hands were comparatively idle. and
knowing the evil results that the copy
books have always said were sure to fol-
low upon that state, he concluded music
would be the best antidote, and music
he had.
1t was good music. too. there is none
better in the state than is made by that
same band. Its efficient and able leader,
Mr.. Charles A. Jones, knows how and
where to get good musicians. and what
to do with them after they are his.
Tney played on Spring street yesterday
for an hour and a half first, after the
march, a tuneful melody woven around
Oh, FAIR DoXe, ana a beautiful selection
from Haydn's The Passion, which they
played. by the way with much musi-
cian}y and intelligent art; a jolly little
Mexican dance. into which they threw a
considerable amount OF native fire; the
Weber Jubal overture; Luders Cavalry
Charge; and the Merry Minstrel medley
overture by Voeker. By that time it was
O'Clock and Pasha Banning felt il was
time the mems inner consciousness
should be sustained with midday meal,
so they packed up their instruments,
hied them to the Arcade depot, where
they were properly cared for, and after
playing a clever arrangement by their
leader. of popular airs, took the train for
that is their present home.
There is q rumor afloat that at the close
of the season, when his family have re-
turned and Raiah Banning needs them
no more, this same Marine band will be-
come permanent fixture in Los Angeles.
But that is another story, and it will be
given with all its details to the waiting
world at another time.