Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-09-20

| auoutu Ue CotitCteu III nuNaucc' AZ
though the committee regarded his re-
quest rs unusual, not to say startling,
II paid the bill.
The day OF the parade came around.
Prancing horses and men In brillisnt
uniforms were assembled ut the CON-
pauy's headquarters. Also there were
forty musicians--mostly large, thought
| fui Germans with spectacles. They did
not seem to be qualified rs rough riders,
and Il scon developed that they had
not been informed that they would be
expected to ride In the parade. In fact,
they were uneasy and mutinous. Col.
KApp said he had kept them In ignO-
rance so xs to prevent any worry In
advance. lie was satisfied that every
thing would ne all right.
Then he made few spirited remarks
to the musicians, addressing them 10
their native tongue, after which he told
the military commander that his men
were ready.
Accordingly the forty horses were led
out. They laid back their ears at sight
81 the brass instruments and walized
shout friskily, but the attendants closed
10 on them.
Four brawny hostlers would hold a
horse In place while q German musician
vas being hoisted into the saddle.
Some one would then hand the instru-
ment 10 the German. and the horse
would be dragged to his place In the
forming line. BY following this labori-
Gus process the entire band WAS sue
cessfully mounted and the formation
| was complete.
OF course the usual crowd bad gath
cred TO watch the start, aud the husssrs
sat very stifily on their horses and real
ized thst they were under inspection.
The Germans were hanging on and
clutching their instruments.
| IL IL now time to remsrk that the hus-
sar who had been ordered to get the
horses for the band had failed 10 inquire
M TO whether or not the horses were
accustomed to bsnd music.
The commander gslloped up to where
Col. Kspp was wsbbling about on
small sorrel mare.
"we're all ready" he said. snow
give us something lively--something BY
Sousa."
The band master has written several
marches which are vastly superior to
any Of Souss's stuff, but he yielded 20
the wishes Of the commsn der and pass-
ed the word Number 8" along the line.
This number was either the "HiRh
School Cadets" or Washington Post "
These two marches are 40 often mis-
taken one for the other that man can
get bet at any time as to which Is
which.
However the horses started forward
very slowly, after much urging, and
with one wild triumphant blare the band
started the Sousa march.
Those who stood right there and
watched the whole thing could never
tell afterwards what happened. From
disconnected reports gathered here and
there 1t seems that the raging harmony
Of the Souss march changed to mere
riot Of sounds.
The shrek Of the clarinet mingled
with the neighing Of horses, the fierce
cultural 0aths, the CHATTER Of hoofs, the
long drawn groan Of the tuba, the frenz.
led oom-pah Of the second alto. the
terrified "Whoas," and cries OF Help
Help" the soft thud Of the falling body,
the rip Of garments.
Some Of the horses began to turn
around and around, the same as turn
tables. Others tried to lie down. A few
stood on their hind legs. At least a
dozen ran, and two OF them had an In
sane impulse TO enter q candy store,
with the result that q bassoOn player
was scraped of and left hanging to a
signbOsrd, while he held the bassoon
between his feet-an accomplishment
which he could not have repeated In q
thousand attempts.
| Germans, horses, dust, gold braid,
wood wind instruments and brass horns
were mingled together In horrible con-
fusion.
The march Of the GOO into the jaws Of
death at Balaklava Was mere incident
compared to this vast struggle.
| 1t outdid the calamity Of the sunken
road at Waterloo, for at Waterloo there
were no flying band instruments to add
to the horror of the situation.
The spectators who had been lined
along the sidewalk fed, crying out with
ma niacal fear. Those who looked from
the windows covered their faces and
shuddered.
II is said that the band never reas-
sembled after that day. As the musical
artists escaped from the frightful mix
up they kept on running. The last Of
the horses was not recovered until three
days later. II was found on the prairie
near Austin and had wild look In It's
eyes.
The small boys living near that corner
picked up half notes, mOuthpieces, bits
Of spectacles, ''umlauts," "Himmels!'
and tufts Of horse hair for week after
ward.
Col. Kspp righ.fully declined to refund
any money. He claimed that his men
had carried out their part Of the con-
tract. They had appeared at the speci-
fed time and they had plsyed-but he
didn't say what.-ChicagO Record.