Evening star., 1898-08-06

mules of mine for music. Bandmaster you
are to at once assemble your band in
heavy marching order, taking not more
than fifteen minutes for this purpose and
then you are to march the band down to
the corral Arriving there, you are to be-
gin a varied program of select music and
you are to play with spirit and precision
and not lag in your enthusiasm I'll be
around from time to time to see that you
attend to these orders. See that you do at
tend to them.
At the Corral.
The soldiers We're dismissed from quar-
tiers. They bolted their breakfast, and re-
paired to the corral in a body Then they
stretched themselves out on the grass in
easy attitudes; chewing straws and watch
ing the performance. The perspiring
members of the band turned up promptly
at the end of the fifteen minutes and be-
gan to play for the mules and the mules
cooked up their ears lazily and ke-hawed
ana ke-hunked appreciate lively for some
time. The sun rose high in the heavens,
and yet the bandsmen played on. Along
toward 10 o clock the commanding officer
turned up.
Just a bit more life to that tune" said
he to the bandmaster. The band RESPONDED
with whatever enthusiasm it could and
the commanding officer stood by and lis
tened for a while Then he strolled off 10
ms office. The men continued to lie around
chewing straws and listening to the music
until most of them We're summoned ava,
by fatigue, drill and other calls. The mules
blnked lazily in the sunshine and regarded
the putting bandslnen with wondering ewes
As the feelings of the different mules were
from time to time worked upon by pecu-
marry mellow chords, they gave vent to
prolonged ke-hunks. Along about noon
the commanding officer strolled down to
the corral again.
Just give those mules the overture from
Tannhauser,' said he to the bandmaster
land L guess that will be about enough
practice for this morning
The bandmaster gave the signal after the
music was passed around. and the soldiers
played the Tannhauser overture with
spirit. When 1T was concluded the com
manding officer beckoned to the band
master. '
81 have understood" said he. "that the
men giving the hop last night had u bit of
a difficulty with you regarding The figure
you flxei tor the furnishing CT the music.
1t didn strike me- when | heard of this,
that .you acted with any great amount of
generosity toward your comrades. | would
recommend that you seek to adii&t var
difference with the men somewhat more
satisfactorily to them. You may
march the band to quarters"
The bandmaster obeyed the order and it
was not half an hour later before he made
his appearance in the soldiers barracks
with a $40 gold piece in his hand. which he
gave to tie soldier who had made the ar
rangement with him for the hop music.
I'D was a mistaig,'' said the bandmaster.
Il was only fooling NIT you fellers''
Out he tidHsieiItu oul ol tHe regiment
as soon ds he could make it go through,
neVcrtfe
Skaters Love of Fair Play.
General Shafter Is another of the general
officers who, colonel had keen sense
of humor, allied to strong sense of JUS
tice. few years ago, when Shafter was
colonel of the 1st Infantry, and in COM
mand of Angel Island, Cal, he had in one
of his regiments companies young
bucko of a corporal who had achieved the
reputation of a slugger from his entry into
the outfit The corporal was an out-and-
out bully, although he was at the same
time a good soldier. 1t was one of his de-
lights to pick quarrels with husky-looking
young recruits just joining the regiment
from the recruiting stations, and to TRY
them OUT in regularly arranged pitched
prize fights. He had never been beaten in
one of these affairs up to the time of this