Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-14

| master, and that was the end of 1t.
The soldier who had done the in
! terviewing with the bandmaster was
| an old-time non-commissioned officer.
who had soldered alongside Lawton
! on a number of critical occasions, and
he went up to the general and aired his
| grievance, but he did not seemingly
| evoke much sympathy.
Thai night the hop came off. and
| along toward . o'clock in the mornin :
| Colonel Lawton made his appearance
on the floor He enjoyed the spectacle
of his men having IA good time, and he
told the boys to go ahead and keep
! the dance going until reVeiie if they
wanted to. Then he left the hall.
| The hop broke up about half an hour.
| before the reveille. and the soldiers
| made for their quarters to get ready
to stand the first roll call of the day.
| When the tired soldiers got into line
| outside their quarters they were sur
prised to see their commanding officer,
| who was ordinarily late sleeper,
standing in the middle of the parade
ground in fun uniform. and that at
half after ).
The company officers made their re-
port to the officer of the day. who
wheeled and reported to the Command
ing officer.
Officer of the day ordered Colonel
Lawton. quietly. have the trumpeter
sould the call To arms
The officer of the day gave he COM
mand, and in less than minute all of
the men permitted to lie IN" for
reveille. including the bandsn II, came
running out on the parade grol nd. only
partially dressed. The o, sequious
bandmaster loped up to thee mmand-
ing officer. saluted and stood 20 atten-
ton.
|. 'Bandmaster," said Lawton. "one OF
the characteristics of this outfit Of
mine that delights me is that most Of
the men are very fond of mus ic But.
musical as these men are" continued
the commanding officer, swee ping his
arms around the quadrangle formed by
the barracks, I'm in command of an
other outfit in this post-an auxiliary
outfit it is true-the component men,
berS of which are also very fond OF
music. / refer to my mules. I've often
taken note of the fondness of these
mules of mine for music. Bandmaster
you are to at once assemble your band,
in heavy marching order. taking not
more than 10 minutes for this purpose,
and then YOU are to march the band
down to the corral. Arriving there
you are to begin a varied programme
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 n cpa 10 ~
tend to these orders. See that you do
attend to them"
The soldiers Were dismissed from
quarters. They bolted their breakfast.
and repaired to the corral in a body
Then they stretched themselves out OF
the grass in easy attitudes chewing
straws and watching the performance.
The perspiring members of the band
turned up promptly at the end OF the
ID minutes, and began to play for the
mules. and the mules cooked up then
ears lazily and ke-hawed and Ike
haWed appreciatiVely for some time
The sun rose high in the heavens. ana
yet the bandsmen played on. Along
toward 10 O'Clock the commanding
officer turned up
Just bit more life to that tune"
Stit ne " ltl' bdHuildSttr me Ddnt
responded with whatever enthusiasm il
could and the commandinC officer
stood by and listened for a while.
Then he stroled off to his office Along
about noon the commanding officer
strolled down to the corral again.
Just give those mules the overture
from Tannhauser," said he to the band
master, and I guess that will he about
enough practice for this morning"
The bandmaster gave the signal after
the music was passed around. and the
soldiers played the Tannhauser over
ture with spirit. When il was con-
cluded, the commanding officer beck
oned to the bandmaster
Il have understood" said he. that
the men giving the hop last night had
bit of difficulty with you regarding
the figure you fixed for the furnishing
OF the music. 1t didn't strike me, when
heard of this, that you acted with
any great amount of generosity to-
ward your comrades. ! would recon-
mend that you seek to adjust your
difference with the men somewhat
more satisfactorily to them. You may
now 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 800 gold piece in his
hand. which he gave to the soldier who
mad made the arrangement with him
for the hop music
la was mistaig." said the band
master. Il was only fooling nit YOU
fellers.
But he transferred out of the resi-
ment as soon as he could make it go
through, nevertheless.-Was hington
Star.