Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-13
THE RURAL BRASS BAND.
A National Institution ofYillage Life
Dear TO the Heart of Every
Loyal Citizen.

''Oh, listen to the band
Oh, amt it something grandp
Popular Song
How it may be in Europe I cannot pre-
tend to say, but in this country town with
out brass band Of its own must be a poor
thing, shamefullY lacking in local pride and
public spirit, town with no 'git-up' to it at
all. do not know that there are such.
hope not.
Il like to think that everywhere in my
country they speak in an aRectionate way
Of the musicians as the band boys, and
brag about how much better they can play
than the Mt. Victory band. like to think
that all the merchants and storekeepers in
town helped out when the band was organ.
lied and the fellows came around soliciting
subscriptions for the first payment on the
instruments aud that when the other in.
stallmeuts fall due everybody buys tickets
TO the home talent minstrel shows got up to
raise the money. not only because there
will be more fun than little, but also be
cause they wish them good luck. And how
proud we all are Of them when the boys
turn out for the first time in their new uni
formsl Talk about Solomon in all his glory,
I have seen bandsmen that would make
him look as il he had overals on And the
drum major If could be a drum major
for living, and look the part and dress up
like him and walk in front Of the band,
tossing up my silver kuobbed baton and
catching il again the way he does wouldn't
bother my head about being President of
the United States Not for a minute 1
can Just see the bandstand on Main street.
or perhaps in the courthouse yard, where
on Saturday nights the band gives concerts
by torchlight aud plays On Duty March
and 'Helter-Skelter Galop, and maybe No
q in the Black Book while the farmers
listen, we'll paid for the long drive in from
the country TO orIS miles. Fair time, po-
ltical rallies, hremen's tournaments, ball
games, Decoration Days Fourth of July,
can see the boys swagger along in the
middle Of the street and hear the drums
roll PrrTrrompom' before the tune
strikes up When they brought home
Colonel Clayburn $ bodyiand led his rider
less horse behind the hearsa, il was the
band playing Webster's Funeral March,
with a ha=kerchief stuffed between the
snsres Of the tenor drum to muffie its sharp
note that made all seem so solemn, and
who can forget how lonesome sounded the
melody of taps on one single coruet just
before the grave was 6lled in2
'Inseparable from allsour civic functions
the band has in the country town nearer
aud more neighborly associations For ex.
ample when Squire Morgan and his wife
celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.
Everybody thought the world and all Of the
old squire and Aunt Margaret, and so, for a
surprise, when IT, got dark the band boys
/ slipped quietly into the front yard and be
| gan to play, When You and Were Young
! Maggie" Il is a sweet old tune and we all
stopped our chatter to listen. AS it AOated
in on the warm June air scented with honey
| suckie, something clutched at our throats
and made them ache.
but now we are aged and gray, Maggie
The trials Of life nearly done;
| Letus sing Of the days that are gone. Maggie
When you and / were young.
"The two old people stood listening