The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1902-04-16
The Lexington Dispatch
Wednesday, April IS, 1902.
The Glory Of the Brass Band.

'.Oh, listen to the band!
Oh, amt it something grand?'
How it may be in Europe I can
not pretend to say, but in this coun-
try town without brass band OF
it's own must be a poor thing, shame
fully lacking in local pride and pub
lie spirit, town with no ''g't-up" to
it at all. I do not know that there
are such. I hope not.
q like to think that everywhere in
my country they speak in an sfec-
tionate way of the musicians as the
band boys, and brag about how much
better they can play than the Mt.
Victory band. I like to think that
all the merchants ard storekeepers
in town helped out when the band
was organized and the fellows came
around soliciting subscriptions Tor the
first payment on the instruments, and
that when the other installments 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 because 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
forms! Talk about Solomon in all
his glory, have seen bandsmen that
would make him look like ne had
overalls on. And the drum msjol!
If could be drum major for li7.
ing, look the part and dress up like
him and walk in front of the band,
tossing up my silver knobbed baton
and catching it again the way he does,
I would not bother my head about
being President Of the United States
Not for minute. I can just see the
bandstand on Main street, CT perhaps
in the court house yard, where on
Saturday nights the band gave con-
certs by torchlight ard plays, son
Duty March, and "Helter Shelter
Galop," and maybe ''No. % in the
Black Book" while the farmers listen
we'll paid for the long drive in from
the country 10 or Is miles. Fair
times, political rallies, 6remen's tour
naments, ball games, Decoration days,
Fourth of July, I can see the boys
swagger along in the middle OF the
street, and hear the drums roll
'Prrrrrr rompom!' before the tune
strikes up. When they brought
home Col. Clayburn's body and led
his rideless horse behind the hearse,
it was the band playing Webster's
Funeral March with q handkerchief
stuffed between the snares Of the
tenor drum to mufie its sharp note
that made ali seem so solemn, and
who can forget how lonesome sound
ed the melody of taps on one single
cornet just before the grave was
filed in?
"Inseparable from all civic fupc-
tions, the band has in the country
town nearer and more neighborIy as
s)ciations. For example, when Squire
Morgan and his wife celebrated their
silver wedding anniversary. Every
body thought the world and all Of
the old squire and aunt Margaret,
and so, for surprise, when it got
dark, the band boys slipped quietly
into the front yard and began to play
when You and I Were Young, Mag
gle It is sweet old tune, and we
all stopped our chatter to listen. As
it foated in on the warm June air
scented with honeysuckles, something
clutched at our throats and made
them ache.
But now we are aged and gray. Maggie,
The trials of life are nearly done:
Let Us sing Of the days that have gore,
Maggie,
Wnen you and I were young,
"The two old people stood listen
ing. Their lips trembled, and the
tears stole into their eyes. Their
hands sought and clasped each others.
wy - o,oool ooI IT, ia