The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-08
THE SONG @ the DRUM

1 fill. People took their lunch baskets there | and ate in groups, spread leisurely 1 among the benches. As the luncheons dis | appeared the unoccupied seats became fewer. Sarah and Willie slipped up to l a far corner unnoticed in the confused interchanges of greetings and reminis- | censes. They sat very straight and whis- pered to each other.
 There's Jim Wilson. remarked Willie. | He used to come to see you"
 We used to play together" l Why don't any fellers come to see your"
 l There's no need of your asking that, Willie You know just as well as do" | Same reason why they chased me at | school, I spose," murmured Willie, and Sarah sighed
 The small boys in the grand-stand were restless by this time. They began to stamp their feet, irregularly at first and then in rhythm. Older boys joined In, The noise became so thundsrous that MT. Smythe, the master of ceremonies, who was also the town undertaken hurried to the front, looked deprecatingly about and clapped his hands. putting on his pro- fessional look. There was lull.
 We must remember,'' called Mir Smythe. that the General is coming |"
 At this the boys began to whistle and cheer, and soon were stamping founder than ever. Mir. Smythe tried vanly to bring order, but was obliged to give 1t up and return to his seat
 Several false alarms that the General was arriving were followed by the rus~ tie and chatter of the people getting to their feet. At last a carriage swung around the corner of the stand and came to stop. The General descended and moved slowly to the box reserved for him, with Judge Wilson his host There was no mistaking the Generals erect old | figure, the gray beard half hiding the kindly face. The people cheered franti- cally, not stopping until long after he | had entered his box, where he stood smil- | ing and lowing. Don't keep him stand | ing! Don't keep him standing! shouted | one to another, and noise died out. The 1 General took his seat and conversed in low tones with Judge Wilson, while the people droned like swarming bees 1 It was time for the band contest to be- | gin. A blare of brasses flattened the air. and the Zouave band from the State Cap | ital swung around .he grand-stand I marching in good order and playing the Washington Post" The leader strode in frcnt swinging his huge baton and some- | times throwing 1t high into the air and
 
 hitting it's whirling to cease. Round and round marched the players, stopping final | ly before the stand and putting a new access of energy into their music. The | cheeks of the cornetists were puffed out 1 like red apples; the clarionetists neven missed a note; the drum rattled; the trombones and great horns groaned in | the most approved rhythm, and the leader 1 continued the gyrations of his baton with l At the last flourish the drums beat again, | and the band marched proudly from the | field.
 "The State Zouave," whispered Judge Wilson to the General, amid the applause. | They've won half dozen contests"
 As the next contestants came into view there was a burst of cheering. Local pride made the local band popular, and half the people in the stand recognized that it was performing a piece new to | It's repertoire. The familiar faces of the players stared without recognition at their friends and neighbors among the auditors The cornetists and trombone players were not quite sure of their notes, so they had their music fastened to their instru- ments. The leader, George Schroeder, who was also head of the fire department, l waved his baton with due regard to time, but not so much to expression. The new yellow uniforms were very effective in the sunlight. The piece went smoothly at first Presently one of the cornetists | skipped bar and blew loud notes that had no relation to things in general. His neighbor kicked him; Schroeder, the lead CT, gave him an agonized look He knew something was wrong, but he dared not stop, and plunged ahead into deeper and deeper abysses of discord
 The Schroeder, being essentially a man | or quick decision. marched his band away. still playing, and sought a seclus- ion where the poor offender could be suf- | hciently sworn at. The crowd cheered 1 periodically
 The next band came from Belgrayia. | the metropolis of an adjoining county. the next from Waterford. These four were all that had entered for the con test and the people, after applauding the last settled down to a noisy discussion ot rival merits. The local matoritv thought that Schroeders presence of mind should win his men the prize hut the outside contingent swore by the 1 Zouaves to a man.
 sarah and Willie had been too excited to take part n the enthusiasm. They l ha1 their own secret After each Diece they had peered about, earnestly won ueriis or thelr father. Would he come ? l tAe olu uTuHl 10 sound that day 2 1hey Knew that he had not entered his narne' but they also sknew that any do | termination he might have formed wo,,ld not be stayed for ceremonial reasops l hen the Waterford band marched away | the hearts of the two children sank | Il guess he isn't coming" said Sarah with wistful lingering of her hope,
 Just then a hand was laid on WiIlio,s shoulder. He turned with a start. to sec his fathers face peering over the bacl, of the grand-stand
 Willie! Willie" whispered the old man. | What father?"
 T want you to fife for me-"
 My fife ain't here"
 I've got 1t. Play 1t the way I taught you. Come on."
 Willie slipped over the rail and slid down the scantllng supports. Sarah re- mained upright on the bench, awaiting what was to come with eager dread
 What was that? Two thousand faces 1 turned in wonder. A drum was beatino the longroll. Softly 1t began. then swelled to great volume of muttering sound | dying away again and breaking gently, into pulsating rhythm A fife pierceJ the air. forced into q wild old army sonr On the field. side by side marched Cor coran and Willie, straight to a position in front of the stand The buzzing of protest died away before them-iust the exclamation, Its Corcoranr' swept I