The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-07-21
VIM ns plsIIked aplrle."

Why Ne pisiIked "DlSie."
A distinguished retired general OF
the regular army, whose civil war
service was brilliant. was seated on
the lawn In front OF his Rhode Island
avenue home at Washington the other
evening. says the New York sun. In
conversation with a crony, when an
Italian with a street plano STOPPED
in front Of the house. II was a Nei'
tened street piano of the better sort.
and the old general enjoyed the mu-
sic so much that when. at the VINO
up OF the second tune. the Italian en-
tered the yard. Sinking and holding
cut Lis hat, the veteran officer tossed
him 2 quarter.
The Italian went back TO the tune
machine and began 10 grind out
Dixie
Before half OF the first measure Of
pixie had been played the retired
general rose from his bench. and
without a word 20 his erony. walked
into HIS house. through the hall and
70 the backyard.
He did not return 20 the bench
seat beside his friend until the street
plano man had gone away down the
avenue. ont OF hearing. He didn't
make any explanation when be re-
sumed his lawn seat. either. But his
crony was curious.
"Old man" he said 20 the retired
general. Il never knew before that
you we're narrow and preiudieed.
There's none 81 the old soreness leu
In YOU. IL there. that you run away
from 'Dixief' Don't you know that
Dixie Is tumultously applauded by
~ hands nowadays when IT'S played
~ thcater ~orchestras Ia New York,
ana even IN Boston,"
That's All right" calmly replied
The old officer. "Tm neither preiu'
diced nor nRrrow-nobody less so
But / got the worst Of the Dixie
/ tune a little matter OF forty and odd
years ago. 20 that I've neyc been
able TO listen TO Dixie since without
becoming sort 81 restless.
when Gen. Fitzpatrick was operai'
ing down around Macon. tearing up
railroads and such like, ! was With
him. / had charge Of destroying the
tracks.
The Johnnios were IN front OF us.
IN plain sight. but they didn't bother
us any. They contonted themselves
with failing back as We progressed
with the pulling up OF the rails and
ties.
They merely watched us across
the cioarinEn and through the trcea,
and never even popped AZ us. They
probably hrured that Il would be no
use. seeing how greatly We outnum'
bered them.
zone morning Gen. Fitzpatrick sent
for me TO learn how ] was msidng
out with the destruction Of the rail
road. he wanted the work pushed
faster.
"Iu tell you what you do Gen
Fitzpatrick said 20 me-. The boys al
ways work faster and with a better
viii when there's music around. fou
take one OF the mounted bands down
60 whore the gangs working and
give 'em some music. Thatu ehiri
them up aud We can got this job done
sooner.
$50 / took a mounted hand to ths
point which we had reached Ia IN,
tearing up Of the railroad and told
the leader 10 go ahead and punt
some OF the patriotic airs.
"The music had the effect Gen
Fitzpatrick had predicted. The boy
, did twice az much work under the In
spring strains OF Hail. Columbia.
The star-Spangled Banner. ~
Country. and so on. and the JohnnieI
| IN front OF us had 10 fall back a gooi
deal more rapidly than they had be
fore the enthusiasm OF the boys ha'
, beer kindled by the band music.
when the baud had run out o
patriotic airs the leader approaches
me and asked for suggestions as 4
what the musicians should play then
We'll / said 10 the leader. 'thos.
, poor devils Of rebs Ia front Of u
have behaved pretty well. The
I, haven't even turned their sharpshooi
ers loose upon us. They ought 10 b
rewarded Suppose you Just Civ
them Dixie for good luck7'"
AZ this point IN his narrative IN.
0 old retired general paused for a mia
ute or 70. aud looked thoughtful
"Weli7" said his crony.
4 WELL went on the veteran. 9Th
band fadnt wrung out more than 81
bars OF that Dixie tune before on