The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-05-30

state capital swung around the grand
stand. marching in good order and
playing the Washington Post" The
leader strobe in front. swinging his
huge baton. and sometimes throwing
1t high into the air and catching II
as It fell. without once permitting its
whirling to cease. Round and round
marched the players, stopping finally
before the stand and putting new
access of energy into their music
The cheeks of the cornetists were
pulled out like red apples; the clario-
netists never missed a note; the
drums ratified: the trombones and
great horns groaned in the most ap-
proved rhythm. and the leader con-
tinued the gyrations Of his baton with
an agility that seemed almost incredi-
BILE. At the last flourish the drums
beat again, and the band marched
proudly from the field.
1.-The State Zouaves," whispered
Judge Wilson to the general. amid
the applause. They've won half a
dozen contests" .es
As the. next contestants came into
view there was a burst of cheering.
Local pride made the local band pop
ular. and half the people in the stand
recognized that 1t was performing a
piece new to its repertoire. The ia
millar 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 Instruments. The leader, George
Schroeder, who was also head of the
fire department, waved his baton with
due regard to time. but not so much
to expression. The new yellow uni
forms were very effective in the sun
light. The piece went smoothly at
first Presently one of the cornetists
skipped bar and blew loud notes
that had no relation to things in gen.
eral. His neighbor, kicked him;
Schroeder. the leader. 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.
Then Schroeder. being essentially a
man Of quick decision, marched his
seclusion where the poor offender
could be sufficiently sworn at. The
crowd cheered periodically.
The next band came from Bel
gravia. the metropolis of an adjoin-
Ing county: the next. from Water
ford. These four were all that had
entered for the contest. and the peo-
pie. after applauding the last, settled
down to q noisy discussion Of rival
merits. The local majority thought
that Schroeder's presence of mind
should win his men the prize. but
the outside contingent swore by the
Zouaves to a man.
Sarah and Willie had been too ex-
cited to take part in the enthusiasm
They had their own secret. After
each piece they had peered about,
earnestly wondering of their father.
Would he come? Was the old drum
to sound that day? They knew that
he had not entered his name, but they
also knew that any determination he
might have formed would not be
stayed for ceremonial reasons. When
the waterford band marched away the
hearts CT the two children sank
Il guess he isn't coming" said Sa-
rah. with a wistful lingering of her
hope.
Just then a hand was laid on Will
lies shoulder. He turned with
over the back of the grandstand.
willie! Willier whispered the old
man.
"What, father?"
II want you to fife for me-"
My fife amt here"
"I've got it. Play it the way I
taught you, Come on
Willie slipped over the rail and
slid down the scantling supports. Sa-
rah remained upright on the bench,
awaiting what was to come with
eager dread.
What was that? Two thousand
faces turned in wonder. A drum was
beating the long roll. Softly 1t be-
gan. then swelled to great volume
of muttering sound. dying away again
and breaking gently into a pulsating
rhythm. A fife pierced the air. forced
into a wild old army song. On the
field. side by side. marched Corcoran
and Willie, straight to position in
front of the stand. The buzzing of
protest died away before them-just
the exclamation, ITS Corcoran"
swept through the crowd. Judge
Wilson whispered a tolerant explana-
ton to the general, who looked with
a sudden light of recollection on the
figure of the veteran drummer Of his
old corps.
Willie finished his tune and stopped,
but the drum kept on. 1t leaped into
action like a live thing freed from
sharp bonds. 1t swept everything
before 1t in conauering advance of
sound until 1t entered the hearts of
it's hearers. beating there and sending
the warm blood glowing through the
arteries. The general had stepped to
his feet and was leaning forward, one