The Cairo bulletin., 1904-07-04
BAND PLAYED DIXIE"
And "Johnes" Made Wild Charge on
the "Yanks"---lncident OF
the Civil War.

regarded as Machiavcllis. Yet there
is something of Machiavellian foxiness
in the unaniminity with which all OF
the Italian street pianists who tour
the streets OF Washington dish out
Dixie" az their trump tune, says the
Washington Post Dixie" always gets
the money here even after all the rest
Of the barrel-organ repertoire has fail
cd dismally. The people seated on the
front steps or In the front yards viii
listen with mixed emotions, but no
manifest enthusiasm. To the street pi.
anists Interpretation of the shepherd
song from William Tell" 10 the per-
ennia eaccharine "Miserere," to the
butchered quartet from "Rigolleto. to
the doleful Somebody's Got TO BE
the Patsy, 70 the jangly metallic rem
dcring OF the onee-winsome "Anono,
but these things don't incite them to
any sudden, spontaneous digging into
their change pockets for hacksheesh
TO reward the interpreter But when
the crafty Sicilian fixes one of those
peg clutches beside his machine and
then begins to twist out the first few
rolicsing remniscence-b breathing bars
of Dixie" the Ii teners in this town
instantly smoke up, so to speak, and
their hands drift toward their reposi-
tories of silver coin with no hesitation
and quite as matter Of course
All of which is by way of foreword
to a little story about gallant gentle
man who ran away from the sound OF
Dixie" because OF his acute recollec-
ton of Dixie" thing that HAD oe-
Cured TO him some forty years before.
The gallant gentleman was Brig.
General Jack" Hayes, retired. He
was Gated with friend on the lawn
in front of his house one warm even
ing when street pianist Zephyred
along and began TO unreel his roper
toire II was one of those fairlsh sort
of street instruments ana the grizzled
old soldier liked the music so much
that he tossed the Dago a piece OF sill
yer good for two bits. The Italian
picked up the piece OF money arrang
I'd the ide clutch at the next peg and
then insaucant Dixie" filed the
block.
Gen. Hayes got right up from his
chair without a word. walked into his
house. through the hall and to the
back yard, where he remained until
the street pianist had hiked down the
street and out of the section. Then
the old general came out onto the
lawn again and took his chair beside
his friend without saying word. The
friend. however, was curious, and he
was on sufficiently intimate terms
with the general to ask to have his
appea ed
General" he said. Il never knew
before that you were one Of those mar
roy. prejudiced people What was
your idea in galloping away when that |
Dago began TO unwind Dixie?' Whats
lhe matter with .Dixia2 Why, I've
heard it tnmultiously chcered in the
lters in Boston and New York"
That's all right, too grimly re-
piled Gen Hayes. chewing on his eli |
gar. The people who cheered Dixie |
In theaters in Boston ana New York !
never got such stampeding through |
the Dixie tune as 7 did Prejudice |
I'm not prejudced against |
nor sore on anybody. But made a bad |
break once in connection with that |
Dixie air. 30 that I've never been able |
TO listen to it since without getting /
mp and walking az far away from the |
sound as | could get
Il was en- aid on the tan of Gen. |
when he was engaged in |
tearing mp the railroads around Ma /
con. The JOhnies were never very |
lar away from MS while we were do /
ng that work. They lowered around
1ur front. watching the proceedings.
They thought that they weren't mum.
7rically strong enough az that stage Of
he game make il worth orr while
o go after them and clean them up.
So they inst watched MS from their
'hosen distance in front, making no
attempt 10 bother the men employed
n the work of destruction.
One day Gen. Fitzpatrick summoned
mel was in charge OF a part Of the
rack-dostroying-to ask me how the
oh was proceeding He wanted
quicker progre made.
Take one Of the mounted bands
Town to the place where the men are
Forking. said Gen. Fitzpatrick 70 me.
The boys Away. work faster when
here's music around
Il got one Of the mounted bands
md took IL down 10 where our gang
vas pulling mp the ties and rails. The
eader asked ne what Kind IT music
wanted. ! told him TO 20 ahead with
ONE of the patriotic airs. re swung
N with Hail Columbia" Star Spang
"a Banner. Ny Country etc. The
ngn worked Ike Trojans under the
aspiration of the mu.ic. ! could sec
be- Johnics raasscl among the trees
Onward Of Us. but they hadn't fired
hot They we're evidently obeying
riders not 70. ! rather appreciated
he immunity from the FIRE 81 sharp
hooters which they gave MS. and in a
pirit Of hravadO-you got TO re-
member that ! wa LOT younger then