Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-06
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE RETIRED coRNET PLAYER
IOriginaL1

plaver. retired when he had years of
artistic aud pecuniary success before
him. Sitting with him one day in
cafe in Paris asked him how he came
To give up his profession at SO early an
age.
because hated it, he replied.
Hated it? Were you not born TO it,"
Il suppose. was. though when boy
heard 10 music and whatever of abil-
ity / have lay dormant. 1t was brought
out suddenly and under great stress"
/ saw there was story connected
with the matter. and. after much pres
sure on my part, he reluctantly con
scented 10 tell it:
I'm not all Italian. I'm a Frenchman.
and my real name is Henrotin. Just
before the downfall of Napoleon Ill.
l went TO Paris from my fathers farm
on the Givanne river and was solicited
to join the commune. Being young and
a cOuntryman / believed anything any
one told me ana consented, thinking
France 10 be on the eve OF new era
of prosperity and happiness for all her
people alike. helped burn the palace
of the TuilerieS and reviewed in the
sight of flames which / considered for
ever marked the end Of the preferment
Of one citizen over another. We had
everything our own way, but unfortu-
nately we had no way. No one had
anything TO propose; nothing WAS pro-
posed. Such being the case. the other
side had Il great deal To propose. They
proposed To first imprison us. then take
us out in droveS and shoot us. | was
expecting To go out, stand with my face
to the wall with the rest and be shot
when ii fellow prisoner told me that the
French army was short of musicians
and one of our number had been par
doned and enlisted to play the from
bone.
y drowning man will catch at
straw, and, securing a bit of paper, |
wrote Oh it that / was an accomplished
musician and would like to enlist as
such in the army. The paper l gave to
the officer who had us in charge. The
next morning roll was called of those
who were To be shot, my name among
them. But after calling it the sergeant
paused, blinllcd his stupid eyes at the
paper, then said:
NO, Jacques Henrotln, you are to go
TO be examined for the band being re
organized for the - infantry"
Well, this was like reprieving IL man
from being shot to strange him later
on | had no knowledge of music and
did not know one instrument from an
other | could only think of some plan
for delay. Our prison was cold, and that
night l poured water over my clothes
and sat IN them in order TO catch cold.
Fortunately / succeeded, and the next
day when / was marched to the band
master of The -- infantry l was cough
ing and sneeZing, my windpipe being
pretty nearly stopped.
What instrument do you play?" in
quired the bandmaster.
l had purposely made inquiry about
Instruments and replied that / played
the cornet, whereupOn the bandmas-
ter called for cornet and told me to
play something.
Great heavens l exclaimed. do
YOU expect man 10 use his lungs while
they are not even fitted for breathing?'
Take him back and cross his name
off the list of applicants"
Give me time, a month, a week and
| promise you that l will make music
such as you have never heard before
Very we'll, Ill give YOU a week
Il have caught cold in prison. Can't
you have me put where 1 may recover
ana where | can practice a little? I've
not played for some time"
III inlet me see. / might put yon
with the band"
He directed the corporal to take me
TO the quarters of the band aud have
me locked i'll room by myself He
also gave orders that / was to be pro
Vided with 4 coruet This was done
| succeeded In inducing the man who
brought the cornet 10 give me instruc-
tons. He was surprised a my ability
to learn, but in ii week | could not
hope TO pass an examination. 50 | pur-
pOSely slammed the door on my fin
gers ana when called before the band
master showed him the mutilated
hand. He was sorry he had not sent
me back TO he shot. but now he was in
for it he thought il best to give me
more time. He allowed me a month.
My fingers were not crushed as bad
~ rs l claimed. aud / did not cease
my lessons. All day / practiced for
my life. / hoped that the executions
would cease and | would be lost sight
Of. but every day a number Of com
munistS were shot. A week before
the end OF the month | learned TO pIsy
tune which my instructor told me
was great favorite with the band
master When | was called upon to
show my proficiency l played this
air, and il was like pleading wall
for my life. The bandmaster was as
tonished, and when l saw he was
about to ask me to play another piece
| feigned TO faint AS soon as | came
TO myself | was enlisted as cornet
player and sent 10 the hospital. The
bandmaster was in dread Of losing me.
Soon after that they got tired of
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