The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-11-09
A CORNET
PLAYER.
Gss GeGsGeG@eGGs

4 dance.
Yves, yes, Don Basilio! Do play the
eornea'
: he old man shook his head.
Il really cannot he said gravely.
/. Then, noticing the disappointed faces
] about him, he added: 81 will tell you
| why cannot play any longer, if you
; like.
There was an apprecaative murmur
of assent. and the old man, pauslng
only to light a fresh cigarette, began
his story:
ct is some years now since the
civil war broke out in Spain had
a friend, formerly lieutenant in the
same battalion as myself. We had
fought many a fierce battle side by
side, but at the time / speak Of Ram
on, the innocent victim Of an act OF
bitter injustice, had determined to
separate from the party with which
fought and join the enemy. He was
a high-spirited lad and vowed he
would kill the colonel, who had in
suited him.
ct was about midnight when Ram
OH entered the tent and aroused me.
<Basilio,' he whispered. Listen,
he continued, as | half rose from the
bed where I was lying should we
meet on the field tomorrow, for am
certain there will be a fight
eyes, yes,' cried, / understand.
We will salute one another and pass
ON
eff we both survive, let us meet
at the St Nicholas Asylum at l
o'clock tomorrow night If either
does not come the other will know he
has fallen
Agreed answered. Farewell
Ramon vanished in the darkness of
the night.
CAS- we expected, the insurgents
attacked us on the following day. The
fighting was fierce saw Ramon
once; he was wearing the Carlist cap
and was already a combatant.
Toward the end of the fight I was
taken prisoner At 1 o'clock the
hour of my appointment with Ramon,
/ was confined in a cell of the prison
Garlists.
II asked after my friends, and, to
my horror, was told that he had un-
doubfedly been killed. as he had not
been seen since the battle. | leave
you TO guess how / suffered that night.
Only one CLEAN of hope remained
tnaG Ramon was waiting for me in the
asylum of ST. Nicholas and this was
the reason that he had not returned
10 the insurgent camp.
ssIn the early morning an army
chaplain entered my cell.
"sAh, death!' l exclaimed.
Yes he answered, gently.
AT once?'
mo, but within three hours
and you were musician. Don
Basilio, were you not?" asked one of
saved?''
NO answered the old veteran. IT
was not a musician. ] scarcely I'M
iferstood a note of music.
cat the end of three hours | was
marched with my companions to the
place of execution The square was
formed and we were placed in the
middle. My number was 10; that is, |
was the tenth to die.
Those volleys. shall never forget
them Now they seemed a thousand
miles away, now SO close they seemed
to have been fired at me.
eft must be my turn now
thought
Il felt something clutch me by the
shoulders There was roar in my
ears and I fell forward, imagining
was shot dead
@'The next thing knew | seemed to
be lying on my bed in the prison, and
Ramon, the friend whom I believed
dead, was bending over me.
g Listen said Ramon I waited
for you at st. Nicholas. One o'clock,
2 o'clock, oclock-still you did not
come Surely, thought, you must be
dead.
t<3 At last I left the asylum and re-
turned to the camp. They told me
was in time to see batch of prison
srs shot
Suddenly the thought came to me,
suppose Basilio was among them?
hurried to the plaza, where the firing
had already begun.
cat first I could see nothing.
was so distressed. Then recognized
you Two more and then it would be
your turn. | ran to the general:
3'' Not that mani" | cried, pointing
to you.
"Why?' asked the general kindly,
for he knew how l had fought during
the battle. is he musician?'
Eyes" / replied, fine ray of
hope springing up. He is a fine mu-
stefan and he plays cornet wonder
fully"
g SO you are safe. Basilio; but can
you play the cornet?'
.''Not in the least l replied; i
don't know one note from another
sGraciOusi and the band in which