The daily Alaskan., 1905-06-26
THE RETIRED
 CORNET PLAYER

him Sitting with him one day in @ ,afe In Paris asked him how he came (, give up his profession at so early an rcc.
 Because | hated 10" be replied
 Hated ItY Were you not born to itT'
 'I suppose | was. though when boy Ihcsri no music and whatever Of ohl- Ity I have lay dormant. It was brought put suddenly aud under great strcss.'
 | saw there was a story connected with the matter. and, after much pres. sure on my part he reluctantly cou- Scntcd Co tell it.
 I'm not am Italian. I'm frcnchmon and my real name Is Hcnrotin. Just before the downfall Of Napoleon IlL | went to Paris from my fathers farm an the Givanne river and was solicited to ion the commune Being young and a Couutrymau | believed anything any one told me and consented thinking France to b0 on the eve ot new era of prosperity and happiness Tor an her people alike. helped burn hc palace of the Tulcries and rcvclvc3 in Che sight of flames which | considered for. ever marked the end of the proterment of one citizen over another We had everything our own way, but uufortu. nately we had no way, No one had anything to propose; nothing was pro posed. Such being the case, the other side had a great deal to propose. They proposed to first imprIson uS, then take us out iu drovCS and shoot us I was expecting Co go out, stand with my face Co the wall with the rest and bc shot, when fellow prisoner told wc that the ] French army was short of musicians and one ot our number had been par doucd and enlisted Co play the trom- bono.
 A drowning man wlu catch at a straw, and, securing a bIt of paper | 1 wrote 0u It that was an accomplished musician and would Ike Co enlist as such In the army, The paper | gave Co the officer who had us in charge The next morning a roll was called ot those who were to be shot, my name dmoug them. But after calling It the sergeant paused. bllukcd his stupid eyes at the ! paper. then said;
 No. Jacques Hcnrotin, you are Co % Co be examined for the band being rc organized for the -- infantry"
 Well. this was like repricvIng a man from being shot Co strauglc him later on. had no knowledge or music and did not know one instrument from an. other. I could only think Of some plan fof delay. Our prison was cold, and tha, Il night | poured water over my clothes and sat ju them iu order Co catch cold. Fortunately l succeeded, and the next II day when I was marched Co the band master Of the -- infantry was cough ing and snceziug, my windpipe being pretty nearly stopped,
 What instrument do you playF m uulred the uaudmaster.
 had purposely made inquiry about instruments and replied that | played the corneL whCrCupou the bandmas ter called for a corBet and told me t1 play something.
 "Graat heavens~' I exclaimed. "pl You expect a man 10 use his lungs while they are not even fitted for brcahlngF 9
 Take him back and cross his name on the list of applicants"
 Give me time, a month, a week, and | promise you that I will make music such as you have never heard before "
 Very well, m give you a week.
 "I have caught cold In prison. Cam you have me put where | may recover and where I can practice a lttlet Iyt not played for some time
 "H'm-let me see, | might put yoI with the band"
 He directed the corporal Co take m, to the quarters of the band and hay, me locked in a room by myself. HD also gave orders that I was Co be pro vided with a coruet This was done | succeeded In inducing the man wh. brought the cornet to give me iusuuc tons. He was surprised at my ahiliu I Co learn, but In a week I could no hope to pass an examination, so l pur posely slammed the door on my iin gers and when called before the band master showed him the muulate hand. He was sorry he had not sen me back to be shot but now he was b for it he thought it best to give m more time. He allowed me a month.
 My fingers were not crushed as bad N as I claimed. and | did not ccas my lessons All day I pracuced fo my life. I hoped that the execution would cease and would be lost sigh Of. but every day a number of con munlsts were shot A week befor the end of the month 1 learned to pla tune which my instructor told m was a great favorite with the band master. When I was called upon ( show my proficiency I played thl \ air. and it was like a pleading wa for my life. The bandmaster was a' tonished. and when saw he wa abont to ask me to play another piec | Na e..na na | an