Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1907-06-28
BAND DIFFICULT TIES
Some Experience that Proves That
Band Business is Not All
Sunshine

veyances and sailed forth to at
tend the corner stone laying of
Bethany chapel. The long and
short of the aggregation were
present in the shape of J. l..
Steele, the long trombone artist,
and little Eddie Maher, the
more rotund tuba player. The
weather conditions on starting,
though they didn't look exactly
favorable, were still not forbid
ding enough to shake the deter
mination Of the hardy characters
of the young men who go to
make up the bands ensemble,
for they all looked forward with
.pleasurable anticipation to an en-
joyable ride and a "swell feed"
AS they further progressed
through fields Of young wheat
northwest Of the city, the sky
became more threatening. Rol-
ling thunder and terrific flashes
Of forked l;<-htning became more
and more frequent. Little Eddie
Maher craWled under the back
scat, leaving his tuba to the ten
der mcrcirS Of the impending
storm; Ed Richardson frantic
ally pounded the bass drum to
drown the terrible sounds Of
thunder, and there was some talk
OF throwing Steele out, and COM
polling him to walk back to town,
fear being expressed that his
presence might act as a lightning
! rod
However their destination was
Preached Just as the clouds began
to send forth drops of moisture,
which soon resolved into a first
class, bona fide North Dakota
j doVnpOur.
In the dwelling of T. E. Moore
which adjoins the grove in which
the ceremonies were to be held,
the spectators and members Of
! the band f1ocl1ed to escape the
rain. It was crowded, therefore.
standing room being held at a
! premium. Here Eddie shown at
! his best, for piano was immed-
lately called into requisition by
him, and he pounded out rag
time, sentimental ballads and com
positions involving exceedingly
difficult technique with frightful
rapidity, keeping time with the
increasing pcals of thunder. He
had a large and appreciative
audience too, who eagerly clam
| ored for more: and wher poor
Mah,'" at last gave up the
ghost" bead of persp;1 alton
stood nut OF, mis- forhead, and he
was utterly exhausted.
So"l the lain stopped the
Thunder cea~eu to roll, and every
one became more cheerful. Most
Of the audience waded through
the mud out to the platform
where the corner stone was Their
, laid. After this the band as,
<n:nblod and discoursed music
until it became too dark to dis.
Germ the notes. The supper cal
was then given, and the banc
boys "fell to" with an avidity
only known to hungry wind.
janiners.' A sumptuous repast
Was served, too, the ladies there.
by doing themselves proud
Three long tables were spread
in the grove, with a seating ca.
pacity of two hundred.
When the boys had about half
finished, the rain started ut
again. Some of them dove fo1
shelter at once, but not so the
most. They waited and kept on
eating until the rainwater SER
lously interfered with the
strength of their coffee. Even
then they left the table reluc.
family, taking their dish Of
Strawberries in one hand and
some cake in the other.
Bandmaster Cramer was seen
sitting on log in an attitude of
utter detection. just what
had caused the dropping spirits
remains a mystery, but it has
been said that his having to va
cate his place at table, leaving
behind three Strawberries, half
a slice of cake and an unfinished
pickle, was responsible for his
sad and morose cast of counten-
ance. Y
The rooms Of the farmhouse
were again called into requisi-
ton, and Maher again manipu-
lated the worries: The rain did
not show any signs of stopping
for any length of time, SO the
boy7a InafIoI +o ,,:rJ~ r.: :, d. =. -.