The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-07-31
The Music Of Wagner.
by WILLIAM J. HAMPTON.

The curtain had gone down on thu
first act of a strenuous opera by Wag
ner, and the man In the aisle seal
looked around to see what sort of
neighbor he had. 1t was man, and
sad-eyed one, with indications Of
the rural rooster in his plans and
specifications. He was disposed to
talk, too, and with an Introductory
cough or two he began.
Wagner, he said, pronouncing 1t
the way 1t looks in print, and speak
ing in the key of "Hark from the
Tombs," kinder makes me feel like
sheddin' tears. 'Tain't a sniffly style
of music, neither" he added
mot exactly" ventured the man
on the aisle. Probably It is because
you are of an emotional tempera-
ment," he ventured still further and
rashly.
'Mebbe that's got something to do
with It," admitted the sad one, "but l
guess it's more from recolectlons.
Madame de Stael once said that
music revives the recolectlons 1t
would appease," ventured the man
again.
kind of case of the hair of the
dog bein' good for the bite?" respond
ed the sad one, not quite certain.
''Brt that amt 1t. know what does
It."
''hh?" in a distinct tone of invita-
tip., q, ,,, ~ ,uitb tbn gtp
Yes. You see 1t was this way:
When | was young man | was lead
er OF a brass band In an Indiana town
an there was an opposition band in
the town across the river. Well, nat
urally 1t was up to US to blow 1t off,
so to speak, in band contest, an
after good deal of seesawin' an
sparrin for points, we challenged the
other band to blowout, as you
might say. They took us up, OF
course, an for three months we prac-
ticed so hard that the White Caps
threatened US, but we armed our
selves, an kept on BLOWN to beat
the band, as you might say, every
night in the week in town, an went
out in the country on Sunday. Then
the match came off, an 1t was the
biggest time in music circles you ever
see. The opposition had been putin
in as much hard labor as we had, an
1t was battle of giants, SO to speak
We was nip an tuck right through
the programe, an the last piece was
to decide which was to win. That
piece was one of Wagner's best, an
/ give my boys notice to blow for al
they was worth, IL 1t took a lung
! You can't do justice to Wagner with
I the soft pedal on, an he calls fol
something besides bammy breeze:
through horn. The other side
played first, an then our turn come
We started right in on the jump, like
a Kansas cyclone broke loose, an
| showed the wind in till 1t bulged the
horns, but it didn't do no good" And
the former leader sighed like hoarsc
note from an oboe.
What was the matter?" asked thu
man on the aisle. Had your oppo
nents bought up the judges?"
'No, no; that wasn't it." And thu
leader sighed again. "You see, m!
musicians was tryin' to do full justice
to Wagner while they was knockin
the waddin' out of the opposition, an
| derp my gizzarQ! if they didn't blow
their horns so full Of pieces of iunt
that the wind couldn't. get through
them at all, an we lost out right OF
the last turn. We busted our bas!
drum besides. Six OF the boys dice
of tuberculosis Of the remains before
the year was out, an / give up the
band an left the State. / jes
couldn't stand it. Now, when / heal
| Wag-"
But the curtain went up, and the
ex-leader was too much of a musician
to continue the conversatlon.-Fron