The sun., 1908-05-03
IILLIGE BiND RENE tRNiL.
Que Farthly Joy the CIt, Bred Man Never
knows.


when | was little shaver and idnt
have ANYTHING to do in the daytime but go
down and SOC that $40 train OF il all
right and had nowhere TO ~ at night eA-
cspt on thursday. when the JOnosylllr
Curnet land net in the village council
roo II for weekly practica. used - envy
the city chaps and think | was having
a prett rOtten time Of il said the man
from little prairie town in Illinois that has
never made mp the decrease in population
caused by his removal TO tho city. Now
that lean see how tenement house and
fiat house boys really do spend their young
days feel like giving three cheers for my
youth
This is not an informal talk on the pleas
ures Of seeing the $40 60 through. but
little confidential chat on th' joys Of the
band practice ! figure thai AIN qualified
to speak On tho subject not only because
my father was leader Of the band and the
only nan in town who could solve the
mysteries Of the + fat Cornet but also be-
cause qualified as q member of the band
myself, having with some difficulty mas
tered the alto horn.
Il had uniform with Just as much gold
braid Oh 1t as fathers had. aud when the
JonesNlle Cornet Band went over 10 Syca
more TO play at the Fourth oi July celebra-
ton | walked at the head Of the parade
and Was the envy Of all the small boys
Of my size In the place
Il said the band prsctised Ia the village
council room. That shows how important
the band was 10 the village
THE council room had two cells al one
end that were never used except the time
when fifteen tTamps were rounded up ~
the neighbOrhoOd following the robblng
ofs clothing store in a nearby town. Tho
band instruments could accordingly De teii
In the cells with perfect safety, where they
shared quarters with the polling booths.
when Thursday night rolled around the
citizens OF the town assembled in front
Of the calabOOse. as the town hall was called,
They had ~ go early because band prac-
tice always drew lot VI the farmer boys 10
town and the few seats IN the council room
we're at a premium
Along about O'Clock the band would
also begin to cOngegate. and shortly after
ward each man would try ont hls lnstru-
meDt. When the leather hnged tuba
player entered into a contest with the snare
drummer 10 see which could make the most
impression ON the community and Few
other players joined In by running the scale,
usually in a far from perfect manner the
harmony wasn't any better than some of
Wagner's effects.
1T never faxed the citizens assembled
inside and outside the calaboose, though,
and when the rehearsal finally got under
way il wasn't possible to get even standing
room within fifteen yards OF the place
Sometimes the rehearsal lasted until along
on TO midnight, but do you suppose any
small boy got tired and sneaked on home
TO bed before the lights we're put OUT He
didn't. unless hy parental orders.
"You couldn't end one Of the citizens
who would admit that there was another
band anywhere in the world as good as
the Jonesville organization, and ! waS
convinced at the time that there wasn't
either. I've heard bigger and better bands
since then. but am convinced that every
member recalls the rehearsals in after years
AS one Of the delights Of youth.