Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1909-02-25
he O THE
BRASS BAND

Il 81 century ago, there was IN
the navy u certain Captain Mcneil.
The captain loved music. Also, he
was willing to do most anything to
get II.
This melody.loving sea dog. in COM
mand of the s~eventy-four gun frisate
Boston. vas casually cruising about
the Mediterranean looking for a mer'
maid u siren or any one else that
could sing, when q brilliant idea came
all unbidden over his mental side.
The Boston was off the Island of
Sicily. Chartered at Messina was a
regiment of Italians. Also, that reg
imcnt had a band.
Captain Mcneil. hiding his chicane
beneath the bluff exterior of Il jolly
mariner, went ashore. Spcciously he
borrowed the regimental band. II
was to come aboard the Boston and
play for a ball"
The wcakmindcd musical organiza-
ton. relying upon Captain McN2il's
ball talk and having In view a lusty
honorarium. went aboard the Boston.
In u moment the perfidius Mcneil
had his anchors up. The next he had
shaken out the head SAM. and with
the wind aft was making watery
tracks for far off America. Not one
OF rsrsr ab0 t~roubOdours ever
The fame of Captain MCNeil's ex-
plot went up and down the seven
seas. In 1872 another naval officer,
named Smith. set in motion by the
musical achievement Of Captain Nc
Neil and being himself off the ltal-
ian coast at the moment, resolved
oeroicaily to do likewise.
Captain Smith cruised slowly
along shore, listening for the mellow
notes of a band. At last he port
watch, which had the deck. reported
q band off their s%tarboard beam. II
was in full blast and might he heard
..t miles.
Captain Smith ordered a boat down
aud taking With him a file of marines
went craftily ashore. After listening
10 the band through two numbers. he
said ut would do, and promptly i'm.
pressed the members thereof as de
srrtcrs from the American navy"
The astonished virtuosos were taken
aboard with stringers on their
wrists and hived below,
Safe of sounding and with moth
ing but the wind and waves about,
The band members were brought on
deck, given their instruments and
told To blow their heads off" for the
pleasure of Captain Smith WAC dot
ed on music. The poor captivcs. oh.
liged to comply Were there and then
organized into the Marine Bandit
same which will play at The Taft in
auguration and next GUNNER become
the envy Of the afternoon birds in
the White House grounds.
President Madison nearly broke M
The Marine Band as soon as thu in.
dustriOus Captain Smith had formed
IT, NHtH IndI tHItfpGlSlnS sailor
man came ashore with his "linnets'
rs he called them. Mr.. Madison could
not BE- brought to see the humor of it.
He ordered the music-loving captain
under arrest and the captive serena.
dcrs sent home.
The latter were placed aboard one
OF III men.Of-war bound for the
Mediterranean. On the way out the
ship crossed up with an English
man-of.war. and went at her broad
side to broadside. after the hammer
and tongs method of those gallant
days.
The Englishmen We're whipped OUT
Of hand, and with that. the captive
band. delighted by American valor.
held a meeting about the capstan and
adopted resolutions uniting itself to
the American navy for ali time. Thus
were laid the bedplates of the Marine
band-Alfred Henry Lewis, in n. Y.
American.
900
49,