Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-11-05
The COlOnel'S
Pride
How the Army Regulations
Were Adhered to and
Genius Secured
For the Band
BY ARTHUR TOWNSEND

lived all my lie In the heart of a for
est where no musical sound except the
s,nging Of the birds has ever reached
my cars. But that ! have always
dearly loved. Why do you ask these
questionsy
because IL you could play upon the
Garnet or the aageolet or the from
bone you might be permitted to live
As II Is, your sentence viii be carried
out What a pity that you have not
some foundation for musical training.
could In few days coach you so
that you might save yourself from
being shot"
when the Spanish war broke out the
news Of IL reached the wilderness In
which | lived. Here was q chance To
get out OF the woods and into the
world would enlist for n soldier.
would need no money. The govern
rpeut would clothe. feed and transport
me. and all that would be required OF
me would Toe TO be shot. Aud II those
who shot at me missed me and CON
,luuei to miss me till the war was
over wonid be taken care Of TIL the
next war. and II | lived through all
the wars TIL became an old man
would be laid on the shelf, but would
be still taken care of.
This was the explanation given me
by the recruiting officer. whom / found
after 4 walk OF sixty miles. Not car
lag to walk back again and remain
ont AZ the world accepted the condi-
tons 10 remain In the world till some
enemy f-ed shot that would give
the government the best Of the bar
gain. I s.as put into an infantry regi-
ment and an effort was made TO knock
some Of the green" out OF me and
turn me into a soldier. But the effort
failed could not be disciplined and
within a week after having been land
ed In Cuba struck my captain. was
tried for mutiny and sentenced TO be
shot
There are two extremes In war.
When an army is not In action there Is
enough red tape used 20 girdle the
world. but when the real work begins
there Isn't any red tape at all In the
mixup that occurred after our landing.
while many a good soldier lay dying on
the battlefield. !, mutineer. III with
malaria fever. was turned into the
house Of Cuban farmer and was at
tended by his daughter. one Of those
dark haired. olive complexioned. long
eyeashed daughters Of equatorial re-
gi1ns who can't look at man without
falling In love with him.
It has required three times the talk
r. tell all fAa,sc commonplace facts rs
the beginning Of my story. II was ineZ
Gonzales. the farmers daughter and
my nurse. who regretted my want OF
musical training with which | might
have saved my life by blowing horn.
"a regiment encampcd yesterday"
she went on. "ln field across the road.
and two Of the men supped here this
evening One Of them said that bis
cornet and his fiageolet had been killed
and his trombone was grooming under
bad wound The colonel was very
proud Of the regimental band. and Just
as soon as the routine of army life re
commenced he would notice that the
music was not up 10 the mark and
there would be the mischief TO pay.
The other suggested that musicians be
obtained from the prisoners who had
been captured from the enemy. The
first man answered that he hadn't
fhntNFfhk - h.. .tssxtftI IL
were musician he might put you into
the band
Here was n chance for llfe-a ghost
OF chance. but still chance. The
only indication that | had enough mu-
SIC In me 10 avail myself Of the oppor'
tunity was that had loved the songs
OF birds. asked Inez 10 go to the
camp. find the bandmaster and tell
aim there was a man In her home who
could play on any instrument; that he
was I'll. but convaiescent. and with n
couple OF weeks practice would be aoie
TO take his place In a band.
IneZ told the story, and the band
master came over 10 see me. When
toid him / was under sentence to be
shot he was bit discouraged, but saio
mat If was first class cornet player
ne thought the colonel would have
enough influence to get Communication
or something that would save my
breath for the band. He went away
and came back to say that he had seen
the colonel and secured an order delay
ing my execution till il could be as
covered whether was a valuable mu-
sician. II so some way Of defeating
Justice would be found by which
could be utilized. The colonels PRIDE
IN the band was such that he would
snoot a dummy in my stead II neces-
sary, only the army regulations must
oe faithfully adhered to. But my aoii-
iues must be tested before any change
IN the army situation should take
place.
SO there was. not knowing note
vi music. sick In bed and required TO
krN a t..Nua ia