The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1913-08-22
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington City,
August IS, 1911

August is, 1913.
Saturday afternoon | went over
to the Presidents Park at the White
House, sat down on the grass under
big tree and listened to the fam
Gus Marine Band.
This is an enclosed park of four
or five acres on the Southern side of
the Presidents home 1t would be
the back yard il the White House
had any back yard, but it hasn't,
The rear of the White House is real
ly more beautiful than the front,
having a large portico with great
columns as though it were the front.
The Park is not smooth like a
lawn but consists of little hills and
dells, with lots of trees and shrub
berry and near the center large
fountain. This fountain is simply
a pool about seventy-five feet across,
circular in form, with a cluster of
sprays in the center while a large
pipe runs around the edge with lit
tie pipes turned upward every few
feet to throw the water toward the
center. These jets around the outer
edge meet the jets that come up
from the center and the effect is
bank Of sprays sixty or seventy
feet across. There was the beauty
OF the rainbow on the snowy spray
and music of falling water as we
waited for the band to play
&c g
II was nice looking crowd that
gathered to hear the band-well-
dressed ladies and men, pretty girls
and little children. 1t was like a
lawn party.
The Marine Band has something of
reputation. 1t plays every We'd
Gesday afternoon In Summer on the
Capitol Grounds but somehow |
don't like its music. The leader is
q big, fat fellow who looks like he
has no music in his soul. Maybe /
think musician ought to have long
hair like Paderewski but when | see
fat man with face like keg of
beer | can't get over the fear that
the performance is going to run too
much to bass horns and drums,
which are alright in way. but even
a good thing can be oyerdone. /
think | counted six bass horns. | es-
timated that there were seyenty-fve
men in the band.
/ admit that it is a good band I'll
say that without inquiring about it's
politics. But, honest, I'd just as
soon hear our boys down home. They
play pieces that are not out of my
reach. l used to have to go to the
opera house in Atlanta and hear a
woman pound Wagnerian music out
of a grand piano and | have hated
her for thirty years
= Il
Well, they played some more of
the same.
Along in the midst of it came a
cornet solo. ''Therese," and it was
very fine. 1t showed that the men
could play if the fat leader would
let them and that the band did not
consist entirely of bass horns and
noise.
When the modest young cornet-
list resumed his place in the band he
was encored until he came forward
again and played Believe Me, If
All Those Endearing Young Charms. 4"
And you believe me, that was some
music. Maybe l don't know enough
about music, but Sam Jones used to
say it dosen't pay to know too much
especially if it amt so.
Then, little later in response to
request they played first class
rag time-I don't know what it was,
for I'm not posted on turkey trot
music--but got my moneys worth.
Mr.. W, T. Potts, of Marietta, pas
sed through Washington yesterday
on his way to New York.
Mr.. John Collins, of Canton, Post
master in the Senate Office building
has returned from a trip down home.