Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-02-23
that band to meet him at the depot

that band to meet him at the depot
! when he ONE home?"
"Bein' 1 hold the posishun 1 do an
swered the Squar'-'.bein' I'm referred
to as the leadin' man in Jericho, If the
band wanted to SO down and see me
off, or wanted to be there to welcome
me home. 1 don't reckon anybody
would find fault"
But I'd want the same thing" said
Ebenezer Scott. Il amt not justice OF
the peace. but my dairy is milking
eight COWS this sunme and 1 feel I'm
as big as anybody. 1 go over to Dobb
Ferry once in two weeks. and 1 should
van that band to toot me off and
foot me home ag'in."
There may be a pint" said the
deacon as he scratched his ear. but !
don't skessly see it. Mebbe the Squar'
want to say sumthin' further about lib
ertN and Bunker Hill?"
I'm sayin'," sal the Squar' as he
heaved a long sigh, that patriotism
and love of country seems to be dead
ern a door nail in these United States.
Mebbe there's a man in this crowd
aside from me who'd be willin' to shed
his blood that our glorious republic
might be saved from ruin and DESC
lashun. but If thar be 1 can't name him.
You might as we'll disperse to your
homes and tell your wives and children
that Jericho is doomed"
"By John, out what a p'int-what a
pint" whispered the deacon. Before
we bust up and go to ruin, however, I'd
like to hear from Reuben White. Reu-
ben's bin as far west as Detroit, and he
ought to know what influence a brass
band has on a town"
The influence of a brass band is ac-
cordin' to the leader" said Reuben.
I've seen 'em where they jumped a
town right to the front in four weeks,
and I've seen 'em where they killed
things dead in two. The leader wants
to be a pecooliar sort of a man. He
wants to be born fur the place, same
as Washington was. He want to be
ready to die at two minutes notice, or
to live fur 100 years."
And mebbe you think you're the
man?" queried the sauar' as he pound
ed on the counter with his fist.
II do. I kno 1 am. I am the only
man in Jericho as kin lead a band to
success and make the town hump her.
self. I'm a self sacrificin' %critter, as
you all know. n if this meetin' thinks
best
But the meeting shouted him down
anu it was five minutes before Deacon
Spooner could make his voice heard,
and then he said:
There's more p'ints bobhin' up here
than you kin shake a stick at, but we
we hear from Lish Billings. He's the
only man in Jericho who kin play on
an accordion. What d'you say. Lish?"
There's mighty little to be said and
nuthin' to bust up the country an
swered Lish. do any Of you sons Of
Bunker Hill know how much wind 1t
takes to blow a brass band?"
Nobody did. and a hush fell upon The
crowd.
1T takes 10 pounds. reckoned by a
lung tester" said Lish. land you'd
want an extra pound for walkin' up
hill. There was a lung tester nan In
town two weeks g inc every son Of
US handed over a nickel and took a
blow. We blowed and strained and
bowed. and Reuben White was one OF
EN- who bowed a sole off his boot, and
yit no man reached seven pounds
Whar' o goin' to git your wind to
blow them horns?"
There was a painful silence, while
YOU could 100, and then Deacon
Spooner said:
by John. but I'm gwine home and
tell the old woman that don't know
beans when the bags united, and thu
rest of vous better do the same thing!'