Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-28
STRANGE ADVENTURES
OF BILLY BUMPUS
THE BAND
BY Farmer Smith

Now II happened that while Billy Bumpus
had been in the army along with the in
fantry he had never thought very much
about the band
He had been too busy.
But now that he was in the artillery
where there were not so many soldiers run
ming here and there Billy had time to
listen to the music and from time to time
he would go and visit the men in the band
The big bass horn interested him, for he
could see himself in It, ard one time he took
a look down the big hole to see If he could
see where the music came from. This was
when the horn was on the ground.
Funny thing about music is, you can
hear 1t and when It is very patriotic 1t
makes the hairs stand up on your back yet
you cannot see IT," said Billy to himself one
day. II have looked and looked down that
horn and never yet have seen what music
looks like"
one morning early Billy was awakened
by the beautiful music Of the band He got
up hastily and started for the parade
ground Far and above the sweet strains
Of the music he could hear the boom, boom
boom, Of the base drum and it interested
hint
II guess I will have to see If l can
find the music in the bass drum before we
start our march this m6rning," said Billy
as he hastened his step until he was at
length running
Louder and louder came the music as
Billy approached. Running around to the
opposite side of the band he stood beside
tho bass drum. "Of all the instruments in
the band you can hear the bass drum the
farthest" thought Billy, going closer to the
drum.
"Oh. dearie me-" he exclaimed Il see a
dear little hole On top of the drum, wonder
il that Is where the music comes out?' At
that moment the band started up and as the
bandman started to play, the drum stick hit
Billy IN the nose.
Il guess that was a note of music that
nit me-" laughed Billy to himself as he
trotted around to the other side
II guess 1t doesn't take much brains to
play the bass drum, still I guess that man
must know a lot about time. Time is
everything. The leader Of the Cricket Band
once told me that there were some people
in this world who just couldn't learn music
lie said time was very important, especially
in marching. He said that he was sure he
had seen a boy who couldn't march because
he had two left feet" Billy laughed out
loud at this.
BY this Hme Billy Bumpus was on the
other side of the big bass drum and the
more he looked at 1t the more he longed to
know where the music came from. He put
his ear to the drum and
Boom
MY, but that tick,es my ear" he said
Then he did a very funny thing He stuck
big bass drum. "O-o-oh !" he cried "I
didn't know you could taste music before"
The music stopped suddenly and Billy sat
down to wait until II started up once more
He leaned over once twice and touched
the surface Of the drum with his tongue
Funny the tickle has gone" he said IT
wonder II music is full of tickles. l feel
them up and down my back sometimes
when the music is very patriotic"
The band started up once more and Billy
| stood up to take another look at the drum
He had not thought of IL before, but he was
hungry, very hungry. The more he looked
at the drum head the more he wondered
what 1t tasted like.
Goodness me !" he exclaimed II can't eat
that drum head the way It is. 1 must make
a hole in it."
With that Billy Bumpus hauled off and
gave the drum a terrible butt. He butted
| II so hard he went clear through the drum
| and came out on the other side where he
stumbled over the man playing the kettle
drum and fell on his side. He was up in an
| instant The band went on playing, but the
drums were silent
In the meantime Billy had started for
| the rear-with two artillery men after him