The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-10-11


square, its long windows giving on
garden. At half-past five of a Sunday
afternoon, there was a coming and go
) ing of buffers and flunkeys and ,poten-
ftates and slim girls and dowagers and
animated young officers. In the left
wing We're; spread long tables for the
= feast-steaming samovars. punch
in deep glass bowls. wild strawberries
floating in golden liquid, golden
crisp potato chips on shining salvers.
On the other side, in an enormous
aWninged sun room, crush Of people
listened to the-Niscourses OF notables
Marshal .Joffre. the philosopher,
Bergs0n, and others. From time to
time the sound of handclapping beat
upon the. still air. Along the pths
outside, a dozen photographers were
at their posts, anxious, haggard and
inelegant, frightening and shortening
their tripods ducking under black
cloths, climbing up on chairs. .'
Everything else in the deep gardens
Of the Cercle DIES Allies, was, On a
note of suayity and elegance. Purple
clouds seemed to hang just over the
tall treetops; an unearthly light i'm
parted to the leaves and grass and
rhOdOdendrOns metallic, jeWeled
brilliance. Still the rain held off.
A brightly colored garden party
waited there; dawdling and chattering
with much pretty bowling and saluting
and waving OF parasOls, until the dis
courses should be finished, and music
and refreshments be in order. 1t was
a brilliant and cosmopolitan company,
a mmgling OF fashion and the military,
diplomacy and war work; gold-braided
French generals, beautiful American
countesses, tall Russian officers, aris-
-tocratic Frenchwomen in. lacy black
and pearls, decorated Serbs and dec
orativeItalians, in their brigandish
capes, high Red Cross officials, en-
bassy SECRETARIES and their wives, mil
itary attaches pretty American girls,
some in gray uniforms and boXish
black sailors, most Of them in droOp-
ing hats and furs and slim silk gar
ments, strolling with their young lieuS
tenants in the upper reaches OF the
garden-the sort of people YOU see in
til pages of the Taller and Sketch and
Vanity Fair and ILLUSTRATION.
On a stretch OF, green lawn just be-
yond the path that separated house
and garden, two bands were waiting
amid a glitter of musical instruments;
one, the band OF the Garde RepHbli-
caine, in dark blue and silver, the 9TH
err, the~s-the Regimental band, in
khaki. The Frenchmen were middle
aged, correct, impa ssive, and elegantly
dressed. The Americans were boys
young, excited boys in ill-itting khaki
fr hor bn0 doH q
one felt their interest, their eager
ness, thir apprehension. 49,,
:s4tssThey're North Dakota boys" said
Colonel S., commander OF the Am
erican troops in Paris. II talked
with the leader this morning. He said
they were all bit scared at the
thought of playing here next to the
great French band. Said they'd do
their best. and even If they did fall
down, it would be q great experience.
Nice chap" Il > 4 ( .sZ n f,.%.-. ~ o.:
The Americans played first. 1t was
an elaborate and commonplace march,
but they took it with a good swing, a
vigorous banking of brasses. In that
Old World garden l suddenly fell to
thinking of circus in little Mime
sofa town--elephants with their
swinging trunks, great round tents,
cages of wild beasts, tawdry pages
ants, dust, delicious youthful excite
Then the Garde Republicaine All.
The circus vanished: Here we were
in the old gardens again, stately,
melancholy. Old dances, minuets,
fountains, powdered wigs, voluminous
silks-there was the rustic and scent
of all that in the grave minor music,
and the melancholy of long forgotten
gayety.
The enchantment ceased. The
French conductor, an elderly, stiff lit
tie man, took his seat, and the boys
in the American band Capped politely,
respectfully. There was a long muir
muir of applause. Again the American
leader stood before his men--a tall,
rather awkward figure, with a long
neck, dark, rumpled hair tense pale
face. Br--Oum-za-za went the brasses.
This time it was a medley Of American
tunes, that went from lively jig into
a lon g-drawn dirge, whirled INTO a
rag, then burst into star-spangled ban
ners. a ~. @..
For the French it must have been
ulduu6SS, UuL llOSI VI Tic HOHCoASh
Americans liked it-loved it. 1t was.
barbarous, but it meant something to
them. 1t was the Red River valley
it was the village bandit was the
college glee club--it was 'sing' on
the river-it was sleighride party
with jingling bells and oyster stew af-
terwards-well, say what you like, it
was America. y . =
Great, isn't it2" l heard someone
say.
- looked around. It was one of the
directors of the Metropolitan Opera.
However, not ,all the Americans
showed their pleasure, and some were
more embarrassed than pleased. Some,
standing with their French acquaint-
ance, smiled and shook their heads.
There was faint sniff oksuperiority
here and there. The presence OF So
phisticated Parisians constrained
few to deprecating manners.
When, for the third number, big
chested, stoutish boy stood up before
us with cornet, confess l dreaded
the performance, because l knew it
would be variations" 1t was, on
every note. 1t was marvellous and it
was terrible. 1t was humorous and
pathetic and wonderful. l hated my
self for Winding it; l hated the Amer
lean officer next to me who kept muir