CHAPTER II 



The old brass band hadn't done well and the 

 organization of a new band was talked of 

 around the post-ofRce. The old instruments 

 were brass and had the old-fashioned rotary 

 valves, and the strings kept breaking. The 

 town thought we should have a new band, 

 nickel-plated instruments with the late piston 

 valves. As it would advertise the town, and so 

 long as the band didn't play would give it an 

 up-to-date appearance, the wealthier citizens 

 contributed, but notwithstanding my exhibi- 

 tion and failure at the McMillan musical 

 demonstration, they let me in, and I played 

 the snare drum, because it was the easiest to 

 carry. Our instruments came, and the town 

 nearly went wild over them, and we began 

 practicing every night in the band hall. We 

 got thirty dollars to go and play at ordinary 

 picnics, and you came and got us in a wagon 

 with flags on the side of the box. We played 

 along for a few months this way, and then we 



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