THE STRAND MAGAZINE. 
298 
for him on some special occasion a year or two 
earlier, but who had had another band for 
the same purpose subsequently. I had not 
since seen him to speak to, and was a little 
surprised when he came rushing up to me and 
shook me effusively by the hand. 
“ Ah ! ” said he, “ very glad to see you. 
No mistake, your band is magnificent ! I 
shall certainly engage you again next year 
for my affair if you are free. By the way, 
have you seen Mackenzie Regan lately ? ” 
I stared at him in surprise. I knew quite 
well what the other band was which he had 
had. The bandmaster was not the least like 
me, but I saw at once that he was somehow 
confusing us. 
“ Rogan ? ” I repeated. “ Oh, yes, I’ve 
seen him. In fact, I often see him. Every 
day. I know him quite well.” 
“Oh, do you?” said he. “Now, look 
here ; I don’t want you to say anything to 
him, as I have a personal regard for him, 
but you know the band isn’t as popular as 
yours. I sha’n’t have him again ; I mean to 
have you next time. Still, my kind regards 
to Rogan when you see him. Good-bye ! ” 
1 could not resist the temptation ! Next 
morning I sent him a postcard. “ I saw 
Rogan early this morning,” I wrote ; “ he was 
shaving ! He thanks you for your kind 
regards, which he heartily reciprocates ! ” 
Whether he discovered his mistake I do 
not know. I have not seen him since, and 
the band is still waiting for that engagement. 
Mr. J. HENRY 1LES, 
Founder, Organizer, and Conductor of the Great 
Annual Band Contest at the Crystal Palace. 
I shall not readily forget many of the 
experiences which we encountered when I 
took the Besses o’ th’ Barn on its tour of the 
world a few years back. It is very curious 
how literally the title of a band is sometimes 
taken by members of the public. In France, 
where anything to do with the ladies may be 
expected to tickle the fancy of Frenchmen, 
it was really good fun to see the pleasant 
grin on the faces of those present, and to 
hear them shout “ Vive V Angleterre ! Vive 
les Bessees ! ” When one saw the change on 
so many countenances upon the appearance 
of the band on the platform, one realized 
that many of those present had come expecting 
to see and hear an organization of women ! 
Even in England, the idea that the 
“ Besses ” were girls was once quite pre- 
valent. On one occasion a man, in a skate 
of indecision, was standing outside the hall 
where they were giving a concert, when the 
band suddenly struck up. Some of the 
chords which reached him were so inspiriting 
that he at once put his hand in his pocket 
and made for the entrance. 
“ By gum,” says he, “ if a bunch of girls 
can play like that, they must be worth 
looking at. Here goes for a bob’s worth ! ” 
It is told, also, of a certain American that, 
on being invited to go to a concert given by 
the “ Black Dike ” Band, he said : — 
“ Wall, I guess that’s going some ! Hafe 
a dollar to hear a crowd 0 ’ niggers ! ” 
He went, however, after explanation, and 
didn’t he shout when “ Dike ” struck up 
“ Dixie ” ! 
This story reminds me of an American 
impression, which may be interesting. Their 
fondness for bands, both good and bad, is 
well known. The quality isn’t taken into 
account when either the “ Star-Spangled 
Banner,” “ Yankee Doodle,” or “ Dixie ” is 
played. I have never seen in any country 
such frenzy and enthusiasm so universally 
shown on the playing of national airs as in 
the United States. 
When they went to Windsor Castle, in 
connection with the celebrations of the 
present Prince of Wales’s tenth birthday, 
the “ Besses ” tell, with much gusto, how, 
during the interval, the Prince slipped in 
amongst their instruments and gave the big 
drum a good smack, and then took to his 
heels. Although I was near by, I did not 
actually see the incident, but, nevertheless, 1 
believe it actually occurred, and, by the way, 
isn’t it just what a real English boy would 
do if he got the chance ? 
Mr. CHARLES HASSELL, 
Bandmaster of the Irish Guards. 
Two or three years ago we were engaged 
to play on the occasion of some athletic 
sports "at a public school near London, the 
grounds of which overlooked a high road 
close to a cemetery. 
It was a glorious day, a hot Saturday 
afternoon. The sun shone, and everyone 
was in the highest spirits, but there was one 
thorn in what was otherwise a bed of roses. 
That afternoon seemed to have been 
selected for an extraordinary number of 
funerals ! 
To suit the occasion we naturally played a 
light class of music, the programme including, 
for instance, a selection of the popular airs of 
the day, and I had the greatest difficulty in 
timing our performance so as not to clash 
with the mournful processions that kept 
passing. Again and again, just as we were 
