fusillade of rockets and Roman candles.

A stampede followed and the parade faded away. I stood my ground
until my eye-glasses were knocked off, and then I groped my way to the
sidewalk. When the confusion had subsided, all that could be discovered
of my band was the drum-major in front and the bass-drummer in the rear
rank. Their comrades had fled, but these men were good soldiers, and
having received no orders to disperse had stood their ground manfully.

A Tale of the White House

One more story of the White House. At the time of the unveiling of the
statue of Admiral Farragut in Washington, it was suddenly proposed
to have a reception at the Executive Mansion in honor of the many
distinguished visitors. The informal invitations were issued while I was
participating in the parade that was part of the ceremonies.

At seven o-clock in the evening, when I was at home, tired out after
the long march, word came to me to report at the Marine Barracks. I
went there and was ordered to take the band to the White House at eight
o'clock p.m.

The bandmen did not live in barracks, and it was practically impossible
to get them together at that time of night, as they were scattered all
over the city.

"Well, those are my instructions and those are your orders," said the
commanding officer.

So we sent the band-messengers out to the men's lodgings, and they found
just one musician at home, and he was the bass-drummer.

At eight o'clock, arrayed in all the gorgeousness of my scarlet and gold
uniform, I sat in front of the band platform in the White House lobby,
and the bass-drummer stationed himself back in the semi-obscurity of his
corner. There was a dazzling array of music-stands and empty chairs, but
no musicians! The President evidently saw the humorous side of it, and
when I explained the situation he said it could not be helped. All the
evening we sat there and listened to humorous remarks from the guests.
We had "reported for duty," though, and the drummer and I stayed till
the reception was over.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Experiences of a Bandmaster, by
John Philip Sousa

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