OCR Text |
Show The Bob-Tailed Nag. "To hear all thoso bands playing, sec theso flags flying and watch the horses prancing around," said a Connecticut Con-necticut votoran, "reminds mo that in tho spring of 18C4, whon Gen. Banks was In command at New Orleans, threo brigades wero encamped at Baton Ba-ton Roguo. A review was ordered and Admiral Farragut was to bo the guest of the occasion. With so distinguished a visitor, the bandmaster of each regiment regi-ment strove to havo a better pro gramme than would bo given by any othor. Besides tho regulnr stock music, mu-sic, "Star -Spangled Banner," "Red, White and Blue," "Yankee Doodlo" and "Dlxlo," tho band of the Twenty-fourth Twenty-fourth Connecticut had a dozen of tho catchy airs of tho day I believe thoy nro known ns 'rag time.' "For tho occasion, Gen. Banks and his staff wero hnndsomoly dressed and superbly mounted. Tho uniforms of Admiral Farragut and his staff woro resplendent, but their mounts wero such as could bo secured on short notice no-tice and were not only poor In flesh, but nlso lacked drill. A large whiio horso was furnished to tho naval chief. It was bony and minus a largo part of Its tall, tho remainder of which wob kept nervously In constant motion. "The buglo sounded, and tho column passed, mnrchlng In splendid form to the music of tho various bands, each doing Its best. Of courso, the marching march-ing men could not seo what kind of horses that bad been provided for the guests, and as tho Twenty-fourth Connecticut Con-necticut approached, tho bandmaster travo a peculiar sign nnd the band struck merrily Into 'I bet my money on tho bob-tall nag, duda, duda, day.' Gens. Banks and Grover were chagrined chag-rined and wero about to order a chango of music whon they observed that the admiral was laughing heartily and, with hnt In hand, was bowing low to the men from tho Nutmeg stato. Ho appeared to tako It ns a compliment compli-ment from the roglment to him on his recent passage of Now Orleans, probably prob-ably ns a prophecy of his futuro achievements, and was onjoylng It thoroughly. "Tho generals wero relieved, and what at first seemed to ho an awk ward predicament proved U be ono of mU the funniest and most-onjoyablo lncl- Lm dents of tho day. Washington Star. H |