| Show 1 j WORLD j WAR YARNS YARN S 1 I by Frank J E. E Hagan Hasan HasanI Fumble Drum OlUm Major Ross Hoss is a real reason wh why the army army band stationed at Washington Wash ington I D. D C c. Is noted for Its Us lire fire I verve I and dash In the old army when the war tear be began an Ross Hoss was known from morn the tile Islands to Alaska as ns the most graceful dancer lancer umon among the lie enlisted men Alen Moreover er being tall spare broad shouldered he looked the part of If the champion cake w walking cake drum t major of nf them hem t all UI friends of oC more than thun six hitches remember that toss Ross dropped his bat baton once und once and that was as years n ago u in a asar sar parade ade at the thc Presidio San Francisco Fran Fran- 1 cisco The story Is that aft after r a n nl night ht of or general celebration the champion drum m major lost his stick on a u twirl and that it iL plunged deep Into the bass horn of one of the bandsmen behind There is one other occasion a n more recent one and known to his 1113 more recent friends when toss Ross dropped the stick deliberately This TiIs last fumble Cumbie attracted proper attention to the thet t troops oops Ross noss was leading Heres Here's how howIt f It If happened All Ml re regiments In Chickamauga during duri dur duro i In lug ing a war training period were ordered or or- dered dereI to pass In review before the theli li commanding of the camp The general beneral and his party stationed them them- themselves f selves eln's In front of the Brotherton house noted as ns a Civil war landmark I on one of the smooth hard roads Chickamauga knew ns as pikes P i toss Ross led lell the band ban and Fifty fourth Infantry Sixth division toward the reviewing rc stand The commanding general he noted was paying scant attention to th the troops headed by the 1 army's champion drum major Ten paces away from the general Ross twirled his baton dropped It deliberately de de- on the hard surface road When it bounced he caught the baton 1 high In air all without losing stride j I saluting magnificently as ns he led the fourth Fifty past a n general who was wasI I bored no lone longer I |
