"A- GHOSTLY MARSEILLAISE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2582, 2 October 1915, Page 6

"A- GHOSTLY MARSEILLAISE

, ' at Vauquois that an incident happened whioh.l suppose stands alone in this .war," ria'rrated CamilloDecrius, the Frenoh composer and pianist, ''the charge of a regimental hand at tho head of troops. Nowadays the bands, are usually kept-at the rear. But.a,' critical moment came,. Our men had three times' attacked tho Germans, and bad thrice been repulsed. .The colonel felt that a timo for supreme,effort had arrived. He summoned tho loader of tho band. ' \ ".'Put'ypur-moii.at the: head of. .the regiment,. strike up; the "Marseillaise,"', ana lead them to . victory,' lie commanded. - ■ I .Vf'Tho bandmaster saluted. He called his musicians,, aiid told them wJiat was expected. Then tho forty of them took their positions. Our- line re-formed. CThe bandmaster. ,Tvaved,his.baton. V-* "Alloiis, Erifants do la Patrie 1' rang out, and the' men took up tho song. France was calling upon tliem to do or die!' Tho band started out on the doublequick, as if on rapid'parado. The Germans must have rubbed their oj'es. ! No musician carried a --weapon. _ But' they were carrying tho 'Marseillaiso' against, the foe. . Then .camo the continuous rattle of tho machine-guns. ; _ The band marched on, their ranks thinning ' at every step. The leader went down. ; The cornettist followed him. The drummers and their instruments collapsed in the isame yolley. In less than five minutes every man of'the forty was lying, upon the •ground, killed or wounded, that is, with one exception. That was' the trombone player. ;' . '■'His whole instrument was sliot away except the mouthpiece and tlie slide,- to. 'which his fingers.were fastened. He did not know it. Ho still blew,' and worked the" slide: It .was only a ghostly■' Marseillaise' he was :playing, but the spirits of his dead comrades: played with him, and at the head of the regiment,' ana with that fragment of a trombone, - he •led.the way. .to victory. The trench was . taken. 1 Half of the baud had died on( the field of honour." -

: Despite tho war \ and ; tho, risks. it involves, tho J.C. Williamson management 'aro not abandoning any detail of their original intention Jto inalve the "Mother Gooso" pantomime the "best yot." No means will be neglected in order to bring "Mother Goose" beforo the public, as the firm's biggest achievement in pantomime. , In England, Mr; Clyde' Meyiiell, and in Amoriica Mr. Hugh Ward are sifting the best material available in tho way of novelties and attractions for inclusion in tho big show. .Tho result- has exceeded ox-, pectations. Ono big effect _ should causo a positive sensation. It is worked by machiiwry costing £1000.' Mr« Charts Wenmmi ml] be tho woducar.