Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-11-06
NUMBER II.
0bc Dailp bireinian.
The Magic ofMusic.

The Magic Of Music.
The sprightIy correspondent of the National
Intclligoncer, who is travelling through Syria,
and at last accounts had reached the ancient
city of Helopols, gives the following descnP-
ton of the eifcct which his flute and the negro
melody had upon the descendants of 1shmael:
In travelling through Syria. as in other parts
Of the world, always carry my flute with me.
TO relieve the lonely hours at night. and excite
social feeling among the natives. had hu-
ted my way, after the fashion of Goldsmith,
through many difficulty; and now was re-
solved 10 sec what the magic of music would
do in the prejudiccs of the Arabs. As soon as
II was dark,we had good fire lit IN the corner.
and pulling off our shoes. as custom required,
we spread our mats close by and set down COST
ly to enjoy the cheerful fire. my friends (lhe
Sonherner and the Enlgish captain) smoking
their chibouks, while | brought forward my
knapsack and commenced putting the pieces
Of my flute together. The Arabs who had be-
gun to crowd in, were greatly interested IN tho
strange instrument that | was getting under
way; and Yusef, who was rather proud of his
civilization, sat by, enjoying their remarks, and
giving us running Interpretation. Some
thought 1t was sort OF pistol, with large
touch hole, but this notion was rdiculed by tho
more knowing ones who said 1t was plain to
see that it was a new fashioned pipe. and that
they would soon soc me put the bowl to 1t, and
begin 10 smoke,
AT last got all the pieces ad justed, and com.
mandlng silence by mysterious motion ot the
hand commenced playing that classical air of
"Old Zip Coon" which dare say was never
heard before among the ruins OF Baalbeck.-
There WINS the most breathless attention on all
sides,interrupted only by the suppressed excla-
nation Of Tahibi Tahibi Good, goodl) when
ever blew very shrill or false note, c,nnd soon
tho women and children from the neighboring
houses began to crowd inand there was grad
unlly a large circle formed around the room.
the audience squat,lng down IN rows TILL there
was scarcely space enough left TO breathe
blew away with all my might, for not only
was excited with the success OF my expert
ment, but rather inspired with the music was
making, which assure you was not bad. The
familiar airs of home made me sentimental and
| merged into the doleful air "Give me back
my heart againl'' which was miserable fail
ure; not damscl seemed disposed 10 listen 10
it, They commenced in the very middle of
the most pathetic strain to call for old ZIP
Coon When had ended there was no end
Of the tahibs Mr.. Coon was decided hit.
was commanded again, and Yusef, was de-
sired 10 explain that there would be song, that
it was song Of an old black gentleman who
lived in America, who was pacha among the
blacks; that he was called Uncle Ned because
he was so venerable, and being very old, the
hair all fell out ofhis head and there was no hair
at all in the place where the hair ought to
grow; and he had mt any eyes 10 see with, and
consequently was as blind a post or stone
wall. or anything else that is supposed to be
deficient in eyes; that he neither had teeth 10
eat bread with, and he had to let the bread a.
lone and eat something else; that his fingers
were as long as canes III the brake, which was
about an average of sixteen feet and eventual
| ly, that one day when he was out in the field.
a horrible monster, called Grim Death, came
along and caught him by the heel and carried
him away, and he was never heard any moro
except in this song, which was written IN com
mcmoraton OF all these facts.
Thereupon, having excited the most pro-
found interest in the history of Uncle Ned,
launched forth into the song, keeping as near
To the tune as possible, and going through all the
motions descriptive Of the badness of the head,
he absence Of his teeth, and the length of his
fingers. AT length when | arrived at the final
catastrophe, where Grim Death seizes the
old gentleman by the heel made a sud-
den motion at the heel Of one worthy,
who was sitting near by, completely up
setting him with fright, and causing
laugh from the audience, that seemed as if it
would never como TO an end 1t was the
best bit of the evening, and completely remov-
ed all constraint.
The women had gradually uncovered their
faces, and the men were in such good humor
that they paid no attention to it; and we were
all as jo,ia as notwithstanding that peo-
pie all over the world are pretty much the
same by nature, and that there are few faces
So barbarons as not 10 be moved by music
and aspritof soc;ability.
The CHoLERA.-The almost Simultaneous
appearance of this dreadful scourge at Que
bee, at this season of the year, and away off at
New Providence, and other islands adjacent,
is another singular evidence ofits erratc char