Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-07-28
~oid zip Coon, and ssUncie Ned,,
2st elAf AMONG the "A rabs, u "a "a ~

Among the Arabs y go atta
Thevery sprightly correspondents of the
National Intelligencer who Is on-his- tray
els through Syria. aud atthe last accounts
had reached the ancient city of Bslbeck
or Heliopolis, gives the following descrip-
ton of the effect, which his flute and the
negro melody had pom the descendants
of Ishmael:
In travelling through Syria, as in other
parts of the world, always carried my
hute with me to relieve the lonely hours
at niohr and excite social feeling among
the natives. l futed my way, after the
fashion of Goldsmith, through many di-
ficulty and now l was resolved to see
what the magic of music would do in re-
moving the preiudices Of the Arabs. As
soon as it 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 sat down costly to enjoy the
cheerful blaze, my friends the Southern
er and English Captain) smoking their
chibouks, while brought forth my KNAPP
sack and commenced putting the pieces
of my flute together, The Arabs, who
had begun to crowd in, were greatly inte-
rested in the strange instrument haw l
was getting under way and Yusef, thot
was rather proud of his superior civiliza-
ton, sat by enjoying their remarks and
giving us a running Interpretation, Some
thought it was sort Of pistol, with a
large toueh.hole but this notice was rid
iculcd by the moro knowing ones, who
said it. was plain enough to see that it
was new fashioned pipe, and that they
would soon see me put the bowl to 1t,
and begin to smoke. At last l got all
the pieces adjusted, and commanding 81
lencc by mysterious motion of the hand,
commenced playing that classical air OF
Z" Old Zip Coon" which dare say was
never heard before among the ruins of
Balbcck There was the most breathIess
attention on all sides, interrupted only by
suppressed EXPLANATIONS of taht6 tdhb =!
(good good y whenever blew shrill
or false note and soon the women and
children from the neighboring houses be-
gan to crowd in. and there was gradually
a largo circle formed around the room,
the audience sQuatting down in rows, till
there was scarcely space enough left to
breathe. blew away with all my might,
for not only was | excited by the success
of my experiment, but rather inspired by
the music was making, which | assure
you was no. bad. The familiar airs of
home made me sentimental, and merg-
ed into the doIcful air of " Give me back
my heart again oh give it back again %
which was misrable failure not II dam
sci seemed disposed to it. They COM
menced, in the very middle of the most
pathetic strain, to call for the first tune
SO had to turn to q Old Zip Coon. -
When | had concluded, there was no end
to the tahibS : Mr.. Coon was decided hit.
In order to vary the entertainment, 81
lcnce was commanded again, and Yusef
was desired to explain that there would
be song that it was the song of an cd
black gentleman who lived in America,
who was a Pasha among the blacks that
he was called Uncle Ned because he was
so venerable, and being very old the hair
all fell out of his head, and there was no
hair Mt all in tho place where the hair
ought to grow; that he hadn't any eyes
to sec with, and, consequently, was as
blind as post, or stone wall, or anything
else that is supposed to be deficient in
eyes; that neither had he teeth to eat
bread with, and he had to let the bread
alone and eat something else that his
fingers were as long as the canes in the
brake, which was about an average ofsiX-
teen feet and eventually, that one day
when he was out in the field, horrible
called Grim Death came along
and caught him by tho heel and carried
him away, and he was never heard ofany
more except in this song which was writ
ten in commemoration of all these facts.
Thercupon, having excited the most pro-
found interest in the history of Uncle Ned,
launched forth into the song, keeping
as near the tune as possible, and going
through all the motions descriptive of the
badness Of his head, the absence of his
teeth, and the length of his fingers. At
length, when arrived at the final catas-
trophe, where Grim Death seizes the old
gentleman BY the heel, made a sudden
motion at the heel of our worthy host,
who was sitting near by, completely up
setting him with fright, and causing Il
laugh from tic audience that seemed as
if it never would come to an end. 1t
was the best hit of the evening, and COM
pletely removed all constraint,
The women had gradually uncovered
their faces, and sthsamen were in such
good humor TINT they paid no attention
to it; and we were all as jovial as posi-
blc-showing that people all over the
world are pretty much the same by ma
ture, and that there are few races so bar
barous as not to be moved by music and
spirit of sociability,