Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-30
EV ENING STAR,
A NATIVE AMERICAN.
From the New York Musical Gazette.


Americans are an independent, selfre-
liant people, fond of judging for them
selves. There is no doubt of this. We
had an instance Of it yesterday. A gen.
tleman, evidently from the rural districts.
uncontaminated by the vicious refine.
nsents of any large city, called at the
establishment Of Mason Brothers. and
inquired for the "new singing book !"
giving the ] in the last syllable it's full
sound. 81 hearn tell its considerable
good, but I'm in the habit of judgin' for
myself, l am " The book was presented.
Our friend in the felt hat and homespun
looked at it carefully on one side, then
on the other (; then on each end, and each
side. AT last, with due deliberation. he
opened it, and read the title page. Next
ne turned to the record of copy right en-.
try, and read that. So he went on, page
by page, through the elements. He was
evidently about to examine the work for
himself. Through the elements he went,
paragraph by paragraph. An hour passed.
The clerk had long since turned to other
employments, but still the same deliber
ate turning of the leaves. At last our
friend reached the music. Here he laid
the book carefully down upon a pile of
paper, keeping it open by the aid Of other
books placed upon each end. Diving his
arm into one of his capacious pockets,
he drew therefrom an instrument of mu.
sic-even veritable fife. After a care
ful adjustment ef its parts, he applied II
to his lips, and commenced playing the
air of the first tune. This finished. he
went at the second then to the third
the fourth, the fifth, and so on in regular
succession. 1t is true that our friend had
not yet arrived at great skill on his fay.
orte instrument. He did not always
we might perhaps say often-produce the
right tones, and quite frequently he was
oblivious Of time. Nevertheless the in.
tent was there, and certainly, according
to his ability, he was faithful. No tune,
and no part of any tune, was omitted.
Hours rolled on. Customers came and
went. Boxes and books were packed up
and sent off. Yet amid the clatter OF
hammers, the calls of clerks and porters,
and the rolling of carriages in the street,
still the fife held on its way toot, toot,
toot-ti, toot, toot, too-o-o." They went
-, to dinner and returned. The fifer was
still there; evening approached, and yet
he went not. At length the hour for
closing arrived. The clerks were too
we'll bred to show any signs of mirth, but
broad grins in sly corners and behind
piles of books, gave some vent to their
feelings. At last one addressed him:
1--WE wish to close for the night now,
SIR"
"Oh, you do, do you?" was the re-
sponse. "Wall, I'm in the habit of
judgin' things for myself; and 1 don't
like to make up my mind too sudden.
You see can't tell about q singin' book
without tryin' all the parts. | amt got
through the treble yet, but I'll call
again in the mornin' and 60 through the
other parts"
We like perseverance, we like inde-
pendent judgment, but that fife was not
to be borne another day. An expedient
occurred. A book was presented, and
our friend left with many thanks, and
the promise that when he had thoroughly
examined it, we should have his written
opinion.