Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-07-09

ment were somewhat blurred by the new
tangled ideas introduced by fashionable cit
folks, who sometimes ratstacated within its pur
lieus during the warm season, for the benef
of their health. The new style bonnet wa
death to the straw sun-bonnets of the country
girls-new dresses of the latest patterns wer'
displayed in the pews Of the churches on tht
Lords day, much to the scandal of christian
community. Finally fiddle was heard dis
coursing unholv naue;e in tho dining han of th1
hotel, and human forms were seen leaping uI
and down and gyrating around in cadence te
said diabolical strains This was truly Sc
rious assault upon the primitive habits of the
good denizens of Fudgetown, and serious and
protracted meetings of the elders were held to
| deliberate on the growing evil and devise means
of turning aside the torrent of sin that was
the town records report Of the proceedings Of
one Of these conferences 1t is as follows:
deacon Baldhead took the chair at the ap-
pointed hour, and called upon Elder Snif1e for
an opening prayer. Deacon Potts then raised
the hymn of Sinners, turn why will ye die?'
|
Lawyer Cantwell took the floor, and after
| gancing round, wiping his gold spectacles and
coughing three times, remarked as follows.
II arise, Mr.. Chairman to express my hearty
| indignation at the rapid strides the fend vice
seems to be making in our midst, and to re-
commend such stringent measures as will totally
put an end to the fandango created by the lus-
ty contact of horse-hair and the entrails of the
| feline species Sir, the music of diabolism is
floating in the air-the little fiddle has not only
come into common use, but to my utter horror
I saw, the other day, man bearing on his
brawny shoulders the grandfather of fddles,
called double bass Sir? ruet corzum-but 1
will speak out. The huge monster was paraded
| through our ets-shamelessly, publicly
| Quo aoarranto? I ask sir. Who brought it
hither? Colonel Swab, the proprietor of the
hotel, in order that impious sojourners might
chop as he classically terms it, with ease and
grace. Sir-Tenpora nautantur, ct nos mauta-
naur IN Ilis; but, hope not-I trust there is
too much morality-too much good sense in
this meeting to allow the devil to ride rough
shod over this christian community. We must
put down vice N ct arnais-we must crush out
Colonel Swab of his license-we must close his
doors, and we must crush with the iron heel of
authority and the gospel all such sin-engender-
ing implements of Satan as fddles-little and
big, and place things in statu qaso.
Mr.. Simon Hyde, tanner then arose, and
with his usual seriousness, (for he was never
known to smile) said
"Mr. Cheerman, there is misery everywhere !;
it is our material inheritedness. We founder
about in the vat of dependency, and are mis-
erably curried for our sins and iniquities. Mis-
cradle worms that we are, we must be tanned
with the bark Of repentensation ere we can be
hung up to dry. Dancing is an institution in
vented by Satan and sustained by the cat-gut
There is misery in the howl of the departed
hackers call music there is misery in the dance
itself-for, what would the vain beings look like
if disrobed of their fashionablish dresses and
their perishing flesh? What but dancing skel-
etons? There is misery
"We've had mysery enough, Mr.. Chairman, y
interrupted Theophilus Syntax, the school
master. II cannot perceive that the gentle
mans misery has anything to do with the
question under consideration. We have met
to consult on the perils of allowing fddles and
other profane instruments to exist among us
Sir say with the inspired poet,
This music MAIDS me, let it sound no more
For though it have help d mad men to their wits,
| In me, it seems, it will make wise men mad "
1t is not the dance that is SO Objectionable,
for we have scriptural authority to prove that
dancing is not sinful Marian, the prophecies
danced to the sound of the timbral-'' praise
the Lord with songs and dances '-et cetera
but it is the fiddle [ object to-the sound Of the
instrument creates dancing mania-it imparts
elasticity to the limbs-it excites the nerves
| its SAYS s'dance, and we must dance. | passed
by Joe Blynn's store the other night, he was
elbowing it strong to quick and lively tune
I stopped and listened; my knees began tt
shake-my feet to move-the devil was at my
back and danced! Joe is vile sinner-h.
followed me up playing still with increased Wig
or. I danced and danced until reached m.
home, when l danced in the presence of m.
| WilC duu OiIAlu1Ci3 " JIG
of my dignity as christian and guardian o
the morals of youth. Sir-the fiddle has ere
ated an epidemic-let US strike at the root b.
prohibiting the introduction of fddles.'
Deacon Potts was Of opinion that Colone
Swab was inditable before the Squire for keep
ing a disorderly house and corrupting the NOR
ais of the young people of the town by hoppin!
during unreasonable hours. He had no objec
ton to the fiddle itself-in fact, he could pla
psalm tunes on it himself, and should like t
see it introduced into the choirs of the severa
churches. 1t was the abuse of the instrumen
that he objected tot was a noble musical ma
chine put to vile purposes. He had fddles fo
sale in his store-they were saleable articles
he had right to sell them under his license
as he had right to sell spiggots and bung
starters, which were anti-temperance.
Lawyer Cantwell replied to the Deacon, de
nouncing him sharply for having so far la
aside his christian dignity as to traffic in tn
devils implements.
'His case would be settled IN curia, MI
Chairman" continued he. "A certain trust i
j placed in him as moral man and christian
; by the dispensers Of the law, and he has con
fessedly violated it. But, sir, place him 4
to,o conscientie, hoping that he may set a bet