The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-01-24

long we shall be called upon to give up
all flesh or fish food in the interests OF
the lower animals. We live in a Won
derful, progressive age, and the great
Bcrgh leads the way.-N.2I. Herald.
College Days Of Thomas Jefferson.
{ In such a busy, healthy heme as
this, with father, mother, two elder
sisters, four younger sisters, and a
little brother, Thomas Jefferson
lived in his boyhood. lie was sim
gularly happy in his eldest sister,
Jane, whose mind was akin to his
own. ! She was his contidant and
companion, and shared his taste, for
the arts, particularly his earlylove
of music. The family were all
reared and baptized in the Church
Of England, and this sister greatly
excefled in singing the few fine old
psalm tunes which then constituted
the whole psalmody of the Protcs-
tant world. For century, it is
said, there were but FIVE tunes sung
in the coloaial churches. BY the
ireside in the winter evenings, and
or the banks of the river in the soft
summer twilight, there were family
singings,. Jane Jeferson's melodi-
Gus voice leading the choir; to
which was added, as the years went
on, the accompaniment of her
brothers violin. There must have
been much musical feeling in the
family to have generated in this
boy so profound passion for music
as he exhibited. lie speaks of
three early tastes as "the passion Of
his SOUL" music, mathematics, and
architecture-and of these, the first
one developed was music. ... 49,
The massive instrument with
which we are familiar-the piano
and the organ-would have been
unattainable in a Virginia farm
house at that period, even if they
bnd Cbeen sufficiently perfected to
warrant transportation so far. The
violin, called by its ld-fashioned
name of fiddle, king of Instruments,
was almost the only one known in
theaback countries of5the Colonies.
In Virginia, when Jefferson and
Patrick Henry were merry lads to-
gether, both Of whom played the
idHe,- it"appears, that almost every
farmhouse which had a boy in it
could boast fiddle also. MIR. Rir-
ers, in his life of Madison, among
many. other precious things, pre-
serves the programme of the rustic
festivities a"ranged r.St. Andrews S
day III .1773. in the next county but
one to- Jeferson's, 3Albemarle. It
throws light on lis early violin, be:
sides showing how English the
tone of Virginia was at that pc
,riod. &c - - - 2 ) J
twenty horses we've to run
round a three mile course for c
prizetof five pomds5nopneg"to;put
up ahorse unless he ubscribed fol-
the entertainment. and paid half q
pistole'" Next, hat Of the value
of twenty shllliugs was to be cud
gelled for. Then q violin was to
lie played for by twenty fddlers-
no person to have the liberty OF
playing, unless he brings a fiddle
with him, When the prize had
been awarded, all the performers
were to play together, each a differ.
ent tune, and to be treated BY the
company. Next, twelve boys
twelve years Of age, were to run
one hundred, and twelve yards fol
IL hat rth-.,welyes shilhngs. A
squire of ballads was to be sung fol
by o number of songstcrs, all oi
them to have liquor sufficient tc
clear their windpipcs." A pair Of
silver buckles were to be wrestled
for 0by Ga number of brisk young
men," ga pair of handsome shoes
was to be danced for A pair O.
handsome silk stockings of ono
pistole value was to be given tt
Nthe handsomest young country
maid that appears in the field" A
+'sshandsome entertainment" was alst
to be provided for by the subscri
bers and their wives +; sand such o.
them as are not so happy as to have
wives, may treat any other lady,
Drums, trumpets, and hautboy'
were ,to play, and, at the feast, thu
health Of the King aud Of the gov
erhor were to be drunk. The pro
gra,nme concluded by notifying thu
publsc- that, ,"as this mirth is de
Signed to be purely innocent an(
void, Of offence, all persons resort
ing to those are desired to behave
themselves with decency and 'sobri
ETY.; the subscribers being resolved
to discolihtcnance5 jaHQimm orality
with the utmost rigor." Jas. Pal
TON, IN ATLANTIC MoNTuLx. guf
El.@GI u. .uiirG's.3 .! q. ..ul. .-r!- 81
a1"1;,5 15a%H h. Hereditary, Genius. ... ...-..