The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-18
MUSIC AND MERMAID.
A DIVERS EXPERIENCE IN THE
CAVES OF OLD OCEAN.
A Piano tho Sea Fairies Found-How 1t
Charmed Their Musical Sense and
Formed the Chief Feature of Wed.
ding Festival.

The best gift Of all those the gods be-
slowed on men was that OF music. From
the days OF the earliest rude Orpheus, who
learned to initiate the wind rustling
through the reeds on tho shore, or the
musical soughing and whispering OF the
leaves on the hills, down 10 tho latest
minstrel troupe, it is ever the sweet
goddess OF harmony that has moved the
world as she pleased. The religious books
OF all nations are full Of sacred mnstrely,
and the songs OF the sweet singer OF Israel
have brought consolation 10 bruised and
bleeding hearts Tor thousands OF years,
though the torture TO which some OF them
are subjected Is terrible, aud after listening
10 q modern church choirs rendering OF
some OF these grand old psalms one comes
10 appreciate how Saul felt when he threw
his nyclin at David as he cssayod one Of
his solos before him. Every race and peo-
pie has lis own peculiar music and songs.
Nor is the influence aud ciicctof music con-
fined omortasmercly, the heavenly arches
rcsouud with the choruses and anthems Of
the angelic choirs and the redeemed harp
ing on their golden harps chant the praises
OF the Almighty Creator and Proscryer,
and the weird worlds that populate illIm-
table space rs they pursue their allotted
rounds, filling the universe with the music
OF the spheres cternally proclaim in ma
! jcstic cadcncgs "tho hand that made us is
| divine" Earth, air and ocean are full OF
/ music; from this comes many Of the myths
aud legends Of the early days. The deep
aud dark blue ocean covers in It's mysieri-
ous cbb and flow many an one OF these,
most interesting aud more than half be-
loved among which are the stories OF NOR
maids aud sirens of the sea, with their
weird aud wondrlus attractions. Those
| who are lnmiliarwith It's illimtable depths
| have often been RECALLED with sWecter and
| ialrer music than solid earth ever gave,
] aud as some favored ones have been priyi- |
/ legged 10 gaze with mortal eyes on
| the graceful tripping Of the fairy |
wearcs OF :he green or tho lonely |
mariner 90 view in silence and Sc
/ crecy the grim pa,iimcs OF the gnomos
aud koboldJ Of the deeply-hiddcn mines
and treasure veins, so some faithful and |
trusting ones have been permitted 10 Wit I
ness the rcvcs and rcioiciugs OF the lovely |
| dwcll,r8 beneath the CLASSY waves, for the /
! mysteries aud Wonders hidden within the |
earth are q nero blgltcllc as compared |
with those which old ocean coyoui aud |
the realm Of Neptune oilers his subjects. |
OF all the queer fantasies that pass before |
the eyes OF the sons OF men, none are more
inupht with the unclnny aud mysterious
than are seen 10y those whose vocation
brings them beneath the surface Of the
ocean. They are q peculiar people silent
aud but title disposed to talk OF their OK
parienccs, some Of them terrible and some
Of deep interest and full Of pcrilous ex-
element; none Of them mono,onous or
wclrying. / WAS privileged ~ be- intimate
with one who had long passed the prime
Of life, but still was active aud fearless In
his duties. lie told me many weird tale
Of the depths OF the sea. lie
hal for years been attracted to-
ward certain portion Of the ocean
of he Carolina coast, by reason OF the Pc
culiarly musical cadence OF the ripplc OF
the waves, and the apparent sounds Of
rcvclry that seemed - float through the |
air or permcatc the water. lie had often
been below the suriacu there, and wan.
dcrcd cnirlnccd among the beautiful |
groves, charming thickcis aud lovely bow
ems OF ocean vegetation, where there we're
exquisite coral grottus and caves OF re-
splendcnt beauty, tccming with the active
life Of the ocean. His descriptions Of
these gems Of Neptune and the weird ana
lanCiiul forms Of life, whether vegetable,
animal or iishy, were scarcely oqualcd In
the pages Of Hugo, Verne, or other narra-
tor ol the sea. lie insisted earnestly on
The existence Of the mermaid, and was
wont 10 dcsCant most enthusiastically ON
her beauty OF form, aud the sweetness OF
her voice IN song That from the album.
dance OF wrecks off the coast they had /
gathered many things Of mortal pfoduc. |
ton. and used them for ornament or i'm |
practical WAYS ~ suited their fairy fancy. |
aud especially were they partial 10 every |
thing ia the way OF musical instruments. |
carefully protecting them In some way 20 |
far NJ possible from the effects !
ot the damrncs Of their ocean
homes. Such as they could 80
fix they had arranged In secret rcccsses Of
the rocks above the reach ~ the waves,
and there would amuse themselves iof
/ hours Ia bright weather by extracting Wild
| aud witching melodies. ON one special
/ occasion. after long srfcs ui lovely,
/ bright days. they seemed preparing Tor
some great aud exciting festival. aud ~ lac
worked In quiet aud unseen hy them down
deep la ocean caves BE- found II wns % be
n marriage oi The chief II the mrfmeu 10
one Of thc most lovely Of the daughters Of
the tca. \ great cause ut trouble among
thcm was the lack of such an instrument as
would sn't their exquisite fcnss of music
AMI their most accurate taste. 1hoy had
un abundance 0i organs, pianos anl ma.
| steal instruments collected from sunkpn
| ships, bat their hcnriF were set on one ap-
mpnuy unaiiaiuablc instrument that 10
their ethereal tastes seemed perfect They
had followed, Ia ccslary und with every
ilhor II their delicate natures nituusd 10
the music thc steamers bearing the ing 1T
the National of0uion lines in their passage
TO aud lro actuss the Atlantic. and thcrc
was depth, rcluc-s and purity Of tone
such as none other po~csssd.
| Tho iair mermaid moufnUu iu foctg. bc.
cause she could poss-ss none ol thcsr 10
play NJ her wedding. one lay In Nav
last, While a.l WAS quiet and sorvnc In the
coral caves and gfu,los OF their homes. a
lunpns storm WIS brin ..ng wuck and
destruction on the surface above. and, ere
lone tie good steamer Eureka, from New
YORK ~ New Orleans. sank silently down
near them. t was torn aui crushed. and
among The scattered treasures Na4a box
pn which thc old man, IN hisscarrh about
TIE ruukrn steamer, saW the marx.
''Jcssu French Piano aud Organ Company,
Memphis, Tenn II was NJ no use io
Him, anl be passed 10 by o. not worth
notice, merely thinking that another
treasure was Loot To the lovely city proudly
resting on the bluffs. beneath which the
iait Mississippi rolled be- taWny waves To-
the sea. The busy tuilcrl of The sea broke
ala. -. Al