San Francisco vindicator. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1884-1???, 1889-02-09


at the low price Of one nickei each, they
are within reach Of the humblest person
gifted with musical ear. Inc deVlI
eddie was The brilliant invention or All
fred T. Sulnmcrson, Of RENO, Nev., three
DAYS before the wedding Of Mrs. VIII
liam Margo, Of Reno, TO Mr.. +. Charles
Perkins. Of Carson City, In December,
1867. When it was ANNOUNCED that this
gifted and wealthy lady was ABOUT 70
lead to the altar this young and prom
Sing student OF the Reno Academy,
ana that difference OF only thirty-seven
wears existed between them, the naughty
circles Of Reno society underwent an
upheaval and several brilliant intellects
combined In an effort to give the happy
pair that variety Of welcoming serenade
known as "calathumpian shivaree."
Mr. Snmmerson was a member OF the
Clathumpian Committee, and to his
jealous wish that this particular seren-
ade should outshine any 'shivaree' eyer
given 10 bridal couple Id Reno civiliza-
zion Is indebted for the grand discovery
or The devils fiddle
Neither the instrument itself nor the
method Of extracting melody from it's
interior is at all complex. The devil 8
fiddle consists Of q bOttOmless tin can,
over one end of which has been stretched
niece of vet shcepskin. Wien this
dries it Is as tight as o drum head.
Through the center Of the sheepskin Is
now passed knotted horsehaiF foot
or more In length. This ID all. Any
rerson possessed Of cans. sheepskin,
horsehair and industry ID capable 81
eQnirping q twenty piece devils fiddle
orchestra at an hours notice
Playing the devils fidile 10 even sim
rler than its manufacture. Grasp tht
fiddle lightly in The left hand, and, viii
fhe well-rOsined index finger and thumb
or the right, stroke the depending horse
hair. The young performer Will, on nj
frst effort, merely extract strident ant
echoinC ''honk he - haw-ee-Onkr
like The efforts of q goose with bat
cold to sing second TO tenor donkey II
n melon patch. A second stroke VII
cause the soulful instrument TO eject
n '.mee-aow-phstl- - wOwT into In
previous harmony. as though turpen
lined CIT had suddenly Joined the chorus
"A little more practice will show that tn
rrnge Is seven and half octnves, th
hrrmonies varying from the low, sat
murmur OF planning mill TO the peasan
minor slaccato Of aaw-sharp>ner.
myself have but little ear for music an'
do not think. without steady practice,
could learn the regular violin In les
than q week, vet within one hour 81
that eventful night In Reno | not onl
constructed my own devils fiddle an
learned 10 play upon II, but composed
nocturne solo which | taught Mr.. Sum
merson. and which he subsequently IN
troduced into the serenade with tellin
effect In fact, gooi performer on th
devils fiddle does not require niue
technical knowledge Of majors. minor'
sharps and fats, but merely stalwal
arm and plenty Of persistence and er
thusiasm.
There were results 20 the efforts (
Mr. Summerson's orchestra On that ten
pestuous Reno night which inehaceshl
stamped the devils fiddle upon my men
ory. The serenade opened with Chopin
midnight sonata at l;45 p. To. AT III
p. m. Inc bridegroom opened 6 window
At HAP. IN. Mr. Summerson opene
one Of Beethoven's symphonies and n
bride opened fire with o shotgun. tn
broke I'D the serenAde-