The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-03

good man died-a man whose name
was Bradbury. He was a good musi-
cal genius, and composed many musl-
cal books, of which over half a million
were sold. When I was a boy his
song books were in univeral use. His
cantata of Esther still lives, and will
live always I hope, for it is a wonder
ful work and has given exquisite pleas
ure to millions. have a great rever-
ence for his memory. What COM
fort it must be to a man in his old age
to realize that his life's work has been
a comfort to his fellow men, and will
live after him and continne to be a
comfort.
Our young people have recently had
this cantata on the boards, and have
twice delighted the public with its
performance. It took about month
of practice and rehearsal to make it
success but it was success, and has
done more to elevate and refine the
taste for good music than anything
that has transnired in this community.
Including the children, there were
about forty persons engaged in 1t,
and all the parents and kindred be-
came interested and now everywhere
you go the sweet strains of this cantata
are heard: The children chantit on the
way to school /; the mothers at the fire
side; the lawyers at their desks.
asked a banker for ten dollars, and he
smiled and sang ''Long Live Our Beau
teous Queen )" and, as he was little
slow, 1 had to reply, Haste, Haste"
We had some splendid voices and ele-
CANT costumes, and during the pathetic
scores wanted TO weep so bad tt at l
was ashamed of my efforts to conceal
nv emotion. At one time my tender
feelings broke loose and run over IN
spite of myself, and [ had to choke
them back again, with al audible
effort that was something between
sneeze and snort. Folks looked round
at me, but made no sign. 1 do love
to cry on such occasions, and would
boohoo aloud if I was not ASHAMED.
How those little girls did enjoy the
part they played, and when the audi
ence went wild and cheered and
encored to call them back, one little
one was alarmed and said, "Mother,
didn't we do it right, have we got to
do it over again"
Now, every town has some musical
talent, and has young people who are
restless for something to do in the
way of pleasant entertainments. Let
them gather the amateurs and train
them for this beautiful cantata. 1t
will take month Of hard work-earn-
est workout it will pay at last. Any
thing of beauty or a Joy forever.
Long live our beauteous queen,
Long live our noble King,
God is the refuge Of his people.
The beautiful strains to which these
words and others are set haunt me
and follow me like delightful dream.
The women got this up and the men
just fell into line; that's alive al
ways dove have to. The men can
compose, but it takes women to exc
cute. Why is that? Why is it that
the world has had no great composers
among the women? ? There are no
female Haydns or Handles or Mozarts
or Beethovens-not even q female
Bradbury to compose cantata. Then
let the young people try these musical
entertainments. I see that they oc-
casionally get on strain for something
and get up a "cold water set around"
or a 'scofee and conversation" or a
''tea and talk" party, which, of course,
is better than nothing, but they are
not things Of beauty, and do not last
long. BILL ARP.