Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-10-07
YANNEE NOODLE.
4 sketch of One OF the Characters In {
Eaunua IS,linfin0.


4 Sketch of One OF the Characters In .
Famous Painting.
One of the notable pictures at the
centennial exposition was Yankee Doc
die, or the spirit of '7o." Three figures
stand in spirited attitude On the left
boy, on the right an old fifer. and in
the middle martial looking old man
beating a drum. All the figures are
strong and animated and fully embody
the idea intended to be set forth In the
picture-that is, the spirit of our revo-
lutionary fathers Few who have seen
and studied this picture fail to have it
engraved on their memories. It will be
interesting to such to know that one of
the subjects still lives and plays his
martial tunes. The old ffer is an exact
portrait of Hugh Mosher, who lives q
retired life on farm in northern Ohio.
Both his grandfathers were revolution
airy soldiers, and his father served in
the Mexican war, SO he comes rightly
by his love for war tunes.
Hugh was born in Perry, O., in 1919.
AS a boy he was the best whistler in
Perry township, and had great long
ing to learn to play some instrument
His strict old father vetoed the latter,
and was even impatient over Hugh's
''etarnal whistlin'." He regarded this
desire for music as whisper from the
evil one to make him thriftless and no
use on the farm. However, it was not
to be that all this musical talent should
remain hidden under a bushel, or,
speaking more literally, in the lungs of
one man. Hugh happened into a black
smiths shop one day and picked up
fife which lay at hand. He did not lay
1t down until he had picked out the air
of ''Scots VIVA Haze WI Wallace Bled. I"
The blacksmith loaned him the fife; he
took it home and won his father over
by his excellent playing. In time he
became skillful performer and bought
fife, paying for it with money earned
by splitting rails.
When the civil war broke out Hugh
was still living on the old farm in Ohio.
When he went home one day with some
stirring report from the scene of battle,
his octogenariau father exclaimed:
"Jockie! If 1 as as young as you,
Hugh, I'd 60" So Hugh enlisted at the
age of forty-ive and went to Missouri,
taking with him his beloved wife. He
relates the following incident which
took place in camp one day.
yves settin' there, the major and
me, when stranger Teller wanted to
come up and drum with the major t'see
which could beat The boys crowded
round and some set up fur the major.
and some fur the stranger. The major
was a Dutchman and full of grit. 1 set
I'M - Iz1
tuned his drum up as keerful as any
fiddler and then we started. l stood
up and commenced fin and the major
follered. The stranger follered on,
too. and 1t seemed at he could play
anything we could. stood there and
flied and fled, and the major drummed
and drummed, and the stranger kept
follerin' as gritty as could be. We
played faster and faster and still the
stranger follered. The sweat drops
rolled off of my for'ud and my wind
was gittin' weaker. We mus a PLAYED
half day before the st ranger JUS give
out and leaned against a tree, clear
beat out The major played minute
longer and come out ahead of the
stranger by few beats. But Jockie,
toor'
Old Hugh remained in the service
about year and then was sent home
on account of sickness and never re-
turned to the army. Just before the
centennial the artist Willard, seeing his
face. was struck by its strength and
originality, and gained his consent to
pose for picture. He relates his ex-
perience as model in the following
words:
Eat fust they tried to take a pictur
OF me with camery out there on the
common, but that didn't suit Mr.. vii.
lard, so he says, Hugh, you'll have to
come down to Cleveland and sit for me
in the studio I went and sot there
for two hull days with my fife up to nv
mouth, with no stops only to eat and
sleep, and he aworkin' away like mad
a putin paint on that there canvas.
At fust thought the picture wouldn't
be no shakes at all, but twas just slick
when twas done Awhile ago I see
Willard and he tole me that he was inn
provin' that Yankee Doodle pictur and
was goin' to take it to the worlds fair.
l bet it'll outshine 'em all, don't youP
Well, Ole Hugh is gittin' too weak to
fife much more, but he loves music as
well as ever"
Then his eyes frightened and he
played Tramp. Tramp, Tramp. the
Boys are Marching" with something of
his old fire, while his feet kept time to
the measure.-Detroit Free Press.