The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1892-03-17
Inc Elddle and tha BOW.

49, 'SI'N 49, ~ 9OWs
One of the most interesting events of
the season, socially and edueationaIly,
was the lecture of ex-Gov. Robert l..
at the opera house Saturday
A brilliant and cultured audience
comfortably filled the hall, notwitb-
standing the inolemency of the
weather,
InS IA few eloquent well chosen words,
Hon. ], P. Rhodes introduced the
speaker.
The Ex-Governor, n man who the
love and respect, in his easy,
graceful manner, thanked the gentle
man for his introduction and launched
into his subject, "The Fiddle and TIE
Bow" He, in eloquent language, says
all nature is tuned with music. IL is
an anthem composed of an infinite
variety Of parts, each note of which is
in perfect unison with the whole.
The buzz of the tiny insect, the singing
Of the dying swan, the moaning zephyr
as 1t signs through forest foliage, the
murmur Of the stream, the rolling bass
Of the ocean, as the great undel Mt
lr foundation of | music, constitute
the various parts Of the mighty cho-
ruses IF natures eternal anthem. We
have been told hal "augels lean from
heaven to hear sweet and solemn
strains OF music and that the angelic
1nrir atune their harps to the swet
members of the heavenly world. Tha
music is of heaven. There's q u
beam in every melody and u melody in
every sunbeam. He pictured with
masters hand the three stages of life.
In beautiful and classical language he
followed the music Of a skilled violin.
ist, pictu'ing in its joyous Strains
courtship, love and marriage. A child
lS born unto the happy couple, Jo,,
peace and contentment reign supreme
The music COWS more spirited and
faster. The daily life OF the infant,
with its i1nocenS prattle acd babyish
wavs, follows. The music grows slow
and solemn-the scene cnanges-tne
baby disaDseaas from the window. No
longer is the floor strewn with toys.
lis nose is hrshed. A little white
cofi L elte's the once peaceiUl home,
and baby, the p ide a1d JOY of its par-
nts' hea, Us, is laid 10 rest. The music
COWS loudeA-thpnder clashes and
shakes the ca n, end hghtrilg plays
a'oupd. The couple are on ] .e's tem-
pestuous waves hgting for existence.
The music grows calm and sweet, and
they sink to rest In a nan lec pecu
liar to himself, he speaket change
from patnos to nilth, and his hearers,
80 recently in tea"s, are 500 4 convulsed
with laughter as ne pol,rays the coun-
try dance in such skillful language
that the audience plainl, see old uncle
Ned's towe ing but bent form al he
d avs bis bow across The old fiddle,
calling "Chapge your paltne~s, hands
all round" The speaker continues to
unroll his enra 2tured audience, an
ever changing panorama. In his
magnetic manner he ira lspotts
them to the county pa =, d
scribes the manner o. county court
ing,'pictures the customs and habits OF
the moun an .o!K, ald not only
p eases q I'd aruses but insuucts his
heale-s. T1en follow Ia .ap'd success
son the political speeches of Two
mountainee; aspilants !or the legisla-
ture, with the dialect given as only
this speaker is capable Of giving. For
owe: an hour the audience were enter
tanned with a lecture sparkling with
patbos, satire and humof, and each
b.anch handled with consummatt
grace and skill. The lecture, or the
man, (Which is it?) fires all with an
ambition to accomplish something
He makes his hearers generous, at
peace with malki1d, and better for
hearing him. He is an actor, a politi.
clan, a drunkard, a man Of the noun
tain, and a dozen other characters all
in one night. The speakers burlesqut
on society singing of today b.ough
down the house.
Columns could be devoted to this
lecture and the matchless orator. l,
can be said that should the lecture
ever be repeated in Milan the hall
would nothold the people.-Milan Elk
change.