The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1893-05-18
''rhc Fiddle aud The Bow"

hall of the Young Mems Chustian
Association was filled to its utmost
limit with many of Waco's best people
who laughed themselves into hys-
terics and stamped until their feet
ached at the droll savings, mimicry,
acting and delicious merry fun of Col,
"Bob" Taylor, sometime governor Of
Tennessee, but now the very king OF
American mirth makers.
No man may do justice to ex-Gover.
nor Taylor's lecture, and certainly no
one has. He simply must be seen and
heard. That's all there is in ik Every
body knows his curious campaign for
the governorship of Tennessee with his
brother "Alf.' for the press OF the
country gave daily and full accounts
OF the contest, which was without an
equal in American politice on account
OF the fun and good feeling existing
between the the rival candid ates aud
thier friends, although the campaign
was aggressiveon both sides and en-
ergetically carried on.
The lecturer began without any
preliminaries and had the intelligent
audience wrapt with his genuine
eloeuence, convulsed with bis ire.
sistible humor and touched their
hearts with pathos in which there
was. nothing eickly or maudlin.
Using the violin as his theme, and
which he characterized as both the
aristocrat and democrat OF instruments
be made its variant notes represent
life and carried his hearers TO his hum
BILE cabin home in the Tennessee
mountains and depicted most graph
ically the joys and sorrows, the hopes
and disappointments Of the simple
country folk OF the long sgo. The
.GOld Field School" in its simple,
truthful and picturesque thinning was
the equal in its way, OF Goldsmith 3
description Of his native village school
The colonel "took off" the boys and
girls and the pedagogue OF those day
to the life. The stern dignity Of
the master, the ely mischief and awed
feeling Of the scholars, the pride and
later trepidation of the school orator
were held up to nature in the lecturers
M Irpor. A soft, vibrant sweep OF the
bow and we behold two lovers walk
ing ON the hanks of river or Sitting
benea th a juniper tree" and their sim
pie, vet foRd affection is told with 3
delicate feScll touch, suitable ID the
situation. Another swift draw Of the
bow and we ana transported to annthel
scene of life la which the movement
is more active and the action decid
edly interesting. A father is seen" il
his 'Mothe Hubbard walking the fooi
with his squalling firss.born, whom
he vainly seeks to sooth with lullaby
until the daddy puts his heel bown on
a tack, when there is shrill angry back
talk" from the adjoining bed.
A crash Of the bow and we have thS
marching Of armed hosts, the tramp
ing OF squadrons, the blast Of trump
cts, the roar Of cannon, the shrieki
Of the wounded and tho maimed
and mans lnhumanity to man t
satisfy conqueror's vain am bition i
depicted in most graphic and terri
BILE maner. In this part Of his lecture
Col. Taylor rises tosablime heights D
true eloquence and his acting---for it i
acting is simply perfection.
With the music Of his fiddle Col
Taylor charms the people with tn
s'short and simple annals of th
poor" takes us into the courts ant
ball rooms Of royalty, the 'humbl
dwellings Of the lowiy, the chambe
of desth-and with change like
fash, 40 sudden are the turns" OF hi
bow, we are weeping and laughing b.
turns.
He is an admirable mimic O goot
orator, has a rich, sweet voice ant
enters heart and soul into his subject
v hich is the secret Of bis grest snocesi
| After acme funny delineations h
suddenly takes us with him on eagl
wings into the highest flights OF elC
quencs. The apostrophe to Music at th
close of the lecture is simply bewilt
ering in its wealth Of Imagination, ter
der feeling and grand and beautifu
sqblimity Of conception Of the loft
theme. Col Taylor has an admi
able delivery, his enuneiation bein
clear apd distinct and his gesture
natural and appropriate to the subje'
in hand. Waco (Tex.) News.
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