Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-10

has given him a reputation for patience,
and experience has shown him to be fire.
quenty vicious, and sometimes danger
Gus; but as to music-that is an accom-
plishment Of which none have ever
dreamed Of credlting him with. The
rough, hairy creature one sometimes
looks at beneath a magnfyng- Of
q microscope seems TO he Of that quality
to which dscord would be music. and
music discord. The spider at Coldwater,
Mich, however who has first made the
musical taste Of his species public, seems
to be possessed Of all the attributes Of
the virtuoso. and, it may be, is an i'm
pressario high in the estimation of those
of his kind.
The remarkable qualifications Of the
Michigan spider first became evident al
a rehearsal of the Apollo Male Quartette,
at Coldwater, the members of which are.
with one exception residents Of the town.
The first tenor Is Professor Hartman.
teacher Of sciences In the Lansing Niich)
High School. Mr.. Bailey, the second
tenor. is the editor Of the Coldwater Star.
Mr.. CRUDE. first bass Is q dry-goods mer-
chant: and Mr.. Keene. second base IS
one Of the staff Of the Coldwater Sun.
All these gentlemen are willing TO vouch
for the musical taste OF the spider. be-
cause they ell saw what he did. Com
pared to him. the educated flea IS an
ignoramus, and the fly that performs
curious antics simply a freak.
1t so happened, not many evenings ago.
that the quartette was holding its regu-
lar rehearsal. Song after song was tried.
and not found wanting, and the members
of the organization were in high glee that
all was prospering. Another song was
begun, when Mr.. Bailey noticed a large
spider, who dangled in a visiby-excited
manner in front of the music-rack, just
about five feet from the floor. 1t was
Down in the Corn-Field' that was being
rendered, and the singers-Mr. Bailey
having called their attention to the
spider-observed that the insect went up
and down with the variation Of the scale.
At first they thought it was accident
that a draught Of air Of their own lung
power swayed the tiny insect. Still, the
time the spider kept was perfect, aud it
soon became evident that, If it was
draught that was moving IT, IL was
very musical draught, indeed.
This state Of affairs naturally interested
the quartette I'm great degree, and they
began to try various airs for the sole
purpose Of noting their effect upon the
seemingly highly interested auditor. They
also observed that the slightest evidence
of discord in their rendering Of a song
provoked violent indignation on the part
Of the spider, who on such occasions
would oscillate in a manner both vigpr-
Gus and vicious. Further tests showed
that the spider would ascend or descend
about a foot for every octave. The voice
Of the singer might be the lightest tenor
or the heaviest bass the spider never
swerved from the absolutely correct
40 "a
creditable to him as the most finished
technique to the disciples of Paderewsld.
Presently the quartette sang 1.-THE New
Bully" When they came TO the line
Use looking for dat bully and he mus
be found" the spider nearly went beside
himself with glee II seemed as IL he
not only appreciated the very catchy
music. but the import Of the song as
well. and could I'm his minds eye view
the rolling gait and emphatic vance
of the original singer. Then there was an
abrupt transition. The quartette sang
1.-THE Bridge" The spider kept time
mournfully, ana looked as If the change
from the ridiculous to the sublime did not
agree with him. Then they tried Way
Down on the Suwanee River" The spider
was not beat behind. and apparently
as fresh az when he began TO bangle at
the end Of his silken thread.
BY this time It was difficult to say
whether the quartette was most interested
I'm natural history or music. The spider
gently swung TO and fro and waited for
more. Just to test the extent OF the
snider's experience, the quartette sang
"White Wings" The spider kept time
with an effort. Just Tell Them That
You Saw Me" restored him to his former
vigor. while 81 Want You, Ma Honey
cheered him so that he kept time as en-
Enthusiastically as an audience applauds
when il Is highly pleased Then the quar-
tette began TO try other experiments. a
medley was sung. This kept the new
conductor very busy, and In the absence
OF a baton he swung himself, but never
was out of time for an instant. All sorts
OF efforts were made 10 catch him nap
ping. but he was equal to them all, ana
each and every one fell FIAT.
At last. however, the quartette, with
malice prepense, gave vent TO one or
those discords that would have made the
Harp that once through Tara's halls
die years before II did II It had heard
them. This was too much for the spider
with a musical ear. lie hestated for
moment and then, with what seemed to
he n glance of sorrow and wrath, fed up
the line of web. and disappeared from
view. Further singing had no effect
His musical ear had evidently Deeh
wrecked.
These things seem odd enough for
fairy tale to the majority OF the people.
and therein lies their value. When four
reputable citizens OF Michigan assert that