The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-26
NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
Called the Mellow Chord and Was
Revealed by a Peripatetic Ghost.

In Rumford lives an old gentleman
who possesses the musical instinct to a
marked degree. In fact it is hereditary
with him, for his father was a fiddler
and his father in turn before him. so
that it is not altogether strange that
he should be endowed with the same
temperament. So fine is his sense Of
harmony and touch that he has to hear
all air Whistled, sung or hummed only
once in order to correctly produce it
on strfnged instrument, says the
Providence Journal. He plays purely
by ear, and as he himself frankly con-
fesses, does not know the first rudi-
nfent in music or one printed note from
another"
A born player, he was not satisfied
with the tunes of the violin, banjo or
mandolin, and set his wits at work to
make something that would suit him,
and he succeeded in a production of
his own, which he very appropriately
calls the mellow chord Built some
what on the lines of the banjo, yet with
a flavoring of the guitar, the musical
result is wonderful. Strung with violin
and two wire guitar strings, the tones
are as mellow and rich as anything
imaginable. The inventor has entered
on the eighth decade of his life, and
when, with his mellow chord on his
knee, he strikes into an old dance tune
Of the '40s, it IS almost impossible
for his hearers to retain their seats,
for the way the music wells forth is a
matter to be wondered at
The mellow chord is Just % inches
over all and y inches wide at the head
When played the mellow chord is held
in an upright position on the left knee
with the head pressed against the body.
AS on a banjo, the lingering is done
with the left hand, although there are
no fTetS, the inventor holding that frets,
breaking as they do the level expanse
OF the string board, split the notes and
cause inharmonious sounds. The hole
is about three inches in diameter, with
an elongated side extending toward
the keyboard. Over this hole the bridge
is placed and the six strings passing
over it are attached to the tail piece.
The bridge is 5h inches long and is
made on the arch principle, although
the top line is perfectly straight. It
must necessarily be long, so as to
bridge the hole, and underarched in
the middle to support the six
strings without swapping. Under
each end Of the bridge are two small
pieces of wood glued to the main cross
piece to keep it from turning over. I'm
der these are two small pieces Of sill
yer, which give an added ring to the
instrument. The string board is of
rosewood with an ebony nut. The
neck is made of sugar maple, the band
is of maple, the top of the head Is
made Of pine and the back is CHARTERED
red birch-in fact, all of the stock used
in the mellow chord is quartered. The
keys are patent metal affairs. In the
head of the instrument are three sup
ports or posts which help take the
bridge and string strain. In playing
the wrist never leaves the pad support
on the neck.
Musicians and others travel miles to
reach RumfOrd in order to hear the
mellow chord played. and all are unani-
nous in the decision that the tones 1t
produces are far superior to those of
the banjo, guitar or mandolin. 1t has
o soft tone, which readily blends with
the voice in a manner that none Of the
other stringed instruments named
seems to do Many who have heard
the chord have tried to buy it, but the
owner refuses to consider an offer
The strings when played are struck
in pairs, sending forth a deep, rich
tone when picked between the bridge
and the end Of the string board The
nc arer the hole the deeper are the tone.
The inventor is proud of his instrument,
and no matter what time of the day
or night people wait on him they find
the old gentleman always ready to take
his mellow chord out of the case and
play as long as his visitors wish
The inventor is something of Spirit
ualfst, and ne says that before he made
the instrument a shade appeared unto
him and held a facsimile of the one he
now has up in his hand before his eyes.
Of course the glance the mortal was
able to get of it must have been a very
hasty one, but from it the mellow chord
became a reality.