The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-01-27
"A FIDDLER WANTED.
NE WAS FAMED AND AT DANCE MUSIC
DID VERY WELL.

Fun spd Froiic In . washout on the Ore
son Short Line Miilionaires and Irnn's-
grants Attend Dance and Experiences
q Musical Surprise.
On st. Patrick's duy, 1894, five
Through trains, bound both to the east
wartl and westward of the Oregon Short
Line of the Union Pacific, were tied up
ht Glenns Ferry, Ida They had been
taught between two serious washouts,
one at Pocatello and the other at Indian
Greek. three days before, and had to
Mait at Glenns Ferry for track repairs
hlcmg the line before they could proceed.
Elenus Ferry is bleak little railroad
land sheep herders' town of 800 or 400
Inhabitants, situate on saRebrush
bluff overlooking the unspeakably dark
hnd sireary Snake river.
Tho five stalled trains carried 600
passengers Of as miscellaneous q charac.
Ter as could be gotten together at
carefully selected congress Of types
There were emigrants and millionaires;
soldiers on the move; dainty women in
palace cars and women bound for Creede
land Cripple Creek in day coaches; min
ers who killed time during the wait IN
shooting magpies oircling over the
Snake river; Shoshone Indians travel
ling to the limits Of their reservation;
well behaved and quiet people, noisy
land tumultu.us people. But oil were
Istuck alike, and they made the best Of IT.
Lines Of social demarcation were for
1.-THE time erased. All hands mingled
easily on the little station platform and
bn the little station waiting room. Tho
supply of food on the dining cars gave
Iout the first day of the hitch, and every
body was fed, and well fed, too, in the
lstation eating room. They sat down at
lthe tables in relays and patiently
awaited their turns.
The railroad employees and their
wives were to give dance at the little
town hall on st. Patrick's night. The
lswitchman who had been customarily
employed to fiddle for them had been
switched to another division. In aqunn-
diary, the dance committee toured the
trains and station tO ascertain IL any OF
lthe stalled passengers happened 10 DO
carrying violin and was capable OF
producing music OH it. In one Ut the
sleeping cars they came across All artistic
Hooking man, with very long hair, u
lseraphio, oleaginous countenance and
exceedingly baggy clothes. They were
Hooking for q fiddler, they said Did he
know Of any OH the train? Well. he
k,idn't know lin outrageuusly bad Eng
llish) he played little himself once In
Iawhile, and had rather fair fiddle
with him. The long haired man accent
led the eddie" rather curiously. But
lthe railroad men were overioyed. Would
lhe play for them to dance with their
Iwives nnd sweetheartsp Certainly! Did
Ihe know dance musicG Well. some.
All Of the stalled passengers were in
lvited TO the dance. and they all went.
A good many Of them could not get in.
IThe baggily clothed fiddler turned up
in good time. The pianist was waiting
flor linn. so was the railroad dance
lcomn n,ce, cue Of thu members Of which
Isii: Il 80 IN one dollar bills into the
Iadp IS hand as pa.ment in advance
flor ths evenings work Ii was smiling
Ily accepted The dance began Tho
Itir,.um's wife, who played the piano.
II .Uuced an old bethumbed violin and
lI,,i.i.o tunc L.ok und turned to the Ian.
c.ls. She tod tho tidlier, at the end Of
the first dance. thar he did pretty we'll,
IOa.y he went too fast. Then there was
Ia watz. The fiddler was informed by
IBIS accompunist that he was getting
Ialong finely, and everybody in the room
lGegnp to l.r,' Il up his ears at the sweet
ines Il tho violin music, although the
Ieayc,s were common enough aud tawdry
ennigi,
Aanthef waltz--the "Beautiful Blue
iDanuo, Ali Cf tbe dancers OH the
floor Stopped dead ut the first bar, and
the travellers with cultivated musical
Iears movsd'close to the piano. The pi.
Iai,isr crns. d. She wished to listen. The
lviUiiu music was miraculous. The play
Ter swayed from side to side as he phras.
I'D. He appeared To be oblivious Of his
SURROUNDINGS. He imprUvised variations
|0f inspiring tenderness. He out-Strauss-
led Strauss His violin SANG. throbbed
with passion. When the last note died
AWAY. the people in the hall appeared
Ito be in dreani-all but oiie.
va aHayes ehiu NuafAey cnhs Sno
Ison Of the late United States Senator
Fair. stepping from the throng. "wou't
you play that lively. rattling thing you
lgave rs at the Bohemian club Ia San
Francisco the other nightG It's been
running in my head ever since.
N. Ysaye played Berlios's "Pizsi-
Ioato" ~ he perhaps never played IL be.
lfore. Washington Star.
The Du Msuriep Woman.
In an article which the late Mr.. Ou