The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1897-03-12
4 BARREL FIDDLE.
Ingenious Scheme Of a New Eng
lander to Provide Himself
15=sss% with Music. e-: Ss&% *

\ fiddle made from an ordinary barrel
and q few odd pieces of lumber has Just
been constructed by Massachusetts
genius, and, greatly to the surprise Of
all. himself included, it is 4 success.
H. III. Heusted Is the name Of this en-
terprising amateur instrument maker,
who, however, is no amatenr musician,
hut, on the contrary, u riolinlst and cello
player OF no mean order.
It was the lack of cello which was
Indirectly responsible for the production
.of this unique, instrument. Although an
enthusiastic player, with abundant time
at his disposal, he had no Instrument with
which he could begNile the long and mo.
notonous hours of his work as assistant
station agent at Prospect Hill, East Som
erville, Mass.
The station is in the residential portion
of the city, and throughout the day there
are long hours when the station agent has
practically nothing to do. He often
thought of the amusement to be derived
from the possession of 4 cello, and the
more he thought of it the more he want
one for himself, and after much planning
selected Il barrel as the most promising
thing for the purpose.
The specimen chosen was what is
known rs half barrel. 1t WAS of elm
wood which from long standing III the
garrett of the Heusted household h haH ,d be-
just between the hoops. the cello ma ker
cut an oblong opening about four inches
in length and three in width. The barrel
was then scraped and sandpapered inside
and out, after which it was securely head
g! up and treated to to-, double coat ITO. OF
complete. and after being thoroug hly
dried was ready for the finishing touches
which were to transform Il sugar barrel
into Il musical instrument.
\ small piece of black walnut was,
with very little work and common
jackknife, converted into a tailpiece. For
the high bridge Il piece of well seasoned
spruce was used. The same kind of wood
was used in making the finger board:
The neck was made of white pine, and
the keys were whitfield out. of rock maple.
These various parts were then put tnSeth-
er with glue and securely fastened to the
barrel in their proper places. after which
the whole affair was put away to dry ana
set" before having the strings put III
place.
Mr.. Heusted had to stand lot Of good
natured joking from his many trends
while he was waiting for the time to come
When he could bring forth his barrel cello
and cOnfOund the skeptic by. producing
sweet sounds from this seemingly crude
product of brains and lackknlfe. NO
sick child ever watched with more care.
Every draft was excluded, anu the room
in which the final drying process was 60
perature. Finally, however, the strings
were put in place. and the curious instru-
ment ready for trial.
1t was with no little trepidation that
the creator of this odd looking affair
brought it forth and drew the bow across
the Strings. The sound produced was
not at all unpleasant. and after, the
strings had been properly frightened the
whole was found to be very respectable
cello. upon which could he executed al
most anything adapted to that instru-
ment When it is played in connection
with the violin. the music is very enter
to be ashamed of himself as a musical in
strument maker.
Ordinary cello strings are used on this
barrel fiddle. which is not half so UNI
calmly as one might imagine.