The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-17
ECHOES FROM
THE MECAPHONE

From the Clogtown Megaphone.
Without doubt there is a time in the lie
of all young men when they feel impelled to
learn to sing. Such aas been the case w3,h
the writer of this article. Naturally he has
no more music in mis- soul than donkey at
the age when its voice begins to change.
That was no drawback With him, however,
when ts4s time of his life was reached.
He began losing his appetite and for days
at time could not be induced
to go into company. His whole
soul was set upon learning to sing.
He would go to church and lift up mis- voice
by main strength in the choir, and on two
different occasions was arrested at such
times on a charge OF Disturbing public wor-
Snip.
1t seemed chat all hands were turned
against him. Finally the decided that he
would buy note book and learn alone; he
would go Ito the solitude OF mis- father 5
barn and practice unmolested. He went.
He opened his notebook, and, gazing
around ITO see that no one was near, ne
let go AT uhe scale with all the force he
could command. The effect was simply ter
rifle. The roof of the barn trembled, and
the calf, which was in iJhe lot adjoining,
awled as IF it Was approaching most Acr-
rible death. The writer was not to be
bluffed oft 10y that, however, so he Went
ON making another attempt to produce
sweet music az so much per attempt; Jaen
it was that the old mule in the stable broke
out of his STAN and jumped the lot fence
althoush he had been unable to walk for
hi baxri inc q
first-class case of govt, which he manifested
principally when he was about to DE hdtehed
ito a wagon to draw wood
Things seemed Ito grow from bad to worse;
there was nothing Waicn would encourage
the writer in his lauda5le effort to make
harmonious sounds for the world-at-large.
Evidently singing must be born in a man
CIR it can't get out; one thing sure, it can
not be incubated like a hens egg. 1t won't
incr,5ate worth cent.
When the mule jumped ou. of the lot the
father of the budding songster rushed out
to the lot gate with his Old rifle in hand,
proposing to shoot Whatever it was in tne
lot causing such unheard-of commotion
among his live sock without first having
taken out the proper license. Knowing full
we'll ,lnat 1t was time for something to be
done in tae way of making his escape, the
young musician hurried out the back door
OF the barn and made his presence less
plenty in a.lat immediate localiy for a few
days.
When he was forced to- return home lids
father mildly persuaded him with clap
board so effectually taat all desire ever to
become a famed warbolist mas long, long
since oozed ou,. OF his system.
The best thing to do at such stage of
life is ITO Diet ones self gunpowder or
raw beef in large quantities, or any other
food which will tend to make mans nature
fierce.
SO it mas been years and years since the
writer of this chasLe piece of literature mas
made the slightest effort to sing within
hearing of human ears. The last time was
since he was married and his wife was so
shocked and aggrieved that she promptly
gathered up her possessions and started to
return to her mother to live. After assur-
ing her that it would never occur again she
consented to return, but she has never fully
recovered from the shock of that one oc-
casion. J. E. G.