Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-11
MUSIC OF THE ROCKS,
AND VARIOUS OTHER SORTS OF
MUSIC.
HAND ORGAN NOT EXCEPTED
A GREAT Curntivc-InHucpcci In Avert
ing Trngcdies-A beautiful AnaIo-
gy-Ycry ScicntiHc-Notes of Crys-
tnIs-AftOn Personals.
(Correspondenee Of DE plspatchl

correspondence OF the DlSpdtCn.1
ALTON. VA, June 9.-(Special)-"Man
wants but little here below" I want mine
loud and sweet. tripping with melodous
sounds and full OF rhythm, cadence, and
movement. It's a hand-org1n.
With or without the nonkey-when my
rustic soul would dissp1te I'm city revel-
ries-I have followed the peripitetc or
gan-grinder and his dark -browed sonora
from the Peace monument 20 Dupont cir
Gle, I'm Washington. reckless as TO the loss
OF time-and my last nickel-while this
son OF Sunny Italy entranced my heart
with the Georgia Camp Meeting" or
Sousa's Bride Elect" It's all one. so the
music is therel
And these warm summer evenings. when
every ones parlor window is open, you
want TO saunter through the residence
districts TO get a new sense Of the uni
versatility Of the piano. They may also
leave one with sad sense Of the exceed
ing rarity OF even fair amateur playing.
Walk for rlJCks, and You are never out
OF hearing Of some instrument. In nine
teen out Of twenty cases ii may be the
mere drumming OF cheap ballads ana
nimsy waltZcs but me soul OF sound Is
there. So true is the love Of music that
whcr one does md the exception he is
tempted 10 pause and listen. Nowadays,
every one buys a piano as he would
mirror or rug, as "A necessary part OF
merchandising, ana sends his daughters
for a few months 10 a half-educated
teacher. who gives the pupil pieces and
sends her out without the first conception
OF the theory Of music. However, the
father means well. the daughter has
safety val,c. and II the friends choose 10
listen it's no ones business but theirs.
l believe-outside Of It's melody music
is a great conscrvator of the emotions. IT
is a solace I'm sorrow. an outlet i'm JOY.
certain soother in Jealousy or anger You
may be forced 10 call in the piano-tuner
after the tempest of sounds, but, as
rule, all an angry woman's temper VIII
run off through her throat, or the tips OF
her fingers, if you give her the chance.
Many possible tragedies find their peace
full solution i'm fierce roulades and stree
nuous bravuras with the bass pedal! It's
an easy way TO execute an enemy in dou-
ble-quick time upon the keys. and stab
the air with dagger strokes or sound
What would civilization be without the
plano? Therefore, | lament me not when
/ hear the tum-tum of Dixie jarrins
the walls Of small houses in smaller par
Tors. nor swear when the New Coon or
"a Hot Time in the Old Town" floats
from the windows of Imprinted farm
houses kept perhaps by some horny
handed son Of toll. and existed in by his
faithful, nat-patterned wife. To your
timid knOck-if you want 10 hear the
music-shc will open the door, with bare
arms dripping from the Wash-tub, and
world of welcome in her patient voice.
She does not know-nor Is il your part
to say-that but for those ivory keys To
throb away her wild impulses in harm
.l,n faf Z
loving heart. who knows but that Mary
Jane would have been found dead in the
mill-stream nearby. or floating with that
notsam and jetsam of earth, choked by
weeds forever.
\ GREAT CURATIVE.
The cottage piano and the humble par
Tor orsan-the stringed either and the
guitar-the wind-hutcd accordion, and the
dizzy mouth harp-they are true humane
zcrs of the times. and We would not be
without them. For music is a great cura-
tivc-it is "a developing power, and as
such has been known through all time.
All the universe the stars, the suns. the
conscientious. more in perfect rhythm
The wind whispers, the brooks babble,
the ocean roars, the mighty avalanche
thunders down the mountainside-cach
and all in a rhythm of sound. Man does
nothing well unless il is done in harmony.
The centre Of this rhythm is the human
systcm-this human being in whom the
pulsatiOns of heart ana nerves are all III
rhythm.
After years OF patient comparison and
study. one Of the closest observers mas
left it ON record that the result OF his re-
searches proved the elements or music 10
be i'm everything around us. lie noticed
that they were found in every part oil
creation: i'm the chirpings Of the feather
ed choristcrs of nature; I'm the voice ana
calls of various animals IN the suDdued
hum OF q distant multitude, ana IN the
buzz of tiny nsects-this is natures
music. all up. or down. the scale 10 the
human voice. All sounds contain the
of harmony, and may readily
be supposed TO have furnished the minus
of intelligent creatures with such ideas
Of sound and time that the gathered WIS
dom of succeeding ages could not fail to
improve ON the first rude system.
Times when l could tear myself away
from the may sweetness of the street
piano and organs, ] read up on the Law
of OctaVes." and came upon wonderful
theory. 1t was I'm published lecture by
Professor Gcikie on Mountain Archi-
lecture" One naturally approaches Geiklc
with feeling of religious awe and. as
naturally. puts him aside for rainy sun
davs. / found out that this Scripiural
writer knew more Of mountains than l
did. who was TO the manner born" He
claims. i'm effect. that it is not strange
this power which music has 20 play upon
the MISSIONS of the human sOul-when all