The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-06-01
A Big SUCCESS.
Old tiddIers Contest Friday at the
Opera House.
Large Audiences in Attendance and
the Music Greatly Enjoyed
The Prize Winners.

tlglu, tnllSbtd III bli6 COnJtSb. a large anu
4 Gerested audience awaited the rising
! 2 the curtain, Friday afternoon at
ooclock, which displayed to view the
musicians seated upon the stage with
the Tennessee Industrial School band in
the back ground discoursing soulstir-
ring music. A broad smile which
broke into roars of laughter, spread
over the face of the entire audience
when the "Arkansaw Traveller" was
struck up by the fiddlers, banjo
and guitar pickers, each playing
in his own way and in his own time. It
was just little different from anything
we had ever heard or seen. Every lel-
low was keeping time with his feet and
many heads were wagging, too.
In the contest for the first prize, in
which every contestant played piece
of his own selection, Master Clint Moore,
the IL year old fiddler, opened the ball and
was roundly applauded when he finish
ed "Old Folks at Home" The follow
ing then played their selections each
ACCOMPANY d by banjo or guitar, many
with both, with the harp in addition,
and all were greeted with applause
Messrs L. III. Jacobs, j. p. Hood, Tom
Mckee, r. j. Martin, John Taylor, j.
A. Minton, M. r. Buchanan, S F. Mar
tin, Tom aid W. r. Carpenter Mr.. s.
f. Martin is an old gray headed Con
federate soldier, who is not only a tid-
dler himself, but had his son and grand
son with him, who were also "slinggers
of the bow |" Several things not on the
program we're brought in; for instance,
"the dance we had before the war, 1.-THE
jig" the 'puncheon floor" dance by
Martin and his son, and the "clog"
dance by old man Martin III years old,
his son 81 years. and his grandson (16
years old. When it came to ''cutting
the pigeon wing" and taking the back
steps, the grandfather was too spry to
be outdone by his son and grandson.
Mr.. Weeks, Superintendent of the
band, gave we'll rendered defamation
Young Moore and Reeves, the boy
players, seemed great favorites, and
were called for several times. AS the
programme was brought to close, the
band struck up Dixie-a piece dear to
every Southern heart followed by Hot
Times" which was cheered to the echo.
The Night Performance.
The audience that gathered at the
Opera House Friday night to hear the
second performance of the old fddlers,
filled the large building to its utmost
capacity. Many of the same performers
who participated in the afternoon took
part in the entertainment, although an
entirely different programme was rem
dered. The entertainment was opened
with a selection by the band, after
which the programme was taken up.
Each fiddler or banjo-picker, with his
accompaniment, took his part 10 the
contest as called upon, the following
old familiar pieces being played
"Cheatham," Eighth of Janu n.y.
"Bonnie Blue Flag" '.Natchez Under
the Hill," and the Unlocking Bird
The Thursday Evening Musical Club
also took part in the programme,
singing the Bonnie Blue Flag" and
"Amazing Grace"
To many, the recital by Miss
Gibson was perhaps the most en-
ioyable feature of the evening
She has a remarkably clear and we'll
trained voice, and graceful carriage,
and her defamation was simply perfect
Her first recital, a selection from Father
Ryan-was applauded so loud and long
that she responded with an enchore,
T6ClUlDR l6 OlNl SOhAONAOAopO LIB
A number of things not down on the
programme were presented. Ola man
Martin and his numeros descendants were
much in evidence, repeating their per
formances of the afternoon and adding
several OF hers thereto. Jim Hood sang
a solo, impersonating THE Hungry
Soldier" although he looked exceeding
we'll fed, in which character he provoked
a great amount of amusement. During
his rendition he marched back ano
forth across the stage, with his OLD
gun, pausing when he reached high
note, to expand and exert himself
Another interesting feature was the
playing by the one-armed fiddler Mai
thews, who produced music by Saving
with his fiddle instead OF his bow
holding his bow with his leg. Mr.
M. R. Buchanan played several tunes
on fiddle said to be over 200 years Old
After a selection by the Bigbyvllit
orchestra; the prizes were awarded, a:
follows:
First prize, rocking chair, to Johr
Taylor; second prize, pound OF chew
ing tobacco, Thos Mckee; third prize
a pound of smoking tobacco, w. IL
Carpenter; fourth price pound Q
chewing tobacco, Lou Jacobs; ntth
prize, two pounds of coffee, w. II
Buchanan; sixth prize, walking cane
Clint Moore; seventh prize, bah!
chair, Thos. Wick; oldest fiddler. a pan
of gold spectacle, ST. Martin
best family of dancers, a sack o
fashions Best" flour, the Martin
family; best banjo picker, pair o
trousers, Frank Martin; ugliest an'
poorest fiddler, pair fsilk suspenders
J.P. Hood. A special prize was glvel
!. Miss Wick, daughter of Mr.. Thos
Wick. Mr.. Hoo1, upon be ng presented
with his prize, was introduced to tn
audience as the "ugliest and poores
fiddler" but the speaker might nav
added "the biggest hearted
James Matthews, the one-armed no
dler. was given 50 in cash from Wlll
lam Henry 7, ousdale Camp.
The Judges were, Mayor w, ID. Gam
eron, Prof. w. Z. Bostick and Dr. W
e.. Sheppard. =.
Altogether, the contest was bi
success. and the entertainment will b
long remembered. Much credit is du
DR. w. A. Smith, who had active charg
Of the affair and to Mr.. John l.. Jone
~ b;a valuahle assistance.