Bisbee daily review., 1903-02-24
DEACON HASTINGS FIDDLE.

OLliOOt tOtitNO lOGLLs Copyright. 1902. by the S. & Mcclure
 Company.l
 It was a well known fact when Abel Hastings was elected one of the dea- cons of his church that he not only owned q fiddle. but played OF it. He had been censured for this act of worldliness, but as it was his only weakness and as he was eminently fit ted to fill a deaconship his brethren went ahead and took chances. 1t might be just possible, argued the majority, that a man could fiddle and not bring the church into disrepute. But at the same time he was expected to play nothing but the most solemn airs.
 The first move on the part of Satan was to induce the new pillar" to stop and gaze at some circus bills posted on barn. A brother deacon caught him red handed and lectured him for an hour on the epOrmity of his offense. The transgressOr promised better things
 But. 10, when the circus arrived he permitted his daughter Minnie to at- tend in company with young Ike Har- per! His excuse that young people had d curiosity to see lions, tigers, bears and kangarOos didn't go down, and he was warned that any more trifing would be q serious matter.
 The deacon was penitent, but it wasn't four weeks before he bought a piano for his daughter. At an informal meeting of the other deacons, the pew openers and tie box passers it was de- cided that a piano could not be classed under the head of naturally wicked The question was. Could the deacon live in the same house with a fiddle and piano and maintain his religious integrity?
 The deacOn's critics were watching and waiting, when they caught him tripping in another direction. His barn faced the road, and when an agent for a stomach bitters came along and offer ed him S2J for the use of the roof for year the good man pOcketed the cash. mighty sign soon appeared on the roof, and the last letter was hardly finished before Deacon Hastings was in trouble. It was the opinion Of the
 
 threefOurths whisky and that the dea- con had sold himself to the cause of intemperance and ought to be disci- plined. He was going like q lamb to the slaughter when the agent hired a man to drink four bottles Of the bitters at once and proved that there was nothing in it to lift a mans heels off the ground. The object lesson couldn't be denied. but yet no one was satisfied. l He realized this fact and didn't dare give cOrnhusking or an apple pairing that fall.
 Nemesis was close on the deacon's heels. however. His daughter Minnie was a general favorite. and one winter night a lot of young people appeared as a surprise party. He couldn't turn them away. and he reluctantly brought out his fiddle.
 The fiddle and the piano started out with Sweet By and By" accOmpa- l nied by all who could sing, and how they ever switched of on to ragtime | the deacon could never explain to him | self It was like q dream to him next day When told that the young folks had formed in sets and danced to his first fOur forward and back-ladieS | change-gentS to the left-all prone nade" he studied over it and sighed.
 Before noon next day it was known far and wide that Deacon Hastings had fiddled for dance. That he would be churched was regarded as q matter of course. and it was determined that his fellow deacOns investigate before he could run away from the scene of his crime Accordingly. at ' o'clock on the evening after the party, they filed into his parlor to put him on the rack.
 Brethren. I hain't got much to say" began the culprit. "If there was a dance. and guess there was, then the fiddle sort of got away with me"
 But you also called out the figures to be danced didn't youT' asked one.
 ''Nebbe I did. When the music got to goin', I felt that had to mix in. Durin my sinful days I used to go to every dance within ten miles"
 There can be no doubt, brethren said the same deacon, that it was sin. ful music and that there was dancing Oub VIC must ilOl Dt NOO lIpStuOtS Deacon Hopkins. will you let us heai the strains given last nightT'
 The deacon called his daughter down and got out his fiddle. While he was tuning up three of Minnie's girl friends arrived and were ushered into the room. When the music was ready, the derelict said:
 'I will show you as nigh as can re. member jCst how it was. Deacon Jones you stand here with my wife. You oth CTS stand up with these girls. Now yoJ are all ready. Salute your partners Ladies to the right-gents to the left All salute! Promenade half way round half way home! All balance and