Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-18
FROM OLD VINCENNES.
A Banjo Visits Augusta on Its Long
Journey.
Is taking the Longest Way Around to
the St. Louis Fair,

l
mo the american Express office III
.iie course OF year, but it was the
| unanimous decision of the employes OF
| the place, Friday evening that the
| climax had been reached The object
| mat prompted the rendering of such a
| verdict was simply an old banjo, so
| oid' evidently, that had any one
aVoWed that it was the one which
lhcle ION used to play upon, for the
education of little Eva. long before
Mrs. Stoves immortal story was ever
written, not 4 doubt Of its truth would
have been Whispered
When the old Veteran, ,,.,c bro,,ght
NV 'he oii'ce' there was an impression
hltilli"St mat II was destined for the
Methodist ruinmage sale. which was in
progress across the street. but when
agent Mower Singerly took it in his
hands, and carried it over to the
counter, very much i'm the way a
father takes his first born. the first
impression was discovered to be
erroneous. ana it was seen that the old
instrument had mission to fulfill.
ne BANJO n;id no strings, at least of
the Kind which once could make it
speak i'll the hands of ii skilled per-
iofnler but OF strings of other kinds
1t bore hundreds, and to each string
Was attached the express tag of some
ONCE through which it had passed
lh"se tags were SO thickly tied all
over The instrument. that one could see
nut little Of the neck or the head and
each card bore Il bit of the history OF
its travels.
OF course, there was method in the
madness Of the party who launched the
banjo on an unsuspecting public. and a
pelusal of the cards furnished an ex-
PLANTATION. 1t is intended as an
advertisement for the fair at st. Louis.
and is making the tour of the country.
1t started NoT.,1, 1903. at Vincennes,
md, the same place which was
brought to high degree of prominence
in the public mind, some time ago.
through being the home of Alice. and
has been going ever since. Attached
TO the Vincennes card is the legend: II
am out on Il HI of Il trip. Keep me
moving until the opening of the st.
Louis EXposition-then cart me down
there to see the girls
Attached to the banjo was an old
pipe with the inscription on the tag
Il am the strongest thing in this out
fit. If you don't believe it smell of
me- Beside the pipe there were two
small boards and a neck of an ink
bottle.
Among the States visited were Ten
nessee. Alabama. Maryland. Ohio, New
Jersey. New York, West Virginia. Mis-
sissippi and many others. 1t being en-
tireiy covered with tags of many diff
ferent express companies, each bear
ing some sort of an inscription. among
which We're Here's good luck to YOU
Old man from Sunny Jim. Don't use
force Wood up. push me along.
Don't you see ] am on my way to the
fair:?" and the following poetry (?)
My neck is all broken. my strings are
all gone
You'll notice I'm in sore distress.
80 friends Just take pity keep me out
of pawn
All safe i'll the hands Of Express.
| travel all Der, no time do | lag.
This Importance on YOU I'd impress
50 max" Your inspection with date on the
And send me along ny Express.
And when You eXpressmen, North. East
Have picked me as much as YOU can.
Just turn my face homeward I'll take Il !
long rest
With my friends ut the st. Louis Fair.
Then send me back To the place whore I
first saw the light
70 my sweet sunny south send me home
Where dose darkieS dcy danced to the
tune MaSSa play
While de end coOnS did rattle de bones
ON Dee. 10 there were 800 tags on the
hlllin hn
there are at least 400. How many will
there be when it arrives at st. Louis?
1t will be Il sight worth seeing.