The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-10-20
a Story of Two ViOIinS.

| WI. JonH SdSe, d., came TO Union
from Coleraine County, Antrim, in
the North of Ireland. A few years
later Mr.. John Gage, Jr., q cousin,
came also to Union from the same
place in Ireland. One of the two
brought with.him two violins; these
! two instruments afterwards became
the properly of Mr.. Columbus Gage,
| the youngest son of Mr.. John Gage,
Jr. Mr.. c. Gage loaned one of
| these violins to Simon Farr, either
during or shortly after the Civil
War. Simon never returned it,
| but pawned it to Mr.. Daniel T.
Black for five dollars. In CONVEX
sation with Mr.. Black some time
afterwards Mr.. Gage told Mr.. Black
, about having loaned Simon the
violin. Mr.. Black said to Mr..
|! Gage that he, Black, had the violin,
that Simon Farr had pawned it to
him for the loan of five dollars, but
says Mr.. Black, 1 will give it back
to you, Mr.. Gage, because it is
yours. Mr.. Gage said, mo Dan,
you can keep it. | have one, the
mate toit, and | don't play much
now. We not knowing anything
about this violin, but knew that Mr..
Black had an old violin, having
heard him play it many a time.
We asked him if he still had the
old violin he used to play and he
said yes, and told us the story
above related. Mr.. Black had put
the old violin in the furniture re-
pair shop of Mr.. T. E. Bailey to
have some repairs done on it, where
rats had gnawed it. Mr.. Black
very kindly said the violin by rights
ought to be and belong to Mr.. C.
Cages family and he gave it to
Miss Sydney Gage without charge,
which act is highly appreciated by
the children and grandchildren of
Mr.. c. Gage. The negro, Simon
Farr, to whom Mr.. Gage loaned
the violin, was slave of DR.. Joseph
II. Dogan and changed his name to
Farr and was elected to the Iegisla-
ture from Union County during
Scott's administration when the
radicals, renegades, scalawags, car
pet baggers and negroes had charge
OF the State. Mr.. Frank Gage, of
Jacksonville, Fla, has the mate to
this violin Mr.. Black so kindly gave
to Miss Sydney Gage. These violins
may be the make of Giovanni Paolo
Maggini, the celebrated Italian
violin maker, whose work dates
back to 1000.
If this old violin could talk, it
doubtless could a tale unfold that
would make the hair on your head
stand on end like the quilts upon
the back of frcttcd porcupine.
For well do we remember when it
played q leaning part in an amateur
minstrel troupe of all home talent,
namely: Dan Black, Warren Barn.
ett, Munroe FAINT, Bush (George)
Greer and several others. Bush
was then comic looking boy, and
he played the part of the drunk
ards son in Ten Nights in Bar
ROOM" And he presented touch
ing sight as he bent over the pros
tratc form of his father lying upon
the floor of the bar room, while the
troupe sang, Father, dear father,
come home with me now," with
violin and guitar accomplishments.
The END men" of this troupe
cracked some good jokes. One was
Hello Sambo! whar you bin all
dis long time" II bin boarding
down at the rock house, part of the
time with Mr.. Sheriff Joe FAINT,
and part with Mr.. Sheriff John
Gibbs, "Yas, you bin in Jail,
den." "Yas." What dey put
you in dar for, Sambo." Moth
ing much. l borrowed watch
from a man." Oats curis."
well, you see, l had to knock the
man down to make him lend it to
me-" 'sambo, was dar any other
negro in der but you." "Yas, a
feller was in der wild me-" What
he in dar fur" ''For picking up a
little piece of rope" OATS quar-.
"Yas, but dar was COW at one
end of the rope. Dat feller he tried
to guy me one day and axed ne
what time it was. 1 say, thought
it was about milking time" Those
were lively days in Union, when
the old Confederate veterans got