The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-05-25
STHEsOLD.ITEIE Fiddler

IIVuii csVlifSSJSolBlay
hat flls the Wooden Indians heart
With deepest Joy. F,or q long timsj
he has wondered what had become
1.-THE oldfashioned "hddler."" Does
any one OF this ancient and honorable,
tribe survive. Frequently, indeed, he
sees in the daily press adulatory no;
tices Of "viollnlsts,"'5mo Mostly Of foreign
names and birth, and who, according
to these reports, play only fugues,
solfeggios, arias and symphonies
possibly these are not the technical
names-but never a tune Can It be
possible that the old music.mongers
we used to call "fddlersa have per.
ished from the earth7 Ifsitwere true,
then much had been subtracted from
the sum Of human gayety, but, as will
be told later on, there remain sections
wherein they still abideyand have not
lost their simple power to charm.
4 Those of us who were raised in the
country, and who have passed an age
itswouldsbe embarrassing, perhaps, to
badly print, remember well the old.
time fiddler. fAs rule, he was scarce
" such a person as the worldly.wise
would point out as an example for the
young. This not because he lacked
moral qualifications, but strictly from
ia business point Of view. The old
fashioned fiddler was mot much Of a
money-getter. Miss Ophelia, in I'm.
Gle Toms Cabin would doubtless
have set him down as "shiftless.'"'
Even though not a rolling stone, he
gathered little moss. Frequently he
played the fiddle while the weeds were
growing in the corn.rows. His wife
and children had to do much Of the
work which usually falls to the lot
of the husband and father. And yet
singular as. 1T always seemed to the
hard,headedS man Of affairs, who new
err neglected any duty, his wife anC
family fairly worshipped him. They
couldn't help it. ! don't believe there
/ ever was %. flddler---at least, one who
played by ear-T.-who wasn't a lovable
man. A chprl could never learn tt
play that bewltching instrument. i
takes more than a mere combination
! of horsehair, catgut, resin, wood ant
/ a man-therej must be a genial. laugh
ing, loving, tender, free and careles!
!. soul to mingle in the strains.
, Sometimes, too, 1T required an in
!. definite "few drinks" to key his sou
!. in unison with his fiddle-but spur
the }insinuation that the old.time ild
z dler was ever sot. Then, with leg
y crossed, and, one foot keeping time t
4 the tune, head thrown back and eye
! fixed intently on nothing at all, tn
Q bow swept the strings and played III
i on emotions at his will. AT countr
! dances the fiddler enjoyed the seen
:, more perhaps than did the dancer.
r While the strapping boys and buxor
t girls footed It joyously to his strain
n he not only furnished the musical nj
e tive power, but his heart danced Will
2 his hands played, and his whole bein
y seemed wrapped up in the gladsom
ness his skill evoked. T.
"A Then there were quiet evenings
his!own home, aftersthe days work VIZ
}. done, and his wife and children ar
& a friend or two gathered around Il
Ig cheerful fire. Without, having to
y coaxed--and that, is one of the re
u sons why.the Wooden Indian prefe
a music box to many Of our train
he musicians tuned up the old tin
m. stained fiddle, gave, ii prelimina
IL. flourish or two and made melody
N. for gods and men. There was oft
SO. a serious side to his genius, and VIII
n he drew forth lively sounds in
# Spouse to demands for fishers Hol
r.. pipe 1.-the Devils Dream" and 1T
or. Irish Washerwoman,' his nimble fiji
N ers would wander into more tent
ed themes. He would play, THE suwar
90 River" Nellie Gray and Loren
fer and often those majestic old by;
at. tunes in which rural congregati'
lifted their hearts in praise-tu
IN worth hundred of these insane I
i'm profane things with which paid che
Ma. now too often belittle the servi
,ar. Of the sanctuary.
the Has the old-time fiddler wants
am form the scene? The Wooden
est dian feared he had, but It seems tn
'uts are yet remote regions wherein
any fingers and is loved. Down at Ro
adj. Georgia, convention Of country
oc. dlers, those who fiddle by ear
being held. None else is allowed
! of play, and any old.time tunes are