The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-23

everything terrestrial; but among the
wrecks OF Empire that may strew The
shores or ride The white capped snrges
of eternity, lot those Of America he
HE last"
Tho children shouted lnstly when
he gOt through, not al anything he
had std for they had no idea az 20
what he was driving at but because
his conclusion was signal for an at
tack upon the cdihleS which were
spread in rich profusn ia the vicinity.
There were probably thirty children
present, the little girls being nearly
all dressed in pink calico dresses,
fastened behind b. white born but
tons. The Declaration Of lndepend-
ence was read by b. s. Harell who
could not of Course, let pass unim.
proved, such a favorable opportunity
to sing Smiths song of America
In the summer Of 4S an old curmud.
geon named Winchester, visited Cairo
to start singing school He came
from the backwoods of Mississippi
county and was about as odd n speci
men of humanity as then frequented
these haunts He wore a pair 81
coarse brogans tied with leather
strings. no socks. ana apair Of lnsey
breeches infinitely too sort at botl
onds. These brooches were held ur
by a pair OF "gallowses" made out OF
factory He wore no coat and. tbs
weather being hot, his shirt bosom
was open almost fromneck 10 navel
displaying a breast about as hairy as
q buffalo robe. He proposed to teach
the 'buekwheat" notes used in thu
old Missouri HARMONY kind OF
note whose shape suggested its name
The crowd assembled in the Cairo
chapel, (Which was an upstairs room
IN the Mckenzie buildngs) to take
the first lesson Winchester stalkcd
in, sheycd his straw hat and without
a word of introduction, commenced
singing something which was finally
discovered TO he "LennOX ''-one OF
he Oldest and best tunes among oul
church melodies. He sang II through
his nose, giving MS 'hourishes" OF
musical intorsions that were excru.
ciatngly original. and such as
brought down the house" repeatedly
He evidently felt that the assembly
was in raptures over the beauties of
his vocal specimen. He walked to
and fro before the audience. his head
thrown So far back that his uncomb.
ed locks rested in a bunch almost ON
the small Of his back. gazing intent.
ly at the ceiling and battling the air
with a hattoon, which was nor,hing
more or less than two joints of Il
cornstalk The man felt good of this
reader may rest satisfied. When he
concluded, which he did by hanging
on he las note until the sound final
y become sm0hercd in his stomach.
he was greeted by storm of an.
plausc, and a request from one of the
audience 10 sing Hail Columbia" over
again We'll all sing IT now" he re-.
spondod-"wc1l line it and sing it,.
and let everybody iine." And soon
such an unearthly mixture of sounds
as Went forth from the openings Of
That chapel and out over the waters OF
the two rivers. and among the tall
old white-armed sycamores that grew
close by, was never before heard in
Cairo. All kinds of tunes upon all
Kinds Of Keys were sung by all kinds
Of voices, with tremendous force ana
fulness and without any references
Whatever TO emphasis or rhythm The
whole hymn of Am Soldier of The
Cross, was sung through thus. the
teacher" leading with as much con.
Germ as ever Dodsworth led in The
performance of any Of the difficult
genms Of the opera.
Lets sing II over again" was
heard from different parts Of the
room. but this request the teacher
declined 10 comply with because, as
he said, this was merely a prelimia
lry meeting. TO see if he could get
forty dollars for twelve lessons which
& he could gel it, he thought he would
Give Il on them considerations.
The forty dollars were promised.
but Mr.. Winchester taking a contract
% cut a hundred cords of wood at
Prices Landing, never made his sec.
md appearance in Cairo. Such was |
,ur musical education.
Nom an ever enjoyed himself bet |
er in Cairo than Sam Houston, of |
Texas. In going TO and from Wash. |
ngton he always made it a point % |
top over a day or two for the avowed |
'bject of fishing and cracking jokes |
With the people We have seen The |
Honorable Senator sit hour after |
our upon the stern guards of the old |
wharf boat Sam Dale, fishing cup |
# chicken giblets and intentines by |
lis side and his feet mixed up with |
hose of some barefooted by. who /
vas sharing both his sport and his /
ssh bait He seemed TO like Cairo be-
ause everybody thought himself just |
S good as he was, wherein. by the
iay. everybody was not much mis-
lkenD From the Cairo Weekly |
.azette. February ;. 1868. edited by
lose T.. HarreH and Nat Lander.