Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-16
PLENTY OF MUSIC
Firemen's Entertainment At.
tracts Many Fiddlers to Con-
test for the Prizes.
PROVES A UNIQUE EVENT
Big Crowd Enjoys Program at Illinois
Theater-Large Number of
Trophies Are Awarded.

One of the most unique entertain.
ments ever given in Rock Island was
the fiddlers' contest, pulled off at the
Illinois last evening, given under the
auspices of the Rock Island fire depart
ment. The fire department was on
hand the crowd was there, and the fid-
dlers came also. The firemen turned
on the amusement, the listeners furnish
ed the interest, and the fiddlers, dane
ers, singers, whistlers, boxers, and nat
ural appearances did the rest 1t was
all Nun and amusement, to all except
the contestants. The old dance-scarred
veteran was there to defend the titles
he had won with his fiddle when che
felt the fiddles slender neck, picked
out the note with thrum and check. and
timed the tune with nod and beck, and
thought it weary while; and the new
aspirant was there to take the laurels
from any and all. There were so many
prizes that the poorest fiddler took
away as many as the "best fiddler"
with the selection that backed the rest
! of the contestants in the best lady mu-
stefan event clean off the boards. She
seemed to have them all beat block,
and no one tried to take the prize rock
| ing chair away from her. But when il
came to the 'Arkansaw Traveller" the
old boys, young boys. big fiddlers and
little fiddlers drew down the bow on
every string" gave the juoges a seri-
Gus look, and faced the crowd with n
determination that revealed the mental
strain They surely demonstrated that
the old-time fiddler's art is not a lost
art. The new-time fiddler may tickle
the classic ear, but the old-time fiddler
| is the one that raises the feet. The vi
brations of his violin made the windows
| OF the Illinois shake in their frames.
even the feet of the hearers began to
vibrate, and the old blood was warmed
when Turkey in the Straw" was struck
up and there were lusty cries from old
! time boys and girls in the audience of
First couple join hands and swing"
and "Three-quarters round your part
ner swing"
Flowers for Big Wan.
! The Sulphur City Birthstone band
from the west end of Rock Island under
the leadership of Ike Bysinger came.
saw and conquered. and the leader was
| presented with large bouquet which
revealed in an instant his popularity
as violinist. He carried away beau
/ tiful flower representation in barley
straw wreathed in red and blue stream
ers, and his smile won the admiration
of all. In fact, he carried away so
many prizes in various events he was
loaded down and was forced to call
upon his friends for assistance. easily
/ taking first hOnors in the whistling
event and the big fiddler event.
| Old Man Dances Jig.
Lee Sullivan, of Lyons. Iowa. II years
old and for IS years an active fireman.
gave an exhibition of jig and buck and
wing dancing that surely demonstrated
that his feet had taken wing He, too,
was loaded down with prizes. Mr..
Revis of Davenport was there, and what
, he couldn't do with his fiddle was real
ly not worth mentioning, for he played
it upside down, hind end foremost. be-
tween his knees and under them, and
made it sing and talk and whistle and
chirp, and when he and Mr.. Cave!o
played "The Mocking Bird" the crowd
! looked about the room for the whistling
birds.
|
| All the old-time favorites were play
ed, and there were in all 23 events, in
GLIDING a selection by the full orches-
ira. contest in playing "Arkansaw
| Traveller whistling contest, old-time
song singing, jig dancing, mixed quar-
tet, three violins playing together their
own selection. song singing. banjo play
ing, little girl dancing, boy fiddler, lady
singer, boy mandolin, Turkey in the
Straw" contest, 'Mocking Bird" con-
test, buck and wing dancing. playing
own selection singIy, guitar playing,
Iwhistling solo with cello accompanies,
boxing match, and solo playing to show
all-round playing, and dancing old-time
shuttle
l. The prizes were many, in fact, every
lone participating in the contest was
loaded down with trophies. ranging in
value from pillow or stove to box OF
lcereal.