Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-09
The EIppLERs, CONVENTION.

receipts. The YOrkVille cOrnet band
assisted with some good music and
there would have been quite a large
representation from Yorkville, except
from threatening weather conditions
overhead. The following story Of the
convention was written for The En-
quirer at our request by Mr. w. S.
Gordon of Yorkville:
In company with a friend, arrived
at Glover about 7 o'clock p. m. and
we had hardly entered town when we
were approached by our esteemed and
genial friend, the eX-mayor, who gave
us a hearty invitation to his house.
Had he but known that for many
days we had anticipated his hospital
ity, had visions of his well-Stocked
larder, had dreams of his table, had
left home with his house as our OBJ
jective point, that we were tired, anx-
ious, thirsty and hungry, that nothing
short of force could have turned us
aside, perhaps our worthy friend
would have been a trifie less pressing
in extending his invitation. Be that as
1t may, after what was intended to be
little, well-feigned hesitation on our
part we visited his nice home, where,
after giving visible and substantial evil
dence of our appreciation Of an ele-
CANT supper, we were in that mellow,
charitable. anticipative, and receptive
frame of mind, necessary in order to
fully enjoy the Fidlers' convention.
AS early in the evening as Z o'clock
several hundred people, including both
town and surrounding country, had
assembled,-a well-dressed, well-man-
nered, good humored crowd, all antic-
ipating a good time.
Glover has a nice, and we'll arrang-
ed opera hall with elevated seats, and
all modern conveniences. The seating
capacity is probably between 45O and
500-sufficiently large for all ordinary
occasion-except a "Ffddlers con-
vention.'
Through the courtesy of a friend
and the efficacy of a bit of coin. the
writer had no trouble in securing a
very good seat as far as being able to
see was concerned. AS for hearing
that is another story.
Though the house was literally full,
yet there was very little evidence OF
crowding or a jam. After the seats
were all occupied all standing room
was then taken up. In this connec-
ton 1t was refreshing to see scores OF
men, many of them prominent Clo-
verites standing along the walls for
hours, cheerful and smiling, evident
ly as easy and comfortable as If they
had been reclining on fiowery beds OF
ease or occupying a palace-chalr-car
on the C.. & NV. railroad. Looking
over the house, it was indeed repre-
sentative gathering that met the eye.
If we omit the first and seventh
Shakespeare's seven ages were all rep
resented.
The ladies; Well if I were young
man, and a ladiesman, (both of
which 1 must, unfortunately, though,
reluctantly, deny,) l would say that
from the sweet schoolgirls who were
present in drOves, to degree higher,
the one who,
standing with reluctant feet
"Where the brook and river meet,
''Womanhood and childhood sweet
the ones of whom the poet wrote, of
mature
Her prentice hand she tried or man
And then she made the lassieS, Oh
TO the mature matron-wife. moth
er, friend, whose life has been a
benediction and whose presence Is
ever an inspiration, all were present.
Seated on the stage were the MEM
bers of the Yorkville Band, the con-
testants for the various prizes, and the
committee to whom was assigned the
difficult and delicate task of awarding
the prizes.
Hon. J. f. Beamguard was master
Of ceremonies and by reason of his
experience in the political arena nota-
bly, in the state capitol, coupled with
tact and practical sense, he just filled
the bill-the public generally were
pleased with, and his friends were
proud of him.
The contesting fddlers and dancers
were divided into two classes, one over
fifty years of age and the other under
fifty years of age. The class Of old
timers was as follows:
J. Frank Wallace, w. D. Moore, j.
P. A. Davidson, S. D. PRESLEY, ]. j. j.
Robinson, Tommy Green. ]. j. j. Rob
inson won the first prize of SO and w.
d. Moore the second prize Of 81.
The fiddlers under so years of age
were S. B. Beamguard, E. G. Pursley'
w B. Moore and E. B. Shillinglaw. e.
B. Shillinglaw won the first prize of
s., and w. B. Moore the End prize Of 81.
The dancers over so were S. l..
Pursley, w. M. Wallace, Tommy Green
j. P. A. Davidson. S. L. Pursley won
the prize Of 81.
The dancers under so were ]. d.
Wallace, F.. G. Pursley, ]. H. Erwin,
J. /. I.ingerfelt, J. Y. Harmon, c.. B.
Smith. F. ". Templeton. ]. L. Infer
felt won the first prize Of 81.
The banjoists were Messrs. j. II. Err
win. H. S. Michael and T. G. Yorke.
] H. Erwin won the prize Of 81.
Messrs. T. N. Kendrick, R. T. Pad
gette and D. R. Shields Of Gastonia,
acted as judges.
To sum up briefly: The Fiddlers'
convention at Glover, was, on the
whole a great success. AS for the mu-
sic, it was excellent, enchanting, in
tensely sweet. There was no poor
playing-no ordinary playing. All did
well and the performance was or
high order.
It must have been under just such
circumstances, after listening to just
such delicious music that the poet
wrote:
Here will we sit and let the sound Of
music creep in our ears
"The man who hath no music in him.
self,
Nor is not moved with concord of
sweet sounds;
It fit for treasons, stratagems and
spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as
might,
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted
And what of the dancing? 1t was
truly wonderful. The contestants were
simply artists, one and all. 1t SEEM
ed that the splendid music put life
and mettle in their heels" and nothing
could be more pleasing, more graceful,
more natural. Each contestant proved
himself q past master in the art and
gave an exhibition Of skill that will be
long remembered by those present.
Everybody was enthusiastic in their
praises, consequently, everybody must
have had a good time.
I heard only one complaint, ana
while it is not pleasant to record 1T,
vet I think it best in order that we
may not have a recurrence OF the
trouble. there was too much unneces-
sary nOise-too much boisterOus beha-
viOr.
We've no adverse criticism as re-
CARDS applause. Let the applause, II
the occasion demands it be hearty and
spontaneous. But it is the everlasting
senseless, chatter-the extravaganza
of language and poverty of thought
by those who will not listen them
selves and on account of their vulgar
noises deprive others of the pleasure
which they have anticipated ana