The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-31

entertained small company of ten
of their lady and gentlemen friends
at a 6 o'clock dinner on Saturday
evening. The event was in honor OF
their eighth wedding anniversary and
the guests spent most enjoyable !
evening with their host and hostess.
An elegant course dinner was served.
Mrs. George Collingwood Tucker,
at Davenport on Friday evening, was
enthusiastically received by the music
lovers of the tri-cities, Davenport,
Rock Island and Moline. In speaking
of her musicale, the Davenport DEM
ocrat of Sunday had to say:
st. Katherin's school offered its
patrons and friends something quite
out of the ordinary Friday night,
when at an entertainment in the gym
asium program of Songs of Dixie"
was given by Mrs. Collingwood Tuck (
er. of Keokuk, Iowa.
Mrs. Tucker comes of prominent /
southern family of Tennessee and her
the old negro nanny and the songs /
! that she hummed to beguile iii miss"
She therefore is thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with her subject, understands
the negro and his emotions as only
southerner can, and appreciates its ex-
preston III the weird songs and
chants which she has made study of
/ wit No at, MI, Il,
beautiful old melodies that are fast
becoming obsolete.
The programs was divided into four
parts. The spirituals, or religious
chants, the folk songs, plantation mel
odies and little studies in color. LII
introducing the spirituals Mrs. Tuck
er prefaced their singing with brief
talk about the songs, and their place
in the affections of the colored people,
while, incidentally, she gave some
amusing anecdotes of personal expert
ences in getting them for her collec-
ton.
What the psalms were to the Jews,
the spirituals were to the darkies in
the days of slavery" said Mrs. Tuck
err, and l try to give them with as
deep reverence and IN the spirit in
which they become the vehicle of re-
ligious emotion Of the negro"
Mrs. Tucker referred to the admira-
ton and beautiful harmonies of negro
songs and chants had awakened in
musicians the world over, mentioning
. as conspicuous among those to appre
ciate, Anton Dvorak, who confessed
= to having used some of the darkies
melodies in his New World" sym-
phony, while there are many others
> who have not hesitated to follow the
! example of the great Bohemian com.
{ poser
] The southern child has the advan
. tage of hearing the negro melodies at
/ their best, of growing UP with them
o while the next best way, according
: to the speaker, was at :. camp meet
ing, only" said Mrs. Tucker, you
r must not let them know white per.
4 son is near, as it disturbs the spirit
t Mrs. Tucker told of some especially
r good songs where an endless number
4 of verses with but word or two OIL
9 change gave monotone swing and
u worked the people up to great emo
l. tional frenzy and were considered
e strong factors in comm thro'.'
e In connection with 'Drinkin' Wine,
t there was a delightful story of the ole
nanny who, when her mistress
r asked her why she always sans
a NJ Tod tn h.
h boiled eggs, replied, why / allus sing!
S one vers' and when / wants EN- hare
| sings two" And again of the seem
n ingly endless song that the darky
$ recommended as plumb stylish, an
4, right down to date" as verses coulG
be supplemented NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
If ing on the imagination of the singer
II "a year for verse
e The folk songs were sung without
I accompaniment, as were the religion!
a chants, Mrs. Tucker giving them IL
T. the inimitable darby fashion. beating
d time with the rhythmical cadence thai
is a part of the darby melodies.
The audience found especially tt
it's liking "Clar' de Kitchen" and the
r steel driving song.
k The plantation melodies were won
S derfully we'll given with the chorus b!
l. the St Katherine's girls. Mrs Tuck
e. playing the piano accompaniments
while the little studies in color were
individual songs: Happy Lii Sal
DE Las Long Res" (the words writ
D ten by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, just be
It fore his DEATH, and rs You?" having
g musical settings by Carrie Jacob
L. Bond In this group of songs 'De
CANT Please 'em All was so human
NFumigated Niggah" and "Spooks
were so delightfully."- funny and dra
matically given by Mrs. Tucker tina
the applause told of the great deligh
!. of the audience, and Dixie" precede,
: r. the brief history of its origin ant
its place in the affections of the pee
: ple-white and black-closed the even
! ing's program.
, Mrs. Tucker has a very sweet. clea