Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-12-22
VETERAN DANCE PRoMPTER DEAD.
AIonzo II. Hines officiated at Nearly
1000 Dances-lvory Keys Of MeIodeon
Worn Through by Constant Use.

Alonzo II. Hines, 70, one of New Eng
lands veteran dance musicians and
prompters, who estimated roughly that
he had attended about 1000 dances as
musician or prompter or both, died in his
home off Green street early Monday
morning He had not been in the best Of
health for some time and while moving
the lawn Aug II had an attack of heart
disease. His health had failed since
then and a few days before his death he
had an attack of pneumonia. For so
years Mr.. Hines played and prompted at
dances, and the last Thanksgiving was
the first in 80 years that he failed to play
at the annual Thanksgiving ball in Jack
sonvlle.
Alonzo Hiram Hines was born in Brat
tleboro, Jan. IL, 1899, and was a son of
Isaac and Hannah (Joy) Hines, He at
tended school here and graduated from
Leland and Gray seminary in Townshend
Isaac Hines was pioneer organ builder
in this locality. 1t was with the firm
of Isaac Hines e. Co. that the late Deacon
Jacob Estey, founder of the Estey Organ
company of this town, began work in the
organ industry. After graduating Alonzo
H. Hines, who became known in later
years as Lon" studied music and as
sisted his father, who built many houses
in town, including the one off Green
street where the death of Mr.. Hines took
place. His first instruction in music was
given him by Christian f. Schuster, who
was a well-known music teacher here
and afterwards moved to Greenfield,
Mass. Mr.. Schuster came to America
with the famous Germania band.
Early in his career as a musician Mr.
Hines learned the necessity of having
portable melodeon. Very many old-tlme
hotels and public halls were not equipped
with either an organ or piano, and Mr.
. Hines set to work to make a portable in
strument. His first one he used several
seasons, but ii did not exactly suit him.
The one which he has used in recent
years has a fine tone and weighs only 10
e. pounds with it's leather case. 1t can be
taken apart and packed in its case in
less than five minutes. The ivory on
: some of the keys has been worn through
by constant playing that the wood
; shows.
Mr.. Illness engagements took him into
all the territory in southern Vermont,
southern New Hampshire and western
Massachusetts. In the first of his career
the popular dances were the contra
dances, like "money musk" Fishers
hornpipe," Lady Walpole's reel" etc.
Forty years ago the old-timers put in
all the steps and executed them with all
the grace shown in the minuet and with
vastly more fire and abandon. Then
came the quadrilles. In the larger towns
these are now very largely things of the
past In the smaller towns they are still
largely danced, although the waltz, two
step and schottische are crowding out
the less modern dances
There is a zest in the dances in the
smaller towns and hamlets totally I'M
known in the cities In the olden times
there were many 'all-night' dances,
lasting until or o'clock in the morn
ing, and Mr. Illness circuit included sew
eral places where those prolonged dances
were in fashion, but they are now largely
a relic of bygone days.
Among the old-time musicians who as
sisted Mr. Hines and whose memory ~
held in respect were the late Al
Goodenough of West BrattleborQ
always played his violin withqll
Martin S. Burnett, violin, of
merston, who died last OCT
Samuel B. Higgins of n
Brookline, who played
Norcross of GreenfS
of West DummerS