News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-11-03

the cloth till the thread in every needle
is taut; then the needles change position
the frame moves up to the cloth again
and the needles in the corresponding
frame take the thread and repeat the
process. This is very wonderful ma
chine, but it hasn't as much brain as
some of the other devices have seen. II
can do nothing at all by itself, depending
ia every phase of its WORK upon the skill
and quickness of the operator.
On two afternoons recently Joe and l
have assembled the wide steps of Guate-
mala, in company with several hundred
other visitors, who flock here every day
to hear the Marimba Band. Does my
dear father know what marin ba band
is? Or does he have visions of horns and
drums, vioins and flutes? You may
think of one cello if you like, but other
wise imagine two instruments after the
manner of zylophones. A marimba is
about seven feet long, thirty inches high,
and consists of two interlacng, horizon
tai rows of wood, each held in place by
| fibre strings over a hollow wooden reson-
ator. These resonators vary in depth &C.
cording to the tone desired.
Seven men of the most pleasing Spanish
type dispense lively music for two hours,
and every day the hospitable central
room is filled with apprecative listeners,
whose attention is held absolutely and
who applaud enthusiastically at the end
of every selection, with the greed that ia
the greatest compliment. Joe and found
a place TO sit at the turning of the stairs,
and l divided my interest between the
music and the unusual setting. This
highly civilized American audience, in
highly fashionable attire, sat ia peaceful
absorption, enthralled by exotic music
and surrounded by reminders of a wild
and tropical region. On one side noun
tain lion savagely pounded upon its prey;
on the other, monkeys showed their
teeth in diabolical antics.
ut looks dangerous, Miss Betty" COM
mented Joe, pointing a small forefnger
at these realistic touches.
ut would be if there was any life in
them,'' l responded feelingly.
tits lucky for you and me that there
amt" sighed Joe, for my little friends
ideas of the size of the world have not
yet grown to altruistic proportions.
1 can't give you a critical account of
the music. Whether it was Spanish rag
or Abyssinian mazurka, 1 cannot say; all
| know is that it was of the sort to make
you think that everything was all right
and would never be any other way. If
Orpheus could do any better than that,
1 am waiting to be convinced; but 1
doubt If it would be worth his while to
try, if this audience was an index of hui
manity in general.
During the intermissions we accom-
plished great deal of investigating. We
even inspected the marimba at
close range. One of the instrum en- is
boosted the arms of Guatemala enclosed
ia a lyre-shaped piece of wood. The
inscription was: Libertad, ID de Set. de
1921. A young man near me glibly trans
lated this for his mother-not difficult
performance, as you can see, for anyone
who possesses the power of guessing.
But he spoiled it by adding that he didn't
See how that marimba could have been
made in 1921. wanted to tell him that
it was the liberty of Guatemala, not the
marimba, which was made in 1921, but
conventionality forbade. And indeed he
has just read it for himself; and if the
fact didn't penetrate his consciousn ess,
who was 1 that should think to drive
it in?
1 cannot truthful!y tell you that Joe
was interested in cases of mounted pl ants
and jars of processed fruits, but l did
not allow him to skip them for any such
reason as that. He must take the bitter
with the sweet, which l fear means in.
formation with fun. Anyhow, dragged
him all around that big room and th e
balcony above; and if we skipped jar or
case. 1t was not by intention. l ex-
planned to him that we were the guests
of Guatemala and that we must accept
all the entertainment she offered. a state
ment which he received with the edui vo
cal cultural that serves him faithfully.
But perhaps you are better trained. faith
er, and will care to reconstruct this tropi.
cal country out of the material which
she freely displays.
Concluded next week.