Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-08
FIDDLERS In CONVENTION
Packed Audience Heard Musicians
at Performance Friday Evening.
ENTERTAINMENT FOR LEGION BENERlT

One Musician Rode Fifteen Niles to
Attend Show-Music of All Kinds
and Each Performer Given Freedom
of the Floor-Proeramme Included
New and Novel Stunts.
Fiddlers of wide repute, banjo pick
ers, artists with the guitar, mandolin
and harp and buck and wing dancers
assembled in the courthouse in York
vile, Friday evening, entertained a
packed audience of Yorkville and the
surrounding country with music. songs
and dances for an hour and half. The
convention was held under the auspices
Of Mech Stewart Post No. &C Of the
American Legion and according to an
nouncement was the first Of a series of
Legion benefit performances that the
Post proposes to stage during the COM
ing spring and summer.
Although several prizes were offered
for excellence in the various classes of
the evening, the musicians did not
compete so much for prizes as they did
out of desire to help out. Each con-
testant was allowed all the time he
pleased and was invited to go to it.
Packed House.
Long before the hour for the opening
Of the convention the auditorium
proper was filled with spectators and
the balance of the crowd found seats
in the two jury boxes along with the
musicians. Even the two witness
chairs and the prisoners dock were
utilized for the purpose Of seating
spectators.
Messrs. II. X. Thomasson and E. NJ.
williams and Mrs. L. G. Baber were
named as judges for the several con-
tests of the evening and the conven-
tion opened with two selections by two
fiddlers, Messrs. j. j. j. Robinson ana
II. 3. Mcdaniel, accompanied on the
banjo bv Mr.. j. n. Strain and guitar
by Mr.. o. Mcdaniel.
Then the fldders contested individ-
ual1y. Mr. H. 3. Mcdaniel, Mr.. j. j..
J. Robinson and Mr.. R. j. Morrow
Two dancers, Messrs. Andral Sherer
and Lesslie Cain entertained the au-
dience with fancy buck and wing
steps to the delight Of the crowd and
the general opinion was that either OF
them could command job with al
most any mistrcl company.
Corposed Own Song.
Two decided features of the evening
were the performances Of Messrs.
lanes G, johnson and r. r. Harper
with harp, guitar and mandolin. The
former to his own guitar accompani-
ment, sang several songs of his own
composition which brought down the
house with laughter. His stunt ol
playing two harps alternately ana OF
playing Casey Jones" on harp py
blowing through his nose instead of his
mouth was also a new stunt to most
of the audience.
A decided novelty of the evening
was a stunt offered By Mr. Il X.
Harper Of the Point section OF YORK
county, playing three Instruments
guitar, mandolin and harp at one ana
tho same time. With the harp in his
mouth. the mandolin in his hands ana
tho banjo fixed between his legs inc
musician managed to play all three'
nevcr missing a note. Mr.. Harper IS Il
musician of note, and has won many
prizes at fiddlcrs conventions in a
number of surrounding towns. His
performance excited much curiosity
and interest and many people arose IN
the audience with view to attempting
10 learn just how he played the three
instruments at one time. Mr.. Harper
rode fifteen miles tn attend the con-
vention.
Sermon a Feature.
While the judges. were in the ante
room engaged in making their decision
..Reyerend Isaac Ernest Erasmus
Johnsing." known more generally tc
his friends and associates as MIR. Clyde
Plexico of Sharon entertained the au'
diencc with n segmon, having as MS
text. Get on Board that Ship OF
Faith" The reverend" proved that hf
was an orator Of no mean ability ano
that he was thoroughly familiar Will
his subject. He held the amused at
tention Of his audience throughout tht
discourse. At the conclusion OF MS
sermon in response to repeated en-
cures he delivered n sermonette "a.
c." taking occasion to tell his audience
that Il hardly ever deliver. two ser
mons in the same day in Il town th'
size of this: but generally confine m!
greater efforts to places as large a
Newport"
Award Of Prizes.
First place in the tiddlers contcs
was awarded by the Judges to Mr.
!. J. Robinson for superior skill VIII
his famous fiddle. Mary Ann" 1t wa
announced that Mr.. II. L. Mechanic
was close second.
First honors in the banjo contcs
we're awarded MI. J. \. Strain. tn
iudrcs were unable to decide betwee1
the guitar and harp players; hu