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Show Old Friends Are Best. The coining of Stetson's "Uncle Tom's CaUn" tonight at the Thatcher Thatch-er opera house teminds the wilier of the II nil hold the old songs, as well as the old play, has on public favor. It also iecalls an incident: lb was in a hotel pallor. A brilllau pianist had just tendeted one of Wagnei's most dilllcult pieces and a iiiuiniiir of well-bred well-bred applause followed. Then, vety softly and tenderly, like a sweet tremulous trem-ulous old voice reciting pathetic inenioilos, the lvoiy ke.vs sent the plaintive melody of"My Old Kentucky Home" through the loom. The Idle chattel teased Evety mind was busy with bitter-sweet memories and the air was tilled with the scent of vanished vanish-ed clovct, the warm fiagrancc of new-mow new-mow n hay and the echo of babbling btooks. The simple tune knocked at the door of every heat t and the ghosts of dead dajs came trooping fotth in answer. An almost forgotten poet, Robert Hinckley Messenger, quaintly wished for "old wood to burn old books to tead and old friends to talk with." He might hare added old songs to sing and old tunes to be phived in the long twilight, while he doed and dreamed in his easy chair. It Is a face that nono of the popular songs of late vears survive a "May-riv's "May-riv's existence. They catch the lip but no nob hold the heart for, unlike the old tunes, they have been vvtittcn to catch the pavslng fancy they are not blrthmatked with the Jojs and woes or the human race. So, too, lb is w Ith the old plajs, and certain It Is that no stotj between boards.oron the boards will ever take so lasting a hold on tho Arnet lean public as Harriet Heech-er Heech-er Stowe's unrivaled sketch pf Incident Inci-dent dutlng an epoch that will always mink United States history. |