| Show MUSIC IN THE AIR The HomeFiddle riow It I co C > > pco Concerts A Frenchman has invented a new kind of harp made entirely of wood Instead of strings strips of American fir are used These are manipulated by the fingers as in ordinary harps the performer wearing leather gloves covered with resin The tone is said to be of a remarkable purity He probably got his idea from that celebrated cele-brated American musical instrument constructed con-structed wholly Qf wood which was so popular pop-ular in an early day and is still in vogue to a certain extent in the back settlements to wit the bossfiddle Some of our younger readers may never have seen one or heard its dulcet tones and will be pleased to learn how to construct one of their own Procure a dry goods box or other large boxthe larger the betterand remove the cover With a little finesse this need cost nothing If the vi11a merchant is at all liberal and you tell him you are desirous of becoming a second Paganinniwinking at the same time which he will understand to mean that the fiddle is especially intended to assist the slumbers of a newlywedded pairhe will tell you to help yourself from the pile in the rear of the store If however how-ever he is opposed to all such harmless recreation and has no soul for music and the pile of empty boxes is very large and they are becoming weatherworn you will probably wheel one away that evening if it is dark enough and the wheelbarrow dont squeak This of course is not recommend eLI however By little exertion you can get enough fellows to chip in so that the expense ex-pense will be a mere trifle Then pr9cnre a piece of two by four scantling scant-ling ten or twelve feet long bore a hole through the ends and insert handles so that each end represents a cross Plane off one edge of the scantling and cover it with melted resin to add to the resinant tone This is the fiddle bow and may be operated by either one or two muscular persons Drawing the bow across the edges of the box with a greater or less degree of pressure will evoke strains which when accompanied by the tintinnabulation of cowbells tinS tin-S 1 trthtr nnnnsioiial dynamic UUilO UJLW3t VYV Tl 0 Interlude vu of gunfiring will cause Ihe startled ear of night to quiver with melody Startled ear of night is from Poe Dont know where he found it It is advisable at these open air concerts to depend mainly on instrumental music as it is hard to distinguish the human voice Still if an occasional chorus of yells be given in unison the effect will be good It is also advisable to locate the orchestra in a position quite near the house wherein repose the couple whose honor theserenade is rendered ren-dered but care should be taken that no window win-dow or door commands the place as it occasionally occa-sionally happens that the couple are of that peculiarly constituted class who cant see a Joke and the male member of the new firm and whatever may open fire with a shotgun other missiles are handyPecks Sun |
