Author: Albigence Waldo Putnam

Publisher: Theclassics.Us

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 9781230229416

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1859 edition. Excerpt: ... So the supper was provided, and the evening's entertainment was cheerful and uninterrupted. Gamble* was there. Mr. Drake and his com * James Gamble was the most distinguished fiddler in all the District of Mcro. Indeed, the people here believtd that there was not the equal of Gamble west of the mountains, and his superior not in the United States, if there was, indeed, in all the world. Ho usually stayed at Bledsoe's or Greenfield in Sumner county. But they often sent for him to come to Eaton's, the Bluff, and to Freeland's, as well as to other stations. He and his fiddle (and they were inseparable) were always weleome, and everywhere. He had a sack of doe-skin, in which he placed "his fiddle and his bow," when not in use or when travelling, and under his arm it was always safe: ' He loved it," as he said to the women and the girls, " but never squeezed it so as to break down the bridge or put her out of tune." " He could make his fiddle laugh and talk. There was such potency in its musie, that he often charmed away pains of the body and silenced the groans of the sick. The sweet strains and the thrilling tones of that fiddle filled the air, the ear, the soul. It seemed sometimes as if they could not die. Every nerve in the human system was in symphony with those sweet sounds; there was a delicious feeling and enjoyment in the soul, that always did one good. You could not be angry, ill-natured, or crabbed, where there was such eestatic and soothing music. It lasted so long, too! you could hear it and feel it the next day, and wish to hear it a thousand times. It would not have done one harm to hear it always." "We had other fiddlers in the district--indeed, a great many of them, and some remarkably good ones, too; but Gamble etcelled...