Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1896 — Another Fiddle. [ARTICLE]

Another Fiddle.

James Whitcomb was a prominent citizen of Indiana in her early days, and he was not only a politician, but one of the best amateur musicians in the country. He composed several pieces for the violin, which was his own chosen instrument, and many are the stories told of him and his fiddle. At one time he was travelling from Indianapolis to Eastern Indiana, and stopped for the night at a house on a lonely road. He entered the cabin with his companion, and there they found a lame young man called Amos sitting by the fire scraping at an old violin with most disastrous result. He laid the violin on the bed, and started away to the stable with the horses. Mr. Whitcomb at once took up the violin, tuned it, and when Amos returned was playing light and beautiful airs. Amos was entranced. He sat down and, mouth wide open In wonder, Watched the musician. Then Mr. Whitcomb struck iqp “Hall Columbia,” and the youth could bear It no longer. He sprang to his feet. “If I had fifty dollars,” cried he, ‘Td give it all for that fiddle! I never heard such music.” Mr. Whitcomb said nothing, but kept on playing. By and by, when he had finished, he violin on the bed. This was the opportunity. He sprang up, seized the instrument, carried it to the fire where he could see more plainly, and turned It over and over, examining every part. “Mister,” he sang out, In high excitement, “I never in my life see two fiddles so much alike as yours and mine!”