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About The banner of the South. (Augusta, Ga.) 1868-1870 | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1869)
the gathmmonigm. EY S. L. D. Among the citizens of Cincinnati, some fortv years ago, there was one named Curtis, we forget hi* initials— a gilder by trade, and a genius in his way, but that way ran in the line of mirthfulness rather than money-making. Os course, he was poor. Did the reader ever see a merry rich man? But he was none the less popular am ng his special friends, the steamboat men, who never employed a nv other to glid their picture frames or “horns.” which the fastest boat was al ways allowed to carry on her pilot house. Our hero was not at all contented with his poverty, and many and original were the plans he formed to mend his for tune. He was an observing man, too, and had not failed to notice how fortunes were made out cl things apparently trifling. He noticed particularly how easy money was acquired by musicians, singers, concerts, and all that sort of thing, and he believed lie could get up something of the kind that would please the public and pay well, though in truth he knew no more than a mule about flats and sharps, minims and quavers. But he had a big crotchet in his head and he determined to work it out. Living near “Western How” where cats abounded, Curtis did not lack op portunities to study the musical capacity of the feline race. They had kept him awake many a warm moonlight night when he preferred sleep to their infernal serenades. So he detrmined to get up a gr; md Philharmonic concert, in which cats should bear a prominent part, and if he tailed to make either inusie or money, he would at least have the satis faction of having’ some fun out of it. Taking a few cats to experiment on, ho tried various modes of bringing out the notes they were addicted to, or ex celled in. He piocU <1 their ears, twist ed their legs, stuck pins in their —their—rotundities, and used other pleasant devices to develope the music. But he found no way so certain of bring ing out the sound as the application of the back of a case knife across the tail. 1 his never failed to elicit the note if there was any talent at all in the animal —the modulations, piano and forte, being easily obtained by making the blow light or heavy. This remarkable discovery Curtis believed might--be so managed as to make him a fortune equal to Nick Long worth’s or any other man’s. So up he goes nest morning, alter he had matured hia plan, to Columbia Market, and inquir ed of every man, woman and child he met if they had any cats at home to spare Os course they had lots of them, and before long ho had more brought to him than hejsuppose could be found in Hamilton County. He had employed an English man named Johnson, a drinking fellow, but musical withal, and who could build organs, to make one to serve as an ac companiment to the cat voices. John son informed him that one of six octaves wuuld do, at least, for the experiment. Curtis reckoned up the octaves, and found that four dozen cats would fill the bill. But he ordered two dozen more for tear that some might have defective voices, or prove obstinate or capricious like the operatic tribe generally. Six dozen were ordered, and accommodations prepared for them in sundry boxes, barrels, kegs, etc., in the back-yard. But bless your soul! six dozen were nowhere. AJI the boys in all the counties around in Kentucky as well as in Ohio, heard of the unprecedented demand for the animals, and every market day lots of them might be seen, with baskets and bao S) wending their way to Western Low, to get the “quarter” or “half dollar, ? the price Curtis established for kits and cats, as per size. In a month or less his six dozen was made up, com piling every age, size, sex, and color. Urtis then published that he had his full compliment; he could not buy anv more, had no room for them. But still the boys came on, in almost unbroken file, and, finding’ ‘‘no scale,” incontinently dumped the cats down at his door whence they scatteicd up alleys, down cellars, over fences, and into doors, as Urtis often userted “to the number of six hundred and fifty,” he sometimes added thousands. , J °hnson went on with the building of the organ and adaptation of the extra blacie keys to the cat’s tails. He ar ranged that the singers should be con ‘;‘ ud in narrow boxes, which, while ,Il(J y avowed free play to the lungs guard ': u against clawing by having four" holes ni the bottom through which the legs in truded. The tails were encircled in hibes provided with longitudinal slots— ) ve hke to be scientific and precise in n'-scription—across which the blade keys ’ -irked. These extra keys were conduct ■o me how with those ot the organ, so at the keys and their appropriate voices should be in perfect unison, and thus produce, as the inventor expected, that “concord of sweet sound,” that rapturous harmony, which is said to con st! tue the language of angels, and so forth. Curtis, on his part, proceeded with the musical education of the cats, aided occasionally by Johnson and in a month or so had a complete choir, from the kitten of two months, and his trebles and falsettos, and his pu-sy souranos, up to the venerable toms, who growled out double bass equal to Carl Formes. His greatest troubles arose from the prodigious number of tom cats turned loose by those reckless boys. As might have "been expected in that immortal city, they soon became dissipated vaga bonds, keeping late hours, visiting Curtis’ musical family without leave, and draw ing away the thoughts of the younger ones from their professional studies. But at length the organ was complet ed, and the six octaves of cats arranged in due order. A few rehearsals were given before a select audience of critics —mates, pilots, etc., from the steam boats in port, and these were willing to make affidavit, if necessary, that such a concert had never been arranged since the days of Handel, Orpheus, or Tubal Cain. The second story of a warehouse near the londing was rented—a stage, drop scene and tiers of seats provided—the whole intended to accommodate four or five hundred people. The organ and cats were safely transported to the place of exhibition or performance without accident, save that, the two prin cipal bassos, being accidently put in the same box, had an awful fight all the way up from Western Row, and were ob liged to appear before the public with very rueful faces and bloody noses, which however, did not at all detract from their popularity. Every thing being in readiness, Curtis had flaming posters stuck up all about the levee, displaying in huge letters: CURTIS’ CAT H ARMONIC 0N !! ! Grand Vocal and INSPRUMENTAL CONCERT. FORTY-EIGHT CATS ! !! Ac., &c. f &c. The house was crowded at an early hour by the jolly boatmen, the spaces not big enough for men being filled, as usual, by the boys, the omnipresent imps, which are always on hand when there L promise of noise, fun or niLchiof. After the usual delay, which elicited from the audience any amount of stamp ing, whistling and imitation eater-waul ing, the curtain rose, and grand cathar monicon was disclosed to view. Two rows of cats heads, two dozen each glared with lustrous green and yellow eyes at straight the audience. Little ruffies were around their necks: minature music stands, with books and candles, were placed before them; the aforesaid two bassos, whose beauty was spoiled by the fight, being | provided with muslin bands, which added to the gravity of their countenances. The whole ' was indescribably comic, and was received with due applause. Seated at the organ was Johnson in a clean shirt, and as sober as he could afford to be on so grand an occasion. * As soon as he could be heard, Curtis advanced and stated to the audience that the first song of the evening would be ‘Auld Lang Syne,” or, as he pronounced it, “Old Lang Zion,” which would be follow ed by “Hail Columbia,” “Clar ae Kitchen,” and other patriotic and de votional songs. Johnson squared him self fi ;r the task, ran his fingers tenderly over the keys by way of prelude, and then dashed boldly and vigorously into Old 1 Zion, producing such a burst of music as was never heard on this con tinent before, nor ever will be again till another Curtis arises to carry into more successful execution his brilliant experi ment. The cats were excited to fury in the presence of the new and up roarious audience, and still more under the unusually 7 severe pounding of their tails. They forgot all the lessons they had been taught, they paid no attention to their parts, to either time or tune, rhyme or reason, but squalled and mewed, yelled, spit and phizzed in the veiy madness of pain and terror, drown ing the sound of the organ, which could he heard occasional}’, droning out its Old Lang Zion, in the rear of the unearthly tornado of caterwauling. A ever was an audience so completely enchanted—never was delight so un usual, so unbounded, and so vigorously expressed. Shouts, roars, yells of laugh ter, such as Western men alone can give, burst from the crowd, shaking the build ing from roof to foundation. Curtis was delighted— the cats were furious—John son was beside himself with joy, and Hammered away at the keys with all his strength, making, with the aid of the choir, and plaudits of the audience a “concord” of diabolical sounds never heard before on this side of the infernal regions. Unfortunately in his delirium he forgot the strength or weakness of the bellows which suplied the organ with wind, and which he worked with his foot. He had not reached the end of the song when the leather gave way and brought the performance to a sudden close, die cats alone continuing the song or noise till one alter another they became silent and stood winking and blinking at the spectators, in mute fear ot a recommence ment of the torture. Curtis now’ approached, and after ex amining the extent of the catastrop' addressed the audience: “Gentlemen,” said he “the biler—l mean the bellows—is busted and the concert can’t go ahead to-night. To-mor row I’ll have the bellows mended and give another concert, introducing choice classical songs, melodies, etc. Anybody that wants his money returned to-night” —here he was interrupted with “No nol” “Hurrah for Curtis !” “Never mind the organ !” “Go ahead with the cat 1” “Give me Old Hundred with the varia tions !” and a storm of similar exclama tions accompanied with shouting, stamp ing, whistling and cat calling—Curtis all the time standing, twirling his hat and trying to be heard. A stentorian voice shouted “Three cheers for Curtis!” which was given in earnest, and literally brought down the house, or rather the staging on which the audience sat and stood. It fell with a crash, luckly doing no further harm than the barking of a few shins. A moment's silence followed, and then another outburst of laughter, mingled with swearing and blows, which soon became one of those frjc fights such as ended most public gatherings, stump speakings, camp meetings, etc., in those priinitive*and happy 7 times.. The boys now began to pelt the cats with pieces of broken benches; and Curtis, fearing for the safety of his pets, and unable to remove them bodily 7 from the scene of danger, lifted off the upper planks which confined their necks in their place, and set them at liberty. The terror-stricken creatures darted away in every direc tion, mostly among the feet of the spec tators, adding to the confusion. Whoops yells, hurrahs and shouts were followed by a general smash up of benches and windows. The bays, running down the stairs, raised the cry of “fire. Citizens and watchmen crowded the street to lea.'U the e.mise of the uprnrir, and the engines found difficulty in get ting near enough to perform their part of the work. There was no sight of fire, not even of smoke, but the old “Liber ty No 2” could not afford to come all the way down there for nothing so she poured a deluge of fresh water through the front window, drenching the whole crowd inside to the skin in half a minute. Peace was restored instantly, and the late belligerents came rushing and tumbling pell mell down the stairs. The watchmen finding that there was more laughing than cursing, and that no one had received any worse hurt than a black eye or a bloody nose, let them all go without making any arrests. Thus ended Curtis’ grand cat concert, an event that was talked of and laugh ed over for many years by the jolly boatmen of the Ohio, Its projector was ordered to appear before the Mayor next morning, and explain the cause of the riot, and it is said his honor bust off some of his buttons laughing at Curtis’ descrip tion of the scene. He was let off with the admonition to do so do more, and he didn’t. lie went back to his workshop next day—a wiser man, and soon forgot his disappointment in some new scheme which his active brain hatched out —a flying machine or something of the kind. But, to his dying day, he avowed that, but for the bursting of his bellows, his catharmonicon would have made him the richest man in Cincinnati. An Important Improvement to t t *e Power Loom. —The Herald chronicles an important improvement to the power loom, which our manufacturers will have to lock into. It is in the shuttle, which is driven by anew contrivance, which moves it by the application of a steady mechanical power, so that it can be driven any dis tance and stopped at any point, thus se curing a uniform selvedge any width of fabric desired —avoiding clatter and dan ger and saving power in running the loom. It is called Lyall’s positive motion. An Ingenious Invention.—A piece of mechanism for transferring railroad cars from one track to another without necessi tating the running of the car several hun dred feet backward or forward, as the ease may be, and without the use of switches, has been patented within the last few days. The practical advantages of it are a saving of depot room and or time, and railroad men say that it possesses some intrinsic merit. MINNESOTA CORRESPONDENCE OF THE BANNER OF THE SOUTH. Sr. Paul, (Minn ) July 15th, ’69. To the Editor of the Banner : Forgive the long silence of your very -irregular correspondent on the plea that he has been on the point of bidding a long and sorrowing adieu to the charms and beauties of this w T orld for the peace and quiet of that one where “glory of its monarch makes perpetual day,” since you last heard from nim. Well, aside with egotism, which embraces self-dispraise, self-suffering, as well as self-praise self glory, and now to my subject. There is a report, generally believed by our very credulous brethren in the East, that Minnesota is yet without the pale of civilization, and that every thing smacks of the wild Indian. That Mr. Donnelly’s illustrious career in Washing ton helped to waken these unsophisticated Yankees to a senso of their mistake, by his magnetic eloquence and extensive genealogical know’ledge of great families, no one will deny; yet if there were any of them here on last Tuesday, they would be convinced that if Minnesota be politically uncivilized (which no one doubts), at least her sons and daughters are becoming of that common and invincible civilizer, the Catholic Church, upon whose banner is emblazoned the Divine commission. “ Go teach (civilize) all nations,” no matter what Jew, Saxon, Greek and Radical say to the contrary. The cause of this beautiful demonstra tion of Catholic civilization on last Sun day, was the dedication of the new Church of Hastings, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Grace, of St. Paul. The new Church of Hastings is a neat, substantial stone building, being now in the process of erection for the last four years. It is almost completed, save the tower, which is yet no higher than than the roof. It will cost, when finished, about seventeen thousand dollars. It is a temple worthy indeed the Charity and zeal of a noble and generous people within whose heart throbs a Celtic heart. I mean no dis paragement to the German Catholic who nobly co-operated with the Priest in raising up a temple worthy of their reli gion, for the holy zeal for building and maintaining Churches is equally charac teristic of both races. The proceedings of the day were opened by a grand procession formed by the following Societies: St. Vincent de Paul, St. Boniface, Young Men’s Shamrock, and lather Mathew’s Temperance. First came the Cathedral Band, next the four Societies, followed py aoout tnree hun dred children, one hundred and sixty of whom were to be CAfirmed. .After the children came St. Peter’s Society, from St. Paul, numbering about one hundred and fifty members, headed by the North western Band. The procession formed at the Church, thence it moved to the residence of the Pastor, where it re ceived the JSishop and his clergy 7, who took their place between both bands; on it moved, by a circuitous route, (in order to bring the whole line into action, the distance being short between the Pastor’s residence and the Church), to the front door of the new edifice, which was now to be dedicated to the services of the Living God. Your readers are not ig norant of the beauty, significance and impressiveness of the Catholic rite of dedicate, therefore, 1 shall pass on. The dedication over, the Bishop as sisted by 7 the liev. C. Kenny and Kev. J. B. lialton commences Mass. After the Gospel, the Itev. J. Hermon as cends the platform of the Altar (pre ferring the same by a singular taste to the pulpit), and delivers a forcible dis course on the necessity of Church dedi cation. At the end of Mass, the Bishop ad ministered the sacrament of Confirma tion to about one hundred and sixty persons, an unusually large number for a place like Hastings. This is, how ever, a striking and conclusive proof that Catholicity is making rapid pro gress in Minnesota. I would be omit ting the leading feature of the day, at least that which held captive our sepa rated brethren, who were numerous on the occasion, were I not to mention the inspiring music ot the Choir. The Catholic Choir of Hastings is second to none in this State, and is at present under tiie leadership of Prof. Macken roth, a thorough master of music. Ho is nobly assisted by the peerless voices of Miss Maggie McHugh and sister. This day will long remembered by the Catholics of Hastings as one of holy joy and thanksgiving—one which told as plain as words that their Pastor, Father llaltou has never lost sight of the end which he iiad to accomplish when he came just one year ago ainonst them. Pardon me, Mr. Editor, for taking up so much of your valuable space by matter which will be interesting only to some of your readers. Yours, as of yore, Bon Zero. LORRETTO’S ACADEMY* KY- Bear “Banner :” Y our well directed efforts in promot ing’ all that is good and true, religiously no less tlianpoliticaUyqengeners in me the desire for furthering these efforts as far as lies within my power and province. In this view, I intrude, if intrusion it be deemed, into your Sanctum to bring to y>m own and the notice of your readers an institution, the claims of which, to prominence as a successful educational establishment, are undisputed. I allude to the “Lorretto Young Ladies Acade my” situated on the Louisville & Nash ville Railroad, about 50 miles from Louisville, Ky., and conducted by the “Friends of Mary at the Foot of the Cross familiarly known in the South and West, as the “Sisters of Lorretto.” It has been my privilege during the past year frequently to visit this institution and to examine closely its workings. To its credit be it said, that familiarity, far from breeding contempt, lias served, but to strengthen my first and favorable im pression of the regime, by which it seeks to prepare its pupils to become useful members of society. Solidity in instruc tion and not a mere superficial knowledge ol the branches taught, is especially aimed at, while useful accomplishments, tar from being ignored, receive their due share of attention. The annual com mencement exercises, which took place on the 29th ult., afforded the best proof of this assertion. The programme of the day (ol which I forward herewith a copy) was select and hightoned. The dialogues, each containing a moral, wholesome and salutary, -were written in a style pure and elevated, containing many gems of thought and beauties of expression. One in porticular “Why do we go to School” contained much that argued in the writer a thorough knowledge of human nature, many ot the salient points of which were happily and withal humorously exhibited much to the amusement of the audience. The delivery of the dialogues by the young ladies evidently showed i hat the good Sisters had not failed in their atten tion to even the minor details of a good education. The distinct enunciation and proper modulation of tone, exhibited by the young ladies in rendering their differ ent parts,spoke volumes for the care with which they had been trained, v Vie their modest and natural deportment on the stage, betokened how well they lid be n instructed in the principles of propriety. Os the execution of the musical portion of the programme ; I will oni\ say it was aumirauic. rue g c pianos, harps and guitar was never more in accord, while the sweet voice of song knew not a discordant note. This is much to say, but “Let the truth be told, though the heavens fall.” The closing address,like the Saluatory, were models of good sense, couched in becoming language and possessing the enviable merit of being just long enough. On the whole, the exercises of the exhi bition were strictly conformable to the character of the Academy, entertaining and recherche, with nothing that savored of worldliness or levity. The favorable light in which Lorretto is regarded by the clergy of the diocese of Louisvil'e was evinced by 7 the large number of that body who were present at the exercises of Tuesday,while the accep tability to our Protestant friends of the moral training and course of studies pur sued are witnessed by the goodly num ber of pupils, not catholic, who attend the institution. Persons of creeds other than the Catholic, are freely admitted into the institution and no solicitations are employed to change their religious convictions. To the young ladies of the South de siring a solid and polite education, we know of no institution which we could more unreservedly recommend on the score ot healthful location, easier of access and thoroughness of studies than the Academy of Lorretto, Marion county, Kentucky. Julies. P. S.—Messrs. Webb & C0.,0f Louis ville are agents for the Academy’. Any communication addressed to them will receive prompt attention. Contracts for Chinese Laborers. — A San Francisco piper of the 117th ult., says a contract has been made in that city to supply 20,000 Chinese laborers to be employed as plantation hands in Tennessee. The same paper commends the Chinese laborers for the manner in which they per formed their work on the Pacific Railroad, and thinks general attention has been at tracted to this class of labor for the reason that they have proved themselves unsur passed as rough workers. The Tennessee immigrants will receive their fare to the State and £2O per month wages. Anotln r force of 25,000 is being eontrae'od for to proceed to Mississippi. In ISGB the consumption el fiou’bi Paris amounted to 2,000,000 quin cis (450,000,000. pounds), which is equal to about 615 000,000 pounds of bread. 3
