Songs of Other Bays 229 



logging-bee, the clearing, the cowbell and the bush- 

 place. Everybody loved its music. 



POETS AND VIOLINS 



Most every one is familiar with that little poem 

 of James Whitcomb Riley's on *'The Fiddle.'* 



And Mr. Riley was not the only writing man 

 who paid tribute in verse to the fiddle. There have 

 been many fine short poems about this king of mu- 

 sical instruments. Boys and girls, born and raised 

 in the country, where'er they may be, find their 

 thoughts turning to the happy days of childhood 

 whenever they hear its strains. 



" 'Mid strenuous strife of city life, 

 I look back to boyhood days, 

 With many a sigh for the days gone by 

 Since I walked 'mid country ways. 

 Ah, rare delights of those winter nights, 

 When free from care and sin, 

 By the kitchen fire we'd never tire 

 Of the tunes on the violin." 



THE FIDDLER A MIGHTY POPULAR MAN 



They used to say in a rural community that the 

 youth with a good 'coon-hunting dog in the fall- 

 time was likely to be the most popular person in 

 the district. It was just nonsense. Why, as I 

 knew it, the fiddler was an easy first against all- 

 comers. '*Is the fiddler here yet?" would be the 



