When Dad played hisfiddle(小提琴), the world became a bright star. To him violin was an instrument of faith, hope and charity. At least a thousand times, my mother said, "Your papa would play his fiddle if the world was about to blow up."
And once Dad came about as close to that as could ever be possible.
Everything on Nubbin Ridge—and on a majority of the small farms in Texas—was built around cotton as the money crop. But in the early years of the century, theboll weevil(棉子橡皮虫)began devastating the cotton farms in the south.
And in May of 1910 folks all over the nation were in a space-age state of turmoil over Halley's Comet. There were all sorts of frightening stories about the comet, the main one being that the world would pass through its tail, said to be millions of miles long.
Between the threats of comet and weevils, the farmers were running low on optimism. One night, the farmers gathered at our farm to discuss what to do. When everyone had found seats, Will Bowen suggested, "Charley, how about getting down your fiddle and bow and giving us a little music?"
"Aw, I don't think anybody'd want to hear me saw thegourd(葫芦)tonight,"Dad replied.
"Come on, Mr Nordyke," one of the younger women urged, "why don't you play for us."
Dad had a knack for getting people in the mood for his music. Knowing of the scattered prejudice against the fiddle, he eased into a song titled Gloryland. It was a church song with church tones, but it was fairly fast with some good runs. He shifted from Gloryland to The Bonnie Blue Flag, a Confederate war song, which created a big stir—foot stamping, hand clapping and a few rebel yells.
Will Bowen, apparently having forgotten Halley's Comet, shouted, "How about giving us Sally Goodin?" Dad played the old breakdown with vigor. Several men jumped up and jigged around. Children gathered around and gazed wide-eyed at the performance.
All our neighbors went home whistling or humming. Very few remembered to look toward the northwest to see whether the comet and its wicked tail were still around...
One evening, Will Bowen called dad on the telephone and said, "Charley, I'mdownhearted(无精打采的)and blue. Every time a square forms, there are four boll weevils waiting there to puncture it with their snouts. Just wondered if you could play a tune or two for me?"
"I sure could, Will," Dad said. "Could you come over?"
"No. I mean play on the phone box."
"The phone box?"
"Sure," Mr Bowen said. "I can hear you talk. Why couldn't I hear the fiddle?"
Dad took the fiddle to the telephone and thumped the strings. Putting the receiver to his ear, he said, "Hear anything. Will?"
"Sure can," Mr Bowen said. "Could you try Sally Goodin and play it just like you did the other night?" Dad handed the receiver to me. He stepped up to the mouthpiece on the wall box and cut loose on Sally Goodin. I could bear Mr Bowen whistling and yelling.
By the time the tune was finished there were half a dozen neighbors on the line, and they talked about how wonderful the music sounded over the telephone. They made numerous requests; I relayed them to Dad and he played the numbers.
Our party line broadcasts became regular features of community life. On rough-weather days of winter when farm folks were forced to remain in the house, someone would ring us and ask Dad to play, and usually it developed into a network affair. Our phone kept ringing with requests for music until radio came in.
新概念英语第二册美音版 28-No Parking
新概念英语第二册美音版 56-Faster Than Sound
新概念英语第二册美音版 35-Stop Thief
新概念英语第二册美音版 54-Sticky Fingers
新概念英语第二册美音版 49-The End of a Dream
新概念英语第二册美音版 12-Goodbye and Good Luck
新概念英语第二册美音版 37-The Olympic Games
新概念英语第二册美音版 42-Not Very Musical
新概念英语第二册美音版 57-Can I Help You, Madam
新概念英语第二册美音版 27-A Wet Night
新概念英语第二册美音版 48-Did You Want to Tell Me Something
新概念英语第二册美音版 20-One Man in a Boat
新概念英语第二册美音版 26-The Best Art Critics
新概念英语第二册美音版 11-One Good Turn Deserves Another
新概念英语第二册美音版 13-The Greenwood Boys
新概念英语第二册美音版 21-Mad or Not
新概念英语第二册美音版 55-Not a Gold Mine
新概念英语第二册美音版 53-Hot Snake
新概念英语第二册美音版 19-Sold Out
新概念英语第二册美音版 51-Reward for Virtue
新概念英语第二册美音版 29-Taxi
新概念英语第二册美音版 39-Am I All Right
新概念英语第二册美音版 38-Everything Except the Weather
新概念英语第二册美音版 32-Shopping Made Easy
新概念英语第二册美音版 31-Success Story
新概念英语第二册美音版 58-A Blessing in Disguise
新概念英语第二册美音版 47-A Thirsty Ghost
新概念英语第二册美音版 16-A Polite Request
新概念英语第二册美音版 60-The Future
新概念英语第二册美音版 45-A Clear Conscience