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American Folk Stuff
FORM A
STATE: Washington
/CUE OF WORKER: Eben H. Drum
ADURESS: Orchards, WaBh., houti #1
DATE: December 23, 1938
SUBJECT: Old Time Fiddlers
1, A. D. Streeter
2. December 21, 1938
3. Informant's shack
4. Myself
5. None
6. Cobwebby one -room shack, rather filthy
American Folk Stuff
FORM B
STATE: WaShington
NAME OF WORKER: Eben H. Drum
ADDRESS: Orchards, Wash„ Ibute #1
DATE: December 21, 1938
SUBJECT: Old Timer Fiddlers
NAME AND ADDRESS OF INFCRANT: A. D. Streeter, Ordhards„ wash., Ibute #1
1. Unknown
2. Unknown; 1860
3. Unknown
4. Unknown
5. Meager
6. Unknown
7. None
8 Very slight
9. bather dirty in appearance, clothes unkept.
10. None.
OLD TIME FIDDLERS Eben H. Drum
Route 1, Orchards, Washington
"I organized a neighborhood orchestra the year of 1912 in the neighborhood in
and about Orchards. We played for most of the community dances for miles about.
I had learned to play the fiddle when I was a small bay. In my orchestra was a
first fiddles a second fiddles a cellos cornets clarionets flute and a flageolet.
We met about from place to place to play for practice and also had regular meeting night
at the town hall. The orchestra got to be mighty popular. We played such popular
nieces as 'Devil's Dreams' 'The Girl I Left Behind most 'Pop -goes -the -weasel' 'Last
Bose of Summers' "Money Musk' and many more of the popular airs. I made lot of small
booklets so that each member could have one of his awn. I drew the whole out by hand
using a pen and ink. We knew exactly what we were to play and played it. We travel-
ed about the country with a team and hack (tam -seated buggy). We not only furnished
the music but did the calling, and bossed the floor. We played for dances in Clare
County and would be sent fors to play for dances over in Oregon. We were mighty pop-
ular musicians and I was out -standing as their leader. There was a rival put in ex-
istence in the neighborhood over to the east of us. We were asked to play for a
dance right in their neighborhood. One night our boys were playing away and the
dancers were hoeing -it -down in a right smart quadrilles when the rival orchestra
leader came into the room. He was mad to think our boys had been asked to play over
there. He yelled, 'You think you can plays don't you? Get out of here, you damn
fiddling cusses.' A free for all fight started right there. One of my boys got a
black eye and I got hold of a piece of 2x4 that happened to be handyl-and bays didn't,,,
(7
I clean out that mess. Twas always pretty good with my fists and two black shin#ers
(eyes) was given that orchestra leader.
C./ That Orchestra never was any good-- two fiddles and a cello were all the instru-
ments they had. They didn't know half the time what they4tere playing. The fiddlers
most of the time would forget to bring their resin along and how their fiddles would
squeak. I remember one night I forgot to bring my resin along and one of the girls was
chewing some gum which was some of that stuff maVing a resinous base in it. I said,
OLD TIME FIDDLERS (Cont.)
Well, that was several months ago, but they have not caught up with that sheriff
yet, I guess/or I have not seen anything of him. I tell you they hated the looks
of my fist. Nothing like keepint phyeically fit.
"I remember once, when I was q-ite a little bay, I was out welkin' with my father
'round Green Mountain over thar. We came to a hole in the side of the mountain and as
I was always curious, I said to pa, you wait here, while I see where that hole leads to.
cte4v ;id)
we'rr;-: r-6items#9-4m-saeskine hole went straigh awn. I went down about a hundred yards
or so. It looked pretty dark to me and about this time pa/hollered from the out —side,
'Art, you'd better come out of there.' Well, I came out but made up my mind that I'd
moybe
get brother Bill to come with me some day and we'd go dawn that cave and oar -find
some hidden Injnn treasure. Well, about a week afterthat, Bill and me/started out
but we took our trusty old lantern with us. We found the cave and crawled into it.
After we got in a yy the cave got bigger. We lit our lantern and wandered along for
a distance of what seemed to me a mile or more. We came upon a heap of bones, which
J:
looked like animals bones. Bill and thought this may have been the home of some
a
vvere-
cougpre that had carried in their prey to eat iU Well, weAkind of scsripi and decided
to get out of that thar cave. The cave went straight in, so there was no chance to
get lost. We had no trouble getting out.
"We decided to came back some /other time and go to the end of that cave. Wells
about a month later, we want back. ihxt some rock disturbance must have taken place.
Te hunted for several hours for the opening. 13ut all we could find was a place where
it looked like the earth had sunken in. We were mighty glad it did not happen while we
were in that cave."