e in this collection. In 1890 he
was elected city clerk of Brazil, Indiana, a position which he held
for seven years. In 1898 he was elected treasurer of Clay County,
Indiana. This county is democratic "by between five and six hundred"
but Mr. Macdonald was elected on the republican ticket by a majority
of 133. He was the only republican elected. Among the best known of
Mr. Macdonald's compositions is his famous "expansion" song, in which
he predicted the fate of Aguinaldo. He has autograph letters, praising
this song, from the late President McKinley, Col. Roosevelt, General
Harrison, Admiral Schley, John Philip Sousa and other "eminent
gentlemen."

Edward Dyer, born in Washington, was the son of a marble cutter who
"helped to erect the U. S. Treasury, Patent Office, and Capitol.... In
the majority of his compositions there is a tinge of sadness which
appeals to his auditors.... Mr. Dyer never descends to coarseness or
vulgarity in his productions; he writes pure, clean words, something
that can be sung in the home, school and on the stage to refined
respectable people."

We learn much of the study years of Mrs. Lucy L. Taggart: "From
earliest childhood she received valuable musical instruction from her
father (Mr. Longsdon) who, coming from England in 1835, purchased the
first piano that came to Chicago, an elegant hand-carved instrument
that is still treasured in the old home." Later "she studied under
Prof. C. E. Brown, of Owego, N. Y., Prof. Heimburger, of San Francisco
and Herr Chas. Goffrie. Mrs. Taggart was also for five years a pupil
of Senor Arevalo, the famous guitar soloist of Los Angeles.... Mrs.
Taggart has in preparation (1902) _Methought He Touched the Strings_,
an idyl for piano in memory of the late Senor M. S. Arevalo."

David Weidley, born in Philadelphia, is the composer of the following
songs, _Old Spooney Spooppalay_, _Jennie Ree_, _Autumn Leaves_,
_Hannah Glue_, and _Uncle Reuben and Aunt Lucinda_. "He has done much
to create and elevate a taste for music in the community where he
resides and where he is known as 'Dave.' Even the little children call
him 'Dave' as freely and innocently as those who have known him for
years, and there can be no greater compliment for any man than that he
is known and loved by the children. Mr. Weidley is by profession a
sheet metal worker. He is a P. G. of the I. O. O. F., and a P. C. in
the Knights of Pythias. He is not identified with any church, but
loves a