[108] A dirge is a tune expressing grief and mourning.
The Musical Glasses.
—How to Make Them.
—Different from the tomato cans, the musical glasses make about the sweetest music ever heard. To make a set get eight very thin glass goblets and mount them on a board 12 inches wide and 2 feet long. An easy way to do this is to fasten the foot of each goblet down with a couple of thin strips of tin or brass placed across it and screwing the ends of these to the board as shown in [Fig. 108].
To tune the glasses pour water in them until each has exactly the right pitch and together they form an octave. When you have learned to play simple tunes on an octave of musical glasses you can build up the set to 22 glasses or three octaves, which will give you enough notes to play almost any of the popular airs.
Fig. 108. the musical glasses
How to Play the Glasses.
—Before starting in to play moisten the rims of the glasses and rub your fingers with water in which you have put some vinegar, or better, a little acetic acid,[109] until they feel quite rough.
[109] This is the acid contained in vinegar that gives it its value.