Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-05-07
Written for the~"Sp;rit of the T.mes,"l
A PIANO IN ARKANSAS.
by the author Of "T'om Oven, le Dee
bynfsrv

I'D
A PIANO IN ARKANSAS.
by the author Of "Tom Owea, The Dee
hantsr."
We shall never forget the excitemen
which seized upon the inhabitants of the lit
tie village OF llardscrabble, as tho repor
spread through the community that a rea
Piano had actually arrived within its precincts
Speculation was atioat as to It's appearance
and its use. The name was familiar with
every body, but what it precisely meant, none
could tell. That 1t had legs was certain, TO,
la stray volume Of Capt. M~arryatt's "Diary,'
was one Of the most conspicuous works in the
floating library Of Hardscrabble. And Cap.
Marryatt stated that he saw a Piano, some
where in New England, With pantalets on.
An old and foreign paper was brounht for.
ward, in which there was an advertisement
headed "Soiree," which informed the uciti.
zens generally" that MFR. Bobolink, .would
preside a. the Piano" This was presumed
to mean, BY. several wise acres, who had b en-
to a menagerie, that MIR. Bobolink stirred
the Piano up with a lopg pole, in the same
way the Snowman did the lions, and rhi.no-
ce-rus. So public opinion was in favor of its
being an animal, though harmless one, for
there had been a land Spectator through the
village a few weeks before who distributed
circulars of a Female Academy for the ac-
complishment of young ladies'. These circu.
lars distinctly stated 'ihe use of tho Piano to
be one dollar per month" One knowing old
chap said, that if they would tell him what So
Tree meant. he would tell them what q Piano
was, and no mistake.
The owner of this strange INSTRUMENT was
no less than a very quiet and very respectay
bic. late merchant in little town somewhere
down east" who having "failed' at home,
had emigrated into the Sew country of Arkan-
sas. for the purpose of lettering his fortun,,
and escaping the heartless sympathy of his
more lucky neighbors, who seemed to consi-
der him an Indifferent and degraded man be-
cause be had become honestly poor.
The new corners were strangers of course.
TIE house in which they were setting up
th'ir furniture, Was too little arranged ITO adj
NIT Of calls" and as they seemed little dis
posed to court society, all prospect of immedi-
a'ely slowing the mystery that hung about the
Piano, seemed hopeless. In the mean time
opinion WIS "rife"-the depository of
this strange thing was looked upon BY passcrs-
by with undesirable awe--and as noises, un-
familiar, sometimes reached the street, it wes
presumed this was the Piano, and the excite
ment rose higher than ever. One or two old
lad es, presuming on their age and respecta-
bility. called upon the strangers and enquired
after their healths, and offered their services,
and friendship. In the mean time they eyed
thing in the house with intensity, but
'eeIng nothing strange, they limited about the
One Of the pew family observed care
|essly, that it had been much injured in
it out, that the damp had affected its
and that one of its legs was SO injured
hat it would not stand mp, and that for the
it would not ornament the parlor."
Here was all explanation indeed-injured
n bringing it out-da'ap affected it's tones
egg broken-"poor thing" calculated the old
aides, as they proceeded to their homes,
has evidently fatigued it, the Mas
fogs has given it a cold, poor. thing"
md they all wanted to see it with increased
'urlosiiy. 1.-THE Village" agreed that if Mo-
les Mercer, familiarly called No Mercer, was
y town. they would soon have description
the piano, and the uses to which it was put,
md fortunately, in the midst Of the excite
nent, "Mo,' who had been off Oh a hunting
expedition, arrived in town.
Moses Mercer was the son of sold Mer-
,er." who was, and had been, in the State Sc
late, ever since Arkansas was admitted into
he sUnion:"n "Mo," fromSthis fact, received
,reat glory Of course his fathers greatness
would have been glory enough, but his ha--
ng been twice to the Capitol" whenthe Ie-
was in session, stamped his claims
o pre-eminence over all competitors, and No
Mercer was the oracle of the village. "Ao"
NEW every thing; he had all the consequence
md complacency of O man who had never
Ieen his equal, and never expected to. saMo"
ragged extensively on his having been to the
Capitol" twice,-of his the.e having been in
he most fashionable sceiety,-of having seen
be world. His return TO town was received
With a shout. The arrival of the Piano was
announced to him, and he alone, of all the
community, was not astonished at the news
Ills insensibility was wonderful be treated
he thing as matter that he was used to, and
rent or to say he had seen more Pianos in
he "Capitof" than he had ever seen wood.
,hucks,-that it was not an animal, but a mu.
Iical instrument, played upon by the ladies,
md he wound up bis description by saying,
that the way the dear creetsrs could pull the
music out Of II, was q caution to screech-
DIS JEW teIH gwen I'd the Ftalo excite. |
nent in Hardscrabble. by Mo Mercer, was
ike. pouring oil on fire to e~xtinguish II, for it
out with more vigcr than ever. That
I was a musical instrument, made il a rsrer
hing than it it had been an animal, in that
Wild country, and people Of ali sizes. eoIors,
md degrees, were dying to sec and hear it.
Jim Cash was Bio MERGERS right hand man
in the language OF refined society, he was
Mos toady,"-in the language Of Hard.
scrabble, be was aAfo's vhee.-horse." Cash