The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-04-08
THE TEN DOLLAR PIANO.


fresh lustre in her dark eyes, aud June's
reddest roses on her dimpled cheeks,
came rushing up to me.
90 l' she cried, tossing the stray
curls from her brow, "we've got the
splendidest new piano over home, and
mother wants you to come and try it.
She says you shall play on it first. .
Now 1 am child with children: my
heart bounds, my pulses leap in unison
with their sportive natures, when they
are by. And then the locks are silver
ed on my temples and my step grows
slow upon the staircase, when the vol
ces of my loved are only like remember
ed music, when my hands grasp be-
comes tremulous like the looseniDg ten
drills of the dying vine, still may the
dear Lord grant to me the trusting ten
derness of childhood still may the feet
of infancy patter around my knee, and
its red lips breathe perfume on my
withered cheek.
Away went ink and pen, and up bound
ed 1 to catch the hand of little Nellie,
and we ran, in at the beautiful mansion
into room softly lighted, where Mel.
lies mother, who was an invalid, laid
upon her accustomed couch and up to
the new piano to soothe the weary sick
one with strains of music. The instu-
ment was one after my own heart, rich
toned, full and melodious, and the soft
strains answered liquidly to my touch.
Now the sweet verse of Burns " High
land Maryland now the sweeter mu-
sic of Tappan's There is an Hour OF
Peaceful Rest" occurred to my mem
ory, and thus I played and sang till
Nell;e's father came. He was a hand
some man in the full vigor of mandood,
and from his little daughter inherited
her golden tinted hair and hazel eyes.
He took seat near his wife, and drew
her thin hand into his, as he spoke to
her. Then when I praised the new pi-
ano, he turned to me, laughipgly.-
" Yes, and the best part of it, it only
cost me ten dollars"
I expressed my astonisement, and
my look of wonder drew another laugh
from him.
"Let me tell you the story" he said,
drawing little Nellie towards him, and
encircling her little form with his arm.
while she looked with as much astonish-
ment as myself, and he began:
GA few years ago I went to Chicago.
I had been there but few days, when,
in one of my morning walks, encoun-
tered girl some twelve years old, a
very intelligent, bright eyed child,
whose face wore such sorrowful express
sion that I almost stopped to speak
with her as she passed. The morning
air was raw and chilly, the ground wet
from light fall of early snow, and I
noticed that, as the wind blew her thin
garments about her form, she shivered
with the cold. AS she went by, she
half turned, and I had gone but little
way before heard quick footsteps be-
hind me, and stopping, the girl lifted
her hand, as if to place it on my arm !;
drawing back, she said:
"Please, sir. if you could give me a
little money to buy Bread"
care you hungry?" I asked.
Yes, sir-real hungry" and her
lips quivered.
doesn't your father work, and bring
home bread pm
Father is sick," she said, " and
mother sprained her arm, and my broth
er, who used to help US, was drowned
not long ago."
Something in my heart, and in her
face, told me that her story was true.
I took her into bakers shop, bade her
hold out her tattered apron, and fillod
it with loaves. Then putting five dol
lars in the shopman's hand, I stipulated
that the poor family was to have bread
every morning till the money was used
up. Then 1 slipped another five dol
lars into the girls hand, and turned
hastily from her tear filled eyes.
Well, ten dollars were gone, and I
was by no means rich enough to spare
it; but felt as if, no doubt, the Lord
would make it up, and at any rate, ten
dollars was cheap enough for the rare
pleasure of giving to Gods poor chill
dren. went back to my hotel just as
the gong sounded for breakfast, and took
my seat with hundred strangers. No
sooner had commenced eating than l
felt hand laid on my elbow, and look
ing up, there sat an old friend had not
met for fourteen years. When I last
saw him, he vas young man just start
ing in the world, with little means and
few friends.
i I have not grown rich," he said, after
The first surprise of recognition was
,ver; "but am able to pay my debts
Do you remember one day, fourteen
years ago, you lent me ten dollars in my
extremity, and told me never to pay it
unless was able? How I have tried
10 find your address many times since,
but could not. Here is a ten dollar
gold piece, and ana only sorry that 1 |