West-Jersey pioneer., 1866-04-28
TUNING A PIANO,
A JACK TAR RAISING THE WIND
BY FALcoNBRIDaE.

As a general thing, there is but little
inventive faculty or trickery about a
sailor Jack is too apt to think boots and
shoes, like cocoanuts, grow on trees, and
that the world is not only finished long
ago, but don't want repairing, and is quite
good enough, without alteration, for any
body. But Jacks practical joker, and
so proverbially fond Of fun, that the re-
suit of long voyage Of hardship and dan-
ger goes in jiffy, to crafty some tran
sient, nonsensical whim or caprice.
Old man Bernard, son of the famed
comedian of thirty years ago, John Ber-
nard, gives us among variety OF odd
and amusing recollections Of life and
adventures, story, which we think
worth repeating. Bernard ran away from
home when boy, and became sailor,
and of course became subject to all the
ups and downs, trials and tribulations Of
sailors adventurous life. One day, says
he, found myself ashore, ay, on a lee
shore, not shot in the locker, nor
friend, in the city of New York. Ber-
nard stalked down to the shore, got free
passage up the Hudson on market boat,
and the next day, says he, l was put
ashore near the town of Rhinebeck. Two
shillings in his pocket and stick in his
hand, he went off on tramp, determined
to seek his fortune among the sturdy
farmers, or go into anything that might
develop the means of getting bread for
labor. The honest tar fell in with some
company" in the town of Rhinebeck,
and of course his two York shillings, pre-
sented him by the commander of the
market boat, vanishsd for stimulant
To let Jack Tar tell his own story,
says he:
"I was out of rhino, in Rhinebeck and
without any idea Of the next move. 1t
was fine evening in June, the moon was
up and my spirits were down. l starts
out of the Tavern to take little walk to
myself. Jack, says l, you're in a pooty
fix, you are, up here high and dry, among
these land crabs, stuck like big humble
bee with pin through his back, in
shcwman's case. I was case, that's a
fact. So I went ahead. thinking it all
over and over again, and the more paid
out to my thoughts the more the line got
kinked up and tangled; until says |, Jack
Bernard, it's no use bullylugging and box
ing the compass in this way; come to, old
boy and take it easy.
81 now hears music, piano was going,
hand over hand 1 always liked music,
was brought up to it you may say, |
could play violin some, pianos were out
of my latitude, but I could sing you know
with anybody. l stops right under the
lee of the handsome house where the
young ladies were singing and playing
the piano, and takin fancy position
against the railings in front of the house,
1 listens. The lady got through with a
piece of music, and says | to myself like,
you know, that's good-bravo" j"
"Hallop p says gentleman looking out
of the window. "What are you at there,
sir?
"Beg your PARDON says I, II was
listening to that young lady's song, and
it was good, and say-braUo"
"Go along, sir" says the gentleman,
"about your business; don't stand there"
"Thank you" says l.
"Go along, sir" says he, "none of your
palaver."
"Bus I stood my ground, and the piano
started again, and two of the ladies' and
one of the gentlemen sang really clever
trio. And when they got through, l
liked it so, that again said "Good
BRAvov'
"Who the deuce is that fellow 2" says
one of the insiders.
$50, start him off," says another
"Why bless me, it's sailor y says a
beautiful voice, from perfect angel of a
girl, as | observed. as she came to the
window and looked out at me.
"a sailor p says some others Of the
ladies', and then several of them came to
the window. / heard the door open, and
out comes gentleman, and says he:
s'Look here, what do you want?"
I "Well, sir" says |, Strengthening up
and looking him in the face, "a good
deal, and yet not much either"
"What do you want here, sir?"
"Oh, I beg your pardon, sir, | was
heaving along, and hearing the ladies
singing and the piano going"
"Well?
~ stopped"
awe see you have, but you must pass
along, sir, says the gentleman, motioning
me to push boat.
"Let him stand there" I heard one Of
the ladies say, bless her heart, "if he
wants to listen, George, let him be"
"You are sailor, amt your says the
gentleman. Hi sr5f
"Yes, sir, am," I responded, "but l
know some about music, sir, for all that.
I like music, | was brought up to it, sir," )"
says |.
"Indeed |"
ayes, sir" says I, sand when 1 heard
that piano of yours, | knew it was out Of
tone, (the gentleman grew quite attentive)
Yes, sir, sadly out of tome," l continued.
"Call him in" says the gentlemen.
ayes, George, bring the sailor in" says
the ladies, and, by Biscay 0, IN | went
"Do you play, sir 2" says one Of the
gentlemen.
"Oh, do sit down and play for us, says
the ladies. Well the fact was, l never
could play the piano, and SO says l,
"Ladies," dofing my tarpaulan, '"you see
it's some time since played, my hands
you see are hard and pokerish, and I'd
make mighty poor fist Of it, now but
I'll try" and down I sits, with all the
flourish Of regular professor. | leaned
back on the stool, spread my feet, and
stretched my hands and fingers -tum q
hum dom duns tweedle leedle leedle-d
de de --tsceet!
"By the Bay Of Biscay, but they looked
at me, as I dashed over the keys"
sDom, DOM" I hits the base some
rousing thumps, and then says |, in seem