Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-03

Sing couldn't; play might and there
upon l screwed my flute together, saw
that all was right, and having chosen
"The Power of Love- put the instru-
ment to my lips, and ran up and down
the scale. II vas wen / didn't rush n
naedj0s res at the moment, for discovered
that I was nearly - untrustworthy in
recollecting my tunes % had been in re-
calling their words. Even this "Power
Of Love" had to be hummsd over twice
internally before could venture to be
sure of It.
And now the end was It hand; that
horrid dancing Of the heart had recon-.
menced even before the music. There
were lights in all the houses but one, but
fortunately I had no bystanders TO trouble
me. And now for the trisl; now for the
bread Of the dear ones weeping. perhaps,
ct home for me! And - usual with dsu-
fists, / felt the embouchure Of my flute
with the tip or my tongue. At last l was
tolerably satisfied, and there remained
now nothing in the world to hinder my
making beginning o, wasn't there
though? How about the ficrcely beating
heart, and the unsteady legs and the
trembling fingers that would hardly obey
me when / tried 10 give the chromatic
scaley There / was, with the flute to my
lips. It must have been something akin
to mans standing on the scaffold, with
the rope round his neck, Even at the last
moment cowardly demon urged me to
turn and fee. But thought, My wife,
my children I" fixed my heart steadily on
them, and--blew! An, heaving chest and
trembling fingefsi steady, steady, my
friends, for their dear sake May He
who gave me those precious treasures TO
watch over and guard, now enable me to
get through this hard, hard trial, for
their daily bread - Yes, / actually
said little prayer of this sort, and it
comforted me too. Some prayers are
answered In a moment This was,
| am sure. For / did get calmer, my
heart ceased FACILITATING so furiously, and
my hands trembed less, and sent out
waves and streams Of melody-sent them
out on the night air. / was surprised at
myself. fairly wondered how well got
on /; and thus / reached the roulades at
the end Of the air. But here something
apparently like trials came though, in
deed, after the first shock, they rather in
spirited me. First few people stopped in
the street below the terrace then, in the
middle house, drawing blind was
pulled aside, and a lady looked down ut
the player. Presently she returned with
two other ladies'; then gentleman joined
them; and finally they opened the win
dow. / don't want to fiatter myself; but
know very well that my performance Of
+" The Power of Love-" "Di Provenza,"
and the First Love Waltzes," must have
had more attraction than the music OF the
usual street flautist, playing 80 Susanna
on his one-keyed, vanished pine f1ute.
On nv right hand noticed windows in
one house after another showing lockers
on behind them. Presently the people
from the street came up and over TO me
and could hear that several others had
taken their vacated stations rested
awhile. then began" Dj Procenza;" and here
the Young ladies from the middle house
fairly turned out, some with their hats on,
some. with handkerchief thrown over
the head-turned out this gloomy even
ing. though, however, it wasn't raining
at the time-and promenaded the terrace
with their male companion. Next, the
lady and gentleman whom | mentioned
in my first paragraph came out; several
others followed their example, and few
more llSLeHcIS Wclc aCsA"SeS w AAVAA WAY
street.
Nearly in every house at least one WIN
dow showed on lockers. BY this time l
had finished "Di Prouensa" and another
air. and had concluded with La MIA
Letizia" from / LornbarG." | stood still
moment, My heart agon began to beat
painfully but | comforted myself by re.
flecting that if were going to be offered
any money at least had fairly earned it.
Should ask for any? q, no, certainly
not at all events SO far as words went
for in the first place 1 hadn't any idea of
what to say !; and secondly, even II had,
was so nervous that / couldn't articulate.
stood still, then; but it was only for
moment. The gentleman with the lady on
his arm came gently up to me and gave
me that crossed sixpence.@ He did it 80
kindly too! There was world of pity,
thought, in his simple action: l really
believe he made me a bow; l know
made him one. Then he and the lady,
who had, L felt, never ceased scanning me,
went away. Most Of the other parties one
by one advanced and gave me silver and
they did it 80 kindly, ] was snrel Final
", gentleman, who was sitting alone at
his window, came out hstless and handed
me . shilling. Why didn't he cry hal
loo |" and beckon me over to him, or else
throw the money out to met cannot
say. ] only relate things exactly a. they
I played one more tune to show l was
grsteful, and with . bursting and thank.
full heart went away. had received
four shillings and sixpence for few min
utes' tiute playing. II u had been 2 nice
evening, among . crowd OF we'll
dressed people, and had played my gui-
tar and sung, how much more might not
nv earnings have been But ! was
grateful for what had received.
o, nv wifei my poor children! had
fought the hard battle for your dear sakes
and-wOn. II
I continued street minstrel for just
fifteen days - excluding Sundays = and
earned altogether no less for my evenings
work than six pounds four shillings. Ny
takines were rapidly increasing, notwith-
the cold season, -for was in
fact, becoming rather kind Of rage. !
was the only man Of the species In the
colony, and after Iiretired I don't think
any one appeared in my stead, at least,
none who aimed higher than the conven-
tionalr negro with his banjo. I used TO,
sing fashionable operate italian arias,
q - 49,