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

upon I screwed my flute together, saw
that all was right, and having chosen
1.-THE Power of Love-" put the instru-
ment to my lips, and Fan up and down
the scale. It was well didn't rush IN
medjas re- ct the moment, for discovered
that l was nearly - untrustworthy in
recollecting my tunes - had been in re-
calling their words. Even this "Power
Of Low" had 70 be hummed over twice
internally before I could venture to be
And now the end wss 1t hand; that
horrid dancing Of the heart had recon-.
menced even before the music. There
were lights in al the houses but one, but
fortunately I had no bystanders TO trouble
me. And now for the kial; now for the
bread Of the dear ones weeping. perhaps,
fists, / felt the embouchure Of my flute
with the tip Of my tongue. At last ! was
tolersbly satisfied, and there remained
now nothing in the world to hinder my
making beginning 0, wasn't there
though? How about the fiercely beating
heart and the unsteady legA and the
trembling fingerA that would hardly obey
me when / tried 10 give the chromatic
scale. There I was, with the flute to my
lips It must have been something akin
to mans standing on the scafold, 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 - fixed my heart steadily on
them, and-blew! An, heaving chest and
trembling fngersi steady, steady, my
friends, Tor 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 Q little prayer Of this sort, and It
comforted me too. Some prayers are
answered in moment. This was,
l am sure. For / did get calmer, my
heart ceased FACILITATING 80 fnriously, 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-room 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. l don't want to fiatter myself; but
know very well that my performance Of
"The Power of Love-" "Di Prorenza,"
and the First Love Waltzes," must have
had more attraction than the music Of the
usual street flautist, playing 20 Susanna
on his one.keyed, vanished pine flute.
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" Dt Procenzn;" and here
the Young ladies from the middle house
fairly turned out, some with their hats on,
some. with q 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 l mentioned
in my first paragraph came out; several
Others followed their example, and few
more listeners were attracted up from the
street.
Nearly in every house at least one WIN
dow showed OH lockers BY this time l
had finished "Di Proucnza" and another
air. and had concluded with la mia
Lstizia" from I Lombard" stood still
a moment, NV heart ag0n began to beat
painfully but / comforted myself by re-
fiecting that if were going to be offered
any money at least had fairly earned it.
Should I ask for any? o, no, certainly
not at all events 80 far as words went
for in the first place hadn't any idea of
what to say !; and secondly, even IL had,
I was 80 nervous that couldn't articulate.
stood still, then; but it was only for
The gentleman with the lady on
his arm came gently up to me and gave
me that crossed sixpences He did 1t 80
kindly tool There was world OF pity. l
in his simple action: l really
believe he made me q bow; know
made him one. Then he and the lady,
who had, felt, never ceased scanning me,
went away. Most of the other parties one
by one advanced and gave me silver. and
they did it 20 kindly, ] was sure! Final
", : gentleman, who was sitting alone at
bis window, came out hafiess ana handed
me q shilling. Why didn't he cry hal
100 T. anu OcCkOu uO OvOA w uAAu, VI CLIO
throw the money out to me? cannot
say. lonly relste things exactly a. they
ag., 8.3h
played one more tune to show I was
grateful, and with bursting and thank.
ful heart I went away. l had received
four shillings and sixpence for few min
utes' tiute playing. II il 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, my wife, my poor children had
ought the hard battle for your dear sakes
Ind-won. 81 a
continued q street minstrel for just
ifteen days - excluding Sundays - and
armed altogether no less for nay evenings
work than six pounds four shillings. Ny
akings were rapidly increasing, notwith-
standing the cold season, for was in
act, becoming rather kind Of rage.
vas the only mau Of the species In the
,olony, and after retired I don't think
my one appeared in my stead, at least,
none whe aimed higher than the conven-
;ional Negro with his banjo. 4 used to
ling fashionable operate Italian arias.