The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-02-24

Dreau OF the uear ones weeping, perhaps,
at home for mel And as usual with flau
fists, / felt the embouchure of my flute
with the tip of my tongue. At last l was
tolerably satisfied, and there remained
now nothing in the world TO hinder my
making a beginning. o, wasn't there
though? How about the fiercely beating
heart, and the unsteady legs, and the
trembling fingers, that would hardly obey
scale? There was, with the flute to my
lips. 1t must have been something akin
to a mans standing on the scaffold, with
moment cowardly demon urged me to
my children - fixed my heart steadily on
trembling fingers! 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 J" Yes, l actually
said little prayer of this sort, and it
comforted me too. Some prayers are
answered in moment. This was,
am sure. For l did get calmer, my
heart ceased palpitating so furiously, and
my hands trembed less, and l sent out
waves and streams of melody-sent them
out on the night air. | was surprised at
myself fairly wondered how well 1 got
on; and thus l 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 at
the player. Presently she returned with
two other ladies; then gentleman joined
them and finally they opened the win
dow. don't want to flatter myself; but
/ know very well that my performance of
The Power of Love-" "Di Prooenza,"
and the First Love Waltzes," must have
had more attraction than the music of the
usual street flautist, playing 30 Susanna"
on his one-keyed, vanished pine flute.
On my right hand l 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. l rested
awhile, then began "Di 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 l mentioned
in my first paragraph came out; several
others followed their example, and a few
more listeners were attracted up from the
street.
Nearly in every house at least one WIN
dow showed on-lookers. BY this time l
had finished "Di Pr0ue7lza" and another
air, and had concluded with I" La mia
Letizia" from / Lomb1rdi" l stood still
a moment, My heart again began to beat
painfully but l comfOrted myself by re-
flecting that if were going to be offered
any money l at least had fairly earned it.
Should ask for any? 0, 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 il had,
/ was so nervous that / couldn't articulate
/ stood still, then but it was only for a
moment. The gentleman with the lady on
his arm came gently up to me and gave
me that crossed sixpence. He did it so
kindly tool There was world of pity,
thought, in his simple action. really
believe he made me 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 so kindly, was sure! Final
ly, gentleman, who was sitting alone at
his window, came out hatless and handed
me shilling. Why didn't he cry "hal-
loo ~ and beckon me over to him, or else
throw the money out to me? l cannot
say. | only relate things exactly as they
happened.
played one more tune to show was
grateful, and with bursting and thank
ful heart 1 went away. 1 had received
four shillings and sixpence for few min
utes' flute playing. If it had been a nice
summers evening, among a crowd of we'll
dressed people, and l had played my gui-
tar and sung, how much more might not
my earnings have been? But 1 was
grateful for what had received.
o. my wife my poor children had
fought the hard battle for your dear sakes
and-won.
l continued a street minstrel for just
fifteen days - excluding Sundays - and
earned altogether no less for my evenings
work than six pounds four shillings. My
takings were rapidly increasing, notwith
standing the cold seasOn,-for l was, IN
fact, becoming rather a kind of rage.
was the only mau of the species in tht
colony, and after 1 retired l don't think
any one appeared in my stead, at least
none who aimed higher than the conven
tional negro with his banjo. l used tC
sing fashionable operate Italian arias
| Spanish ballads, and French chansOns
with now and then a favorite English
song. began drawing very well indeed
and soon had no fears about my weekly
bills. But just when 1 least expected {
suitable engagement offered, and retired
from my stage. But / went through
good deal in that fortnight,-a lifetime o
] al-z.-...~.. III. ~