The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-05-25
From the Detroit Free Press.l
Old Memories.
THE MAN WITH THE GAME LEG AND THE ORGAN
GRINDER.-PLAY THAT TUNE AGAIN.

Yesterday hand organist sat down before a
house on Congress street and began to turn out
sweet melodies, but the first tune hadn't been
finished when an odd-looking man about fifty
years old, having game leg and general for
lorn look, came along and halted in front of the
Italian.
"Now, that Is sweetp' he said after mo-
ment; carries me right back to the days when
me and Hammer sat on the hind stoop and
suuoze hands and told our love"
-"Op-era muzeek," replied the Italian, smil-
ing at the enthusiasm of his audience. wall,
now but it touches me right here" continued
the man with the game leg. laying his hand on
his heart 81 haven't felt so much like crying
for fourteen years before. Seems zif heard
angels buzzing around in the all"
He rested his game leg on a horse block,
folded his arms, and his look and attitude were
those of a man whose heart was filled with sad
thoughts and painful memories. Just as the
tears were starting to his eyes the Organist
moved the stop, increased the speed, and Gap
tain Jinks'' was merrily ratified off. "Some
odder kind of mu zeek," he exclaimed, and the
handle hadn't made four revolutions when the
man with the game leg began to smile. Then
he pushed his hat over on the side of his head.
Then he hitched up his trousers, smiled some
more, and exclaimed: SPY gum! if that ERE
tune don't Just make me hop all overt!
Good mu zeek," replied the Italian.
"Good! Why the darned tune is heavenly!
believe if was dyin' it would stand me on
u
alive and could hear that!'
He stepped out, spit on his hands, and then
waltzed up and down the flags, his game leg
fiopping around like loose weather board, and
his hoarse voice bawling:
Ham Cabling Jinks
Her 'oss marbles.
While he was doing his level best the musi-
clan touchsd the stop again, and the the tune
changed off on to "Birdie. l Am Tired Now"
"Ahl that soothes me that doesF' said the
old man as ne sat down on the horse block.
That's sdnthn more to touch the heart and
make me think of my poor Haanerp'
''Vary sweet inu zeek," rem rked the Italian.
"Sweeti Great skies! but it's meltingl I've
known that tune for long time, but never
could sing it without weeping. If had a mil
lion of dollars I'd buy hand organ and play
that tune straight along for six months without
stopping the crank?
He put his hands over his face and appeared
agitated, and the Italian didn't seem TO care
whether he collected cent or not. He ground
the tune out, touched the stop, and remarked /:
"Vary gran ne mu- zeek dis time-har'
And Yankee Doodle" rolled from the little
square box like sheet-lightniDg sliding down
the side of haystack:
f.Great Concordp' yelled the man with a game
leg as the tune reached Doodle Dandy hold
on a minute till get this leg under mel Thar
let her come now -
"Whoodle POODLE doodle-dool
Hi, sky, doodle dainty"
And he leaped around, slapped the Italian on
the back, threw his hat on the walk, and con-
| tnued:
aSnaix and reptilesl but don't that tune
make glory stand right out like mud on q
white h9use 'Rah for usP'
The Italian saw that crowd was gathering,
and he broke the tune short off and sailed
away on the "Suwanee River"
The first strains of the dear old melody had
scarcely lett the box when the man with the
game leg leaned up against tree box, wiped
the sweat from his brow and said:
There something more to remind me of my
lost Hammer! Isn't that pervision for the hun
grr SOUL though! What strainsl What tearsl
What a bulging of the hearth
"Vary soft mu. zeek," remarked the Italian.
"Softl My heavensl Man, if you'll pay my
board I'll travel the whole country over and
carry that organ, jist to hear you play that
time"
He reached out his arms, made motions as IL
drawing the tune to his breast, and whispered /:
&c loryl When die let me die listening to
them strains of Suwanee Riverp'.
The organist shouldered his box and moved
op, and the man with the game leg leaned up
against the fence and wiped his eyes.