The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-06-04
OLD MELODIES.
The Man with the Game Leg and the
Organ Grinder---Play that Tune
Again,

began to turn out old sweet melodies,
but the first tune hadn't been finished
when an odd-looling man, about fifty
years old, having game leg and gen
eral forlorn look, came along and halt
ed in front of the italian,
V''Now, that is sweet" he said, after
moment; ''carries me right back to
the days when me and Hammer sat on
the hind stoop and squoze hands and
told our love"
Opera muzeek, replied the Italian,
smiling at the enthusiasm of his au-
dience.
"Wall, now, but it touches me right
here, continued the man with the game
leg, laying his hand on his heart. "Il
haven't felt so much like crying for
fourteen year before. Seems zit 1 heard
angels buzzing all around in the air"
He rested his game leg on horse
block, folded his arms, and his look and
attitude were that Of a man whose heart
was touched with sad thoughts and pain
full memories. just as the tears we're
starting to his eyes the organist moved
the stop, increased the speed, and
Captain 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:
"By gum, if that ere tune don't just
make me hop all overl"
"Good mu-zeek," d" replied the italian,
"Goodl Why the darned tune is
heavenly; believe if was dyin' it
would stand me on end I'd give a
billion dollars if Hammer was alive and
could hear thatl"
He stepped out, spit on his hands, and
then waltzed up and down the flags, his
game leg Hopping around like a loose
weather board, and his hoarse voice
brawling:
Ham Cabding Jinks
Her 'oss marines.
While he was doing his level best the
musician touched the stop again, and
the tune changed off on to "Birdie,
am Tired Now"
"Ahl that soothes me, that doesl''
said the old man as he sat down on the
horse block. "Thats sunthin' more to
touch the heart and make me think OF
my poor Hannerl"
Every sweet mu-zeek," remarked the
italian.
"Sweetl Great skies! but it's melting!
I've known that tune for long time,
but I never could sing it without weep
ing. If 1 had million of dollars I'd
buy hand organ and play that tune
straight along for six months without
stopping the crank"
He put his hand over his face and ap-
peared agitated, and the italian didn't
seem to care whether he collected a cent
or not. He ground the tune out, touch
ed the stop, and remarked:
Mary gran-de mu-zeek dis time
ha!'
And yankee Doodle" rolled from the
little square box like sheet lightning
sliding down the side of haystack.
"Great Concord" yelled the man
with game leg as the tune reached
doodle Dandy" "hold on a minute
till l get this leg under mel Thar-let
her come now"
"WhOOdle, poodle doodle-do
Hi, sky, doodle dandyl"
''Snaix, reptilesl but don't that tune
make glory stand right out like mud on
a white housed 'Rah, for usl"
The italian saw that a crowd was
gathering, and he broke the tune short
off and sailed away on the "Suwanee
River"
The first strains of the dear old melo-
dy had scarcely left the box when the
man with the game leg leaned up against
a tree box, wiped the sweat from his
brow and said:
"There's something more to remind
me of my lost Hannerl Isn't that per-
vision for the hungry soul, thought
What strains What tears! What q
bungling of the heartl"
"Vary soft mu-zeek," remarked the
Italian.
"Softl My heavensl Man, if yonn
pay my board I'll travel the whole
country over and carry that organ, jist
to hear you play that tune"
He reached out his arms, made mo-
tions as if drawing the tune to his breast
and whispered:
"Gloyl When die let me die lis
tening to them strains of 'Suwanee
Riverr"
The organist shouldered his box and
moved on, and the man with the game
leg leaned up against the fence and
wiped his eyes. Detroit Free Press.
A Day Spent "Fishing."
We have not as favorable an impress
ion Of the nleaaures of q tisbino a,cur