The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-07-02
OLD MEMORIES.

Yesterday hand organist sat
down before 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 a
game leg and a general forlorn look,
came along and halted in front of
the Italian.
"Now that is sweetE he said after
q moment; carries me right back to
the days when me and Hammer sat on
the hind stoop and squozc hands and
told our love-"
"Op era muzeek, " replied the ltal-
ian, smiling at the enthusiasm Of his
audience.
avail, now, but II touches me
Fsight here, " continued the man with
the game leg, laying his hand on his
heart. II haven't felt so much like
cryin' for fourteen years before.
Seems zif I'd heard angels buzzing
around in the air. "
He rested his game leg on a horse
block, folded his arms, and his look
and attitude were that of 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 Captain
Jinks" was merrily ratified off.
"Some odder kind Of mu-zeek, !"
he exclaimed, aud the handle hadn't
made four revolutions when the man
with the game leg began toi smile
Then he pushed his hat over the side
of his head. Then he hitched up
his trousers, smiled some more, and
exclaimed:
"By guml if that 'ero tune don't
! just make me hop all oyer!"
II GOOD mu-zeek, replied the Ital-
ian.
"Goodl Why ne darned tune is
heavenly believe ii / was dyin' it
would stand me ON end I'd give q
billion dollars if Hammer was alive
and could hear thatI
He stepped out, spit on his hands,
land then waltzed up and down the
flags, his game leg foppind around
like a loose weather board, and his
lioarse voice bawling;
"Ifam cabding links
Her 'oss Marines"
! While he was doing his level best
the musician touched the stop again,
and the tune changed off to Birdie,
/ Am Tired Now"
"Ahl that soothes me, that doesp'
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 HAnnerw
Vary sweet mu-zeek," remarked
the Italinn.
nSweetI Great skiesl but it's melt
ingl I've known that tune for long
time, but never could sing it with
out weeping If / had a million Of
dollars I'd buy hand organ and
play that tune straight along for six
months without stopping the crankr
He put his hands over his face and
appeared agitated, and the Italian
didn't seem to care whether he col
lected cent or not. He ground the
tune out, touched the stop, and re-
marked:
wary gran-de mu-zeek dis time
hap
And "Yankee Doodle rolled from
the little square box like sheet-light-
ming sliding down the side Of hay
stack.
"Great Concordl yelled the man
with o game leg as the tune reached
Doodle Dandy" "hold on q minute
till get this log under mel Thar
let her come now
"whcodie, poodle doodle.dooI
III, sky, doodle dandyl"
And he leaped around, slapped the
Italian on the back, threw his hat on
the walk, aud continued;
"Snaix and reptilesl but don't that
tune make glory stand right out like
mud on white housed Rah, for
usp
The Italian saw that n crowd was
gathering, and he broke the tune
short off and smiled away on the
Suwanee River"
The first strains Of the dear old
melody had scarcely left the box
when the man with a game leg leaned
up against tree box, wiped the
sweat from his brow and said:
"There's something more to re-
mind mo OF my lost Hannerl Isn't
that peryiaion for the hungry soul,
thought What strains Whattears
What buIging of the hearth
"Vory soft mu-zeelI, remarked the
Italian.
".Soitl My heavensl Man, II
you'll pay my board I'll travel the
whole country over and carry that
organ, jist to hear you play that
tunel
He reached out his arms, made
motions as If to draw the tune To his
breast, and whispered:
"G-loryl When / die let me die
listening TO them strains Of Suwanee
Riverw
The organist shouldered his box
and moved on, and the man with the
game leg leaned against the fence
and wined his owes.
ORTHOGRAPH0BIA AND LovE.-A
correspondent Of tho Boston Adger-
tiser proposes the following sentences
as an exercise for spelling matches;
Looking up into his voluptuoua
eyes, she said; "And il It, indeed, true,