The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-05-27
The Man with the Game Leg.

Yesterday, says the Detroit Free Press
a hand-organist sat down before hous
on Congress street and began to turn on
sweet melodies, but the first tune hadn'
been finished when an odd-looking maj
about fifty years old, having a game lei
and general forlorn look, came alonJ
and halted in front of the Italian.
Now, that is sweet" he said, after ,
moment; "carries me right back to tn,
days when me end Hannah sat on tn,
hind stoop and squoze hands and tolt
our love-"
"Opera mu-zeek," replied the italian
smiling at the enthusiasm of his au
dience.
oval, 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 cryin' for four.
teen years before. Seems zif / heard
angels buzzing round in the air."
He rested his game leg on horse.
block, folded his arms, and his look and
attitude was that of a man whose heart
was filed with sad thoughts and pain
full memories. Just as the tears were
starting to his eyes the organist moved
the stop, increased the speed, and Cap
tain Jinks" was merrily ratified off.
-" Some odder kind oof 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, hitched uphis trousers, and smiled
some mere, and exclaimed:
" By gum if that ERE tune don't Just
make me hop all over"
"GoOd mu-zeek," replied the Italian.
"Good! Why the darned tune is
heavenly / believe if l was dyin' it
would stand me on end! I'd give a
billion dollars if Hammer was alive and
could hear thatp
He stepped out spit on his hands, and
then waltzed up and down the flags, his
game leg Topping around like loose
weather-board, and his hoarse voice
bawling:
"Ham Cabdng Jincks,
Her 'oss marides."
While he was doing his level best, the
musician touched the stop again and the
tune changed off to Birdie, Am Tired
Now"
"Ah! that soothes me, that does |"
said the old man, as he sat down on the
horse block. "That's suthin' more to
touch the heart and make me think of
my poor Hammer
Very sweet mu-zeek," remarked the
italian.
"Sweet Great skies! but it's melt
ng! Pve known that tune long time,
but / never could sing it yet without
weepin'. If l had a million of dollars,
I'd buy hand-organ and play that tune
straight along for six months without
stopping the crankw
He put his hands over his face and ap-
peared agitated, and the italian didn't
'eem to care whether he collected cent
Or not. He ground the tune out, touched
The stop and remarked:
every gran-de mu-zeek dis time
nap
This time "Yankee Doodle" rolled
rom the little square box like sheet
lightning sliding down the side of hay
tack.
"Great Concord !" yelled the man
With the game leg, as the tune reached
Doodle Dandy" "hold on minute
ill Iget this leg under me! Thar-let
Ter come now"
"WhoOdle POODLE doodle-doo!
Ill, sky, doodle dandyl
And he leaped around, slapped the
Italian on the back, threw his hat on the
walk, and continued:
"Snaix and reptilesl but don't that |
une make glory stand right out like
mud on white house! 'Rah for us I"
The Italian saw that a crowd was
and he broke the tune off short
nd sailed away on the "Suwanee
siver."
The first strains of the dear old melody
ad scarcely left the box when the man
nth the game leg leaned up against
ree-box, wiped the sweat from his brow,
nd said:
"There's something more to remind
ne of my lost Hammer Isn't that per-
isions for the hungry soul, though
What strains! What tears What a
ulging of the hearth
every soft mu-zeek," remarked the
Italian.
"Soft! My heavens man, if you'll
ay my board, I'll travel the whole
Duntry over and carry that organ, jist
D hear you play that tune"
He reached out his arms, made mo.
ons as if drawing the tune to his
reast, and whispered:
," Glory! When l die, let me die
stening to them strains of 'Suwanee
.iverp"
The organist shouldered his box and
loved on, and the man with the game
g leaned up against the fence and
'iped his eyes.