Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-06-19
OLD MEMORIES.
From the Defroii F,re .Prsss.


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 game leg and general
forlorn look, came along and halted in
front of the Italian. .f.s.s.,
"Now, that is, swcet!' he said after
a moment; "carries me right back to
the days when me and Hammer sat on
the hind stoop and squoze hands and
told our love-" .E ; .~
"Op-era muzeek, replied the Italian,
smiling at the enthusiasm of his audi
ence.
Wall, now, but it touches me right
here, continued the man with the game
leg, laying his hand ON his heart. g /
haven't felt so much like cryin' for four
teen years before. Seems zif I'd heard
angels buzzing around in the air"
He rested his game leg on horse
block, folded his arms, and his look and
attitude were that of 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
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 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 over" -.-
"Good mu-zeek, replied the Italian.
"Good! Why the darned tune is
heavenly! I believe if l was dyin' il
would stand me on end! I'd give a
billion dollars if Hammer was alive and
could hear thatp'
Ho stepped out, spit on his hands,
and then waltzed up and down the flags,
his game leg Topping around like a
loose weather board, and his hoarse
voice bawling:
"Ham Cabding Jinks
Her 'oss marines"
While he was doing his level best the
musician touched the stop again, and
the tune changed off to '' Birdie, I Ain
Tired Now" t
All! that soothes me, that doesri
said the old man as he set down on the
horse block. That's sunthin' more
to touch the heart and make me think
of my poor HannerY'
Vary sweet mu-zeek, remarked the
italian.
"Sweet! Great skies! but its melt
ing! I've known that tune for long
time, but I never could sing it without
weeping. If I had q million of dollars
I'd buy q hand organ and play that
tune straight along for six months with
out stopping the crank!'
He put his hands over his face and
appeared agitated, and the italian didn I
seem to care whether he collected a
cent og not. He ground the tune ont;
touched the stop, and remarked:
Vary gran-de mu-zeek dis time
hat
And ' Yankee Doodle" rolled from
the little square box like sheet-light-
ming sliding down the side OF hay
stack. r
Great Concordr yelled the man
with q game leg as the tune reached
Doodle Dandy; "hold ON a minute
till I get this leg under mel Thar-let
her come now"
Whoodle, poodle, doodle-dooi
Iii, sky, doodle dandy"
And he leaped around, slapped the
Italian ON the back, threw his hat on
the walk, and continued
"Snaix and reptiles! but don't that
tune make glory stand right out like
mud on a white house! 'Rah, for us!'
The italian saw that o crowd was
gathering, and he broke the tune short
off and sailed away on the "Suwanee
River"
The first strains of the dear old mel
ody had scarcely left the box when the
man with q game leg leaned up against
o tree box, wiped the sweat from his
brow and said:
"There's something more to remind
me of my lost Hammer! Isn't that per.
vision for the hungry soul, though
What strains! What tears! What s
bulging of the heart!'
"Vary soft mu-zeek," remarked the
Italian.
Soft! My heavens! Man, if you'll
pay my board I'll travel the whole coun
try over and carry that organ, jist te
hear you play that tune!"
He reached out his arms, made mo-
tions as if drawing the tune to his
breast, and whispered:
"G-lory! When die let me die lis
tening to them strains of Suwanet
River!'
The organist shouldered his box ani
moved on, and the man with the game
leg leaned against the fence and wiped
his eyes.
@ 1t is motive alone that gives rea
value to the actions of men, and disin
terestedness puts cap to it.
II