The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-01-11
0Muslc HATH Charms. y

IN nlA memory Us tnOugn " nau occurred
only yesterdGy: n
In the year 1888, man named Tap
pan moved, with his family, from New
York TO the remote Western country,
said family consisting, besides himself,
Of wife and six daughters. He had
failed in business; was broken in spirit;
his children, he thought, needed fresh
air; 80 ho accepted as o gift from Ills
brother large tract Of land upon the
edge of the wilderness, and settled thora-
on. Very soon enterprising people be-
gan TO settle beyond him, and there calue
to be much travel past his door; and, as
an act,of humanity, he frequently enter
tanned way-farerS. As these calls upon
his hospitality became more and more
frequent, he enlarged his house to meet
the requirements OF comfortable inn,
fand put up tho usual inn-keepers sign.
r. Not long after this party OF young
men, eight or ten in number, well mount
| cd, were returning, by q roundabout
wny, from an electioneering expedition.
They had stopped at every tavern on
their ronte, md toward themiddle OF the
afternoon they refined up before Tap.
pans door, pretty well under the inau-
ence of various kinds OF fiery fluid, and
having dismountad and secured their
horses, they entered the house, and
bnoisily deInhnled whisky.
II, Now it 30 happened TINT Mr.. Tappan
and his wife were both awny, and only
his daughters were in charge and It
also happened that the host, being q
rigid and conscientious teetotaler, Ind
never kept any spiritusus liquors in the
-house. OF tits fact the visitors were in.
formed by tho oldest daughter, hand
some, Intelligent girl Of eighteen, But
the sly.inclined invaders had no
care just then for female beauty, nor
were they moved by the fear and distrust
OF tho frightened girls but they still
demanded whisky, and when they Ind
become assured TINT they could not
have it, they resolved that thoy would
cut down tho sign before the door, and
the leader 80 informed tho young Indy.
"You must do as you please, gentle
men," she, Elidi shrinking, while her
little sisters gathered around her forp
lection, q / cannot prevent you. ,a.
"a tayern-ign, and no whisky! Such
o sign il u base fpud." .y}lntSl
"Aye-down with it !" .
'tWhero is your axl" H.r
"You will find it somewhere by tho
wood-pile, air." '-.+fpi
Three or four Of the party made q
rush for tho wood-pilc, cursing as they
went, while the leader of tho gang, a
young man who would have been decid-
edly handsomeh he had been himself,
with others Of his companions, took u
notion to overhaul the house, insisting
Tint there must be "a drop Of some
thing" somewhere. And We may hero
say TINT the whole party considered
themselves gentlemen. They were we'll
dressed, and respectfully connected.
In n small, well-furnished apartment,
apart from the guests room, was found
q pianofortc. @ rU
aHallo !" cried tho leader, "who
plays on thisl Can youl"
lit is mine, sir, !" answered the girl,
thus addressed >
And can you playr
I" Yes, sir"
." Can you sing Z" ...... I
"I sing sometimes, sir" lH
"Will you sing and play for usl"
"With pleasure, sir" .....
She opened the piano, and sat down,
and played aud sang "The MaidGn's
Prayer. " Her voice was clear, musical,
and sweetly rich, and the accompaniment
was played with rare skill and grace.
The little sisters gathered in semi
circle close around the instrument, and
the heretofore riotous men-but riotous
no morc--drew near and nearer, upon the,
outside. Some OF them had never heard
u piano before, and not one OF them Ind
ever heard sw0eter music. Aftera pause,
ut the conclusion of the piece, the leader
spoke again, but in q strangely subdued
tone i' t''9 ,..s
"Will you sing for us another songi"
And she played and sang that sweet
song, "The Old Home. !s.. 1'
The men who had gone in search Of
the ax, hearing the music, had left the
wood.pile and entered the house.
Other songs worc sung, in sGveral OF
which two Of the younger sisters joined.
Ahu AANltouo pPhtsof inSAV hIA nubuuVht
and half the party had wet cheeks.
Their sympathies were aroused, their
hearts opened, and the best part OF their
natures brought to tho surface; and when
they had taxed the fair songstress 80 for
that they felt ashamed to tax hor more,
they thanked her heartily, and Withdrew
with as much decortm as might have
been exhibited had they been retiring
from before the throne OF monarch.
"A year, aftGr this event Mr. Tappan
chanced to DO in Jacksonville on bust.
ness, where lie was introduced to Philip
st Clair, a rising young lawyer Of the
place. .rl'y ] 6t.laf Nv
!" Is this the Mr.. Tappan who, one
year ago, kept n public-house on the
Cloud Hill road asked st. Clair.
'''" The same, sir" y
"And i, air." pursued the lawyer,
" was tho leader of That party Of riotouB
men Who 50 shamefully frightened your
daughters. / suppose they told you Of
tho circumstance I" iiaatl
Yes, sir.
"Well, Mr.. Tappan, from TINT day /
have not touched, M beverage, my in
toxicating drink. would like to see
your eldest daughter, and tell her Of the
blessing her sweet music bestowed upon
me.
Mr.. Tappan knew ST. Clair well by
reputation, and rheerfully invited him TO
call whenever he could mako It conye-
nient. .r
ST. Clair once moro visited tho wayside
inn, tho result OF which was, that in less
than another year. tho sweet songstress
had become lis wife.