The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23
4 rOuARFTL MrsIcLiN.


the Boss OF the Bass.iiorn Players.
"Yes. sir, SAID MIR. Magunin, ~ think
may safely say that Hugenhcimcr was tho
greatest bas--horn l.ayer the world has ever
known. lie w,s "a queer fellow, Born in Para
quay and reared in Peru. he developed ea.ly an
extraordinary pair If lungs. lie was always
fond Of wind instruments, and before he came
north he was hrst ha,--horn in the Peruvian
Royal Band, and wCll known all along tho South
Pacific coast. When he arrived in New York he
could with scarcely an effort blow an ordinary
instrument all to pieces, and the leader of the
band that lac joined had horn built expressly
for him, with all the Joints and bends where the
wind might break through reinforced like a
cavalry man's trousers.
" Last spring ho came TO our house 20 board.
lie was somewhat eccentric in his handling II
English but he was jolly and good -natured and
everybody liked him. He occupied the second
floor back. nnd after warm weather came Iugen-
heimer used to step through his window out
upon the roof Of tho extension that forms the
kitchen, and at there and practise. He used to
back hi, char up against the wall bc,huse no
wa such powerful blower that sometimes the
rcco from the horn would upset INN If he was
not hraCcd against something.
" His prtcticing was nov 'ty and nj frst n
source OF fun 10 the neighhors II tckled the
| children and amused tho Older people, but the
hass-horn H. not an instrument of extensive
range, You know, and after a few months the
noise became monOtOnOus aud then distressing
! Finally. the boardcrs around began to 90 away,
and 1t was clear then that something must DO
! done.
" Magruder and two or three Others held n
| consultation. and tho next day they went to a
| fair up in Mestcheyter county and bought the
| Just nllod the coal cart I'm which they brought
| 1t to the city. After desperate struggle ii was
| drop II ON the musician. II was not Intended
to KIN Xugenhelnor but It was generally be-
| licVed that the fail of the pumpkin would 50
discourage him that he would stop playing or
| move.
usual. lie was always robust and hearty but now
| lac seemed, Il possible, more animated than
usual. lie tilted back In his chair, and after
| playing while pulled out the lnouthilec9 ana
| turned the horn mp to drip Tor moment. Ihch
| he began agn II was an original fantasia,
| composed as he went along, and II was uul-
| Versally conceded that musicians never wrought
| powerful blast when the boys rolled the pump
| Kin of the edge of the roof At the instant Of
It's descent they leaned oyer hurrihod at mo
realization Of their act for they knew then when
| II was too late that 1t meant sure death TO the
| man below; hut the next instant they were
| paraly1cd 10 see the pumpkin atop, suspended
| In the air. for "A moment, turn half over, and
then slowly rise toward them They had rolled
| the pumphin too lar outward ana instead nl
falling ON husenleim neaH III l'u n' ir', e
mighty volume on AR lhll was pur7l VIZ llull VIZ
mouth Of his horn! II rose steadily upward
about ten feet, stopped' turned slowly nan over
again, slid of the column Of arr ana Wenl dgWil
crashing through the roof AT the musician feet
Iugonhemer tottcrcl forward with the shock
and fell through the gap. Ills horn was smashed
and his left leg broken
"Of course after the mischief had been don't
| evcrvbodv was ovcrflovinr with Kindness to-
ward the wounded man. As in most boarding
house streets, there are about fourteen physi
clans In ours, and Hugenhrimer had them All
| Everybody Clipped In Literally for the expenses
| and nobody more SO than the head devil IN th'
vile conspiracy, Magruder lIut when Husen
helmer got well the landlady said he must 20
and, poor fellow that was the last we over saw
Of him. He went TO San Francisco and enlisted
in the band OF foreign man-oi-war t9at wa
| lying there. lilo was practising on the iorecas
tie one day, and forgetting that he had nothlnl
back OF him, no put In some extra heavy blasts
the reco a, OF Which kp9Gksa YIN 0@FooaFd 4u'