The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1877-06-07
A FIENDISH BROTHER.

A well-to-do citizen living up on Ash
land avenue, sent his daughter over to
Paris year ago to have her education
veneered and polished He received
glowing accounts of her progress in music,
both vocal and instrumental, all of which
were duly communicated to his friends
and acquaintance, and raised their ex-
pectations to the highest pitch.
Meanwhile, her younger brother whom
she had bossed and tortured for years,
had sworn terrible revenge.
He made habit of taking her pet dog
into the parlor, every day; then he would
open the piano, spread out the music,
seat himself on the stool and strike
couple of cords; then catch up a stick
and lick him within an inch of his life.
In this villianous manner he succeeded so
well in training the sagacious animal, that
by the middle of November it would get
up and be uneasy if any one went near
the piano, and the faintest touch on the
keys would make him get up and strike
out for Cicero, Dubuque or the Sandwich
Islands with singular alacrity.
The boy did not communicate his sue
cess to any one, perferring to reserve a
joyful surprise for his sister.
At last she returned, the old man got
in $1,000 piano, and invited the family
and the friends thereof to come and hear
his daughter jerk some of the music she
had had instilled into her at Paris.
They came2 The brother introduced
the dog, and with iendish ingenuity turn
ed the conversation upon its many vir-
tues and accomplishments.
at is so found of ISIS, me said, land
so clever. Why, it would sit for hours
by the piano, to listen to her playing, ii
is so fond Of music"
The young lady said that Fido was d
jewel of pets, and imprinted kiss on bis
forehead, which caused five witty and
amorous young men to remark. Lucky
dog!"
Then they pressed her to play, and af
ter much persuasion she consented, anC
agreed to perform Schubert's Zach ? Par
10 Glunge!" (Op 800, KIP, scherzo).
When the five young men began clear
ing the piano for action and taking few
reels in the stool, Fido became uneasy, in
deed, his agitation was easily apparent.
"Poor Fido!" said his mistress, sooth
ingly; "he is so passionately found of mu
Sic" Meanwhile the brother with ma
ignant leer slipped round to the door anC
closed it.
Miss Blank seated herself at the piano
and struck the first note-G 2-about
four and a half feet below the clef. The
hapless dog gave one ear-piercing howl
then wild with terror, dashed to the door
to find it closed.
The hight without was cold, dark anC
cherries, but he didn't hesitate for sec
ond, but with a despairing yelp, wen
through SIG pane of glass and depart
ed for the Pacific coast
One of the guests yelled "He's mad /
and the lady at the piano gave yell il
&C G major crescendo and bounded up
on the piano stool, thence upon the piano
leaving her false hair upon the chande
lier, which she struck like a sky-roeket
and going through the top of the piano
up her knees.
There was no music that night, and il
is doubtful if she will ever touch a piano
again. 1t would make no difference i
she could play better than Nine. Essipof
her character as a musician is irretrieva
bly, ruined. The more people think over
that dogs abject terror and precipitate
fight, the more they are convinced thai
they escaped treat that would have
made their hair gray and made their eyes
bulge out.