Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-14
"POOR UNFORTCYATE,"
Who Nevertheless Conquered For.
tune,
From the Youths COMPANION.

That IS what everybody said when they saw
little Tin Gale wafdle b., with le IS only half
the = re yGlatioa length, and a head NUN too
big for his body.
Every outward evil that could befaIl a child
seemed to have fallen upon Tim. The scarlet
fever had dullel his hearing, and the measles
had weakened his sight: the only case OF SIN all
pOx that ever occurred in the town broke out
upon Tim, and left him, as plying little sister
said, '.with his face embroidered all over
Many tear had his mother she over her poor
unfortunate son as She compared him with his
brothers, and her neighbours handsome bo-s
Anxiously she looked out upon the dark future
when she and his father should be no longer
living to care for and to love him.
But happily, all Tins defOrmitieS We're out
his temper gentle lambs. He was often
seen sitting on rough bench at the cottage
door, making kites, bircl-blrk whistles, com
stalk riddles and wnd-mills for the children,
who always gathered around him. In the even
ingS he was in the habit OF cutting soldiers, AMI
mails buildings and villages. out of paper, or
drawing monOgramS for the big boys and girls.
Tim was genius in his way. He could make
music on anything that would give out a sound
Even that abomination to musical ears, the ac-
cordeon gave out concord Of sweet sounds
in his hands He breathed melody from a jew s.
harp and his performance on borrowed flutes.
vlO!inS and banjoS aStoniShed all who heard
them.
When he was fifteen years old, his father fell
from haymow and died soon after. Almost
his last words to his family were, " Mother and
all OF you take good care OF Tim" Through
their tears they promised, come what might,
Tim should be cared for. The father had been
the main dependence of the family, though the
eldest son earned a little by working for neigh
boring farmer Mrs. Gale had 5000 in the bank,
bat that soon went, and then, 10 feed and clothe
her children, she was obliged to mortgage her
little farm. She worked very hard and not
being strong, her health soon gave way. Two
years from the time OF their fathers death, the
children were again called On topromise to their
dying mother that they would .'alwayS take
good care of poor, dear Tim
What was to be done now? Abel, the eldest
son, could barely support himself, and there
The nefghbOrS had begun TO whisper of the poor
house and OF binding ont" the children, when,
one evening, Tim waddled into the parsonage
and asked to see the minister.
Il want to give a concert at the town hall, sir,
to raise a little money! he said. "Abel and
don't want to mortgage the farm any more"
''But, Tim, my good boy" said the clergyman
people who can hear you sing and play for
nothing won't go to your concert if they have to
pay"
they don't know what l play and sing when
everybody in town is asleep. | can play six in
Struments. one man in the Boston band that
was here at the monument dedication. said I'd
make a first rate bugler ii I kept trying:
Come, then,' said the kind minister. "we'u
go out together, and engage the hall and order
The tickets. III buy fifty to start WITH
.'Tim'S eyes Frightened as he said, I'll do
something if can only get start
The hall was secured free OF charge. The
girls in town. glad to return Tins many favors,
y.
Every boy became an enthusiastic ticket seller.
and every grOWn-up person a ticket-buyer. Abel
received the tickets and money at the door.
While the minister's, the doctors and the law
yer'S SONS acted as uSherS.-tO give character to
the affair. The people crowded in 50 that the
doors had to be closed and repetition of the
concert promised.
1t seemed as if every blooming plant and every
vase in the region was on the platform. There
was a hush as poor Tim, dressed in his SUNDAY
clothes, and with his violin in his hand, made
low bow to the audiedce. Instead Of beginning
his little speech with Ladies and gentlemen"
he said =
Dear fathers and mothers. brothers and Sis
tiers - Then he told how he had prayed God to
teach him some way TO support the family. He
was too weak, he said, TO work hard with his
hands, but thought he might earn something
by giving musical entertainments. The women
and girls began to cry, and the boys clapped,
and stamped, and cried
Good good for Jimmy
After his little speech. he played airs with
variations and many of the listeners whispered.
s. He caught those from hearing Miss Webb.
She was the organist and music teacher.
Then he sang, in low and platntive tones, 10
the accompaniment of banjo, those negro mel
Cdies Which always touch the heart. He played
soothing airs on the flute, and martial music on
the horn. and stirred up the noisy patriotism OF
spirited playing Of yankee Doodle" and 90 Hail
Columbia But they were quiet enough when
he family breathed from the flute 1.-The sad
sea waves and 1.-THE Last Rose OF Summer y
There was one audience which filled the town
hall, and another which crowded every window
from the outside. Their voices were heard again
and again cheering the musician.
The concert, which was a great success, was
honestly repeated the next night for the benefit
| of disappointed ticket-holders. Tim was not
did walk home With his happy brothers and an sis
tiers, and heard the jingling OF s2S in silver and
| copper in Abels five pockets. Everybody was
proud-prOud that the boy who had never
| taken lesson, and could play such music, be-
| lOnged to their town, and that he had said he
! would work bat not beg.
| Tins concert became the talk of the neigh
| boring towns, and dozen places invited him to
| repeat it. He added to his attractiveneSs as
caterer for the public by getting up an elaborate
| exhibition OF his powers OF ventriloqusm, which
| had been so popular among his playmateS.
| These he called "Children's Entertainments"
Very soon the music teacher OF the village
| volunteered to give him lessons. Amaiden lady,
| whose fingers were sOdrawn up with rheumatism
that she could not play, lent him 1.-the piano of
her childhood" a small instrument with six oc-
| taves, and legs no larger than mans thumb !!
| An old gentleman in town, whose lungs only
| furnished him with breath just sufficient to live
| by. gave him q Slver-mOuth flute.
! Tim practiced with great zeal and industry.
| and, in the meantime, gave concerts all through
| the country. The second winter he was able to
get % cents for his tickets, and found great de-
| mand for his ''Children'S Entertainments" or
| exhibitions of ventrilOquiSm.
| While Tim was thus showing himself a ''bread-
| provider,' his sisters were doing their part in
taking care of the home. They did houseworik,
|
| leEd flowers. flags or pianos, nor sell tickets
| often volunteered to sew, wash and bake for
the, children. In this way they got on very
| well.
! And so the years flew on, Tim improving his
! gifts, and bearing large proportion of the fam
| lily expenses. Abel married a feeble girl,-that'S
| Just the way some folks without cent will do
| and soon had all he could attend TO In his own
! home.
/. But the fact that his sisters had been kept
| from school to do the hOuSewOrk and the little
| boys put out TO weed gardens and feed pigs. an
F., nOyed Tim. The children must go to school
| said Tim. lie had an Old great-aunt, homeless
| woman, and he gave her a home that She might
| look after matters for them,-a greater blessing
| to her than to them.
Nothing succeeds so we'll as Success Tins
| reputation brought him 4 score Of applications
| from young men and maidenS anxious TO be
| taught by such musical genius. Not feH
| hoped that having Tim for q teacher would i'm
! part to them portion of his inspiration. .'He'C
| just breathe it into them, and they couldn't helI
! Playing" They found out their mistake. Tin
| made his pupils work. He taught them that
genius for music, like a genius for anything
| else. was capacity for acquiring it through
study and practice. His pupils soon occupied
all his time, and he gave up his concerts" anC
entertainments except an occasional exh
bition, to let the public see what good work he
| was doing.
Success did not spoil the man. The noble
| traits he displayed while only "poor Tim y con
| tinued to shine forth when he was Mr.. .'Timo
| thy Gale" AS he gained in wealth, the ole
| md hyoth