The Russellville Democrat., 1878-10-17

moaned and wept like lost child for it's dead mother, and 1 could a. got up then and there and preached a better sermon than I ever listened to. There wasn't thing in the world left to live for, not a blame thing, and yet 1 didn't want the music to stop orc bit. It was hap pier to be miserable than to be hap py without being miserable. l couldn't understand 1t. l hung my head and pulled out my handker- chief and blowed my nose loud to keep from cryin'. My eyes is weak anyway. 1 didn't want anybody to be a gazin' at me a snivlin', and it's nobody's business what 1 do with my nose. It's mine. But some sey- eral glared at me, mad as Tucker. Then, all of a-sudden, old Ruben changed his tune. He ripped and he rar'd, he tip'd and tared, he pranced and charged like the grand entry at circus. Peered to me that all the gas in the house was turned on at once, things got so bright, and I hilt up my head, ready to look any man in the face, and not afeared of nothln'. It was q circus and brass band, and q big ball, all goln' on at the same time. He lit into them keys like thous- and of brick; he give 'em no rest day nor night; he set every liyin' joirt in me agoin', and not bein' able to stand it no longer, jumpt, sprang onto my seat, and just hollered, "Go it, my Ruhc"
 "Every blamed man, woman and child in the house stared at me, and shouted, Put him out. put hIm out ? Put your great-grandmothcr's griz- zly, gray, greenish cat into the mid dle of next month"; l says, Fetch me if you darel l paid my money, and you just come a-nigh me-
 "With that some several p'licemen run up, and l had to simmer down. But would aft any fool that laid hands on me, for l was bound to hear Ruby out or die. He had changed his tune agin. He hopt like ladies, and tip-toed fiue from eend to eend of the key. board. He played soft and low and solemn. heard the church bells over the hills The candles in heaven was lit one by one; l saw the stars rise; the great organ of eternity began to play from the worlds end to the worlds end, and all the angels wen, 1 to prayers. Then the music changed to water, full Of fcelin' that couldn't be thought, and began to drop, drip drop, drip, drop, clear and sweet like tears of joy fallin' into a lake o glory. It was sweeter tha an that, il
 was as sweet as a sweetheart sweet
 enin' sweetness with white sugar mkt with powdered silver and seed l diamonds. It was too sweet. I tel
 you the audience cheered. Ruber
 he kinder bowed, like he wanted tt say, Much obleeged, but I'd rather you wouldn't interrupt me.
 He stopped minute or Jwu .'
 fetch breath. Then he got mad; h.
 run his fingers through his hair, h.
 showed up his sleeves, he opened hi
 coat tails leetle further he dru:
 up his stool, he leaned over, and, si
 he just went for that old piannei
 He slapt her face, he boxed her jaws he pulled her nose, he pinched he ears and he scratched her checks ti she fairly yelled. He knocked he down and he stamped on her shame
 full She beloved like a bull, sh } blcated like a calf, she howled like t hound, she squealed like pig, sl , srieked like a rat and then he woul : not let her up. He ruu a qnartC 3 stretch down the low grounds of tl ! bass, till he got clean into the bowel | of the earth, and you heard thund, e gallopin' after thunder through tl c hollows and caves of perdition; an n then he fox chased his right han C with his left, tlll he got wey out c the treble into the clouds, whar u l notes were finer than the points
 t cambric needles, an you conldn C hear nothin' but the shadders of 'el |, And then he wouldn't let the old e amer go. He for'ard twodi he cro' s over first gentlemen, c:ost over ilr n lady; he balanced to pards; he cha d sadc right-lcft, back to places; e all handsd arouu'; ladies to |