The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-01-30
Jud. Browns Account Of Rubenstein's
Piano Playing.

x1duU 1ldyiuS'
from the Richmond Dispatch
'Jud., they say you heard Rubensten
play when you were in New York"
II did in the COOL"
swell, tell us about it,
"What! me? I nights well tell you
about the creation of the world"
"Come, now; no mock modesty. Go
ahead"
'.Well, sir, he had the blamest, biggest,
cattycornerdest pianner you ever laid eyes
on; somethin' like distractld billiard
table on three legs. The lid was heisted,
and mighty we'll it was. II 1t hadn't been,
he'd tore the intire insides clean out, and
scattered 'em to the four winds of heaven"
sPlayed we'll, did he?''
ssYou bet he did but don't interrupt me.
When he first set down he PICARD to keer
mighty little bout playin, ard wisht he
hadn't come. He tweedle-leedled little on
the TRIBE, and twoodle oodle-o0dled some
on the base-jest fooln and boxin the
things jaws for bein in his way. And
says 60 man settin next me, s l, what sort
o. fool playn is that?' And he says, 'Heish!'
But presently his hands commenced chasin
one another up and down the keys, like a
passed. of rats scamperin through garrett
very swift. Part of it was sweet, though,
and reminded me of sugar squire! turnin
the wheel of a candy cage.
ssNow," 1 says to my. neighbor, he's
shown off. He thinks he's doin of it, but
he amt got no idee, no plan of nothin. II
he'd play me up tune of some kind OF
other, I'd-
"But my neighbor says 'Heish p very i'm
patient.
81 was just about to git up and go home
bein tired OF that foolishness, when heard
little bird waking up away off in the wood
and calling sleepy like to its mate, and
looked up and see that Ruben was beginil
to take some interest in his business, and
set down agin. The music began to max
pictures for me faster than you could shake
stick, to tell tales like the story books. an
to start all sorts of feelins-it just toted m
like was child wherever it pleased, an
showed me all kind of things that is an
things that isn't and couldn't never be.
was the peep O. day. The light came lain
from the east, the breeze bowed gentle an
fresh, some more birds walked up IN tn
orchard, then some more in the trees nee
the house and all begun singn together
People begun to stir, and the gal opene
the shutters. Just then the first beam
the sun fell upon the blossoms, leetle moi
and It techt the roses on the bushes, and tf
next thing it was broad day the sun falrl
blazed, the birds sang like they'd split the
little threats; all the leaves was movln, an
fiashin diamonds of dew, and the VINO
wide world was bright and happy as KIM
Seemed to me like there was good Dreal
fast in every house in the land, ana not
sick child or woman anywhere. IL was
fine mornin.
And says to nv ncighbor, that's must
that is
"But he elared at me like he'd like to c
my throat.
presently the wind turned; it begun
thicken up, and kind OF grey mist COL
} over things; got low spirited d.rec1'
, Then silver rain begun to fall. cou
see the drops touch the ground SOL
flashed up like long pearl ear rings anu
: rest rolled away like round ruoles. IL "
pretty but melancholy. Then the pea
gathered themselves into long stranus al
: necklaces, and then they melted into u
silver streams running between goid