The Benton weekly record., 1880-01-30
a. Grand Piano TRIAL.

Grand Piano Trial.
Twas not to listen to \ trial IF musical
skill between, competitors Of the nelodious
art that 50 many persons went to the halls Of
justice, but it was to he present at the great
and complicated suit for the possession ofa
highly valued and much abused instru-
ment, generally known as . piano
u OWNS dat piancr,"
Said Aunt Leah, shaded laun-
dress of the town. And from her
testimony it appeared that she rests her
claim for the property upon the rights
Of Inheritance from one Of the great mum
Der Of colored branches of which she claims
to be the parent stem. Il was alleged that
once upon L time auntie Had grand
daughter, named Adah, who, in her life
time, was won't to while away many a sad
hour by wilIfu]iy producing soothing airs
from the piano now III suit, and OF which
she was then the undisputed owner. Upon
her being called away from this life to join
The halping choir Of angels, Aunt Leah
took possession of the instrument and care
fully guarded it as an heirloom Of value;
nor was herright Of ownership disputed by
amy one except relative daughter named
Julia, who darkly limited a claim. Be this
as it may, old uuntie was otherwise tacitly
acknowledged the owner, and the property
was i'll her possession sometime last May
OF June. At about which time the pro-
plietor of public hall, having made al
rangemcnts for the importation Of stE
eral live hurdles, who would need music
Of some kind to regulate the toe and heel
movement, he made oECrtlres to Leah for
the REIMBURSEMENT Of the piano, Offering,
as she says, the sum OF four hs''.s1io oSI COL
lars for its nossession She did not like to
see the thing leave the family, but feeling
herself persuaded by the giittcring promise
of future dollars, The instrument was duly
transferred from the shadows of an humble
dwelling to the festive halls Of pleasure.
The defendant i'll the suit--the aforesaid
proprietor of the public hall-denied ever
having made purchase Of the kind, but
claimed that Leah really never owned the
piano: that il belonged in fact to Julia, the
above mentioned relative daughter; that
he merely agreed with aumtie that the
piano Should be kept in the family, and ne
being intimately and connubially related
to Julia, regarded the instrument
in the keeping Of the family even then.
Leah, while being examined, could not
control her emotions. The movement of
her lips and rolling Of her eyeballs. es-
peeially when directed toward the defend
ant, somewhat,disturbed the gravity Of the
Court and one of plaintiff S witnesses.
Lee, (Uho is also q ]atesai branch Of the
old stem), was called upon the stand; but
he don't Know much bout ~ has heard
the sole woman say dat dat man was
gwine to pay fo' hundred dollas 10 dat
pianer.
The next witness was Ellen, who, on
oath, says: That du1tng the Lifetime OF
Adah, Aunt Leah anu Julia We're gwine
to sell dat pianer for 10 give Adah some
more education.''
Kate, the last Of auntie's friends ex-
amjned, declared that She had been in-
yited once to q lneIry-making to celebrate
the occasion when Julia had reiinqleishec
all her rights in question to the "ole wo,
man, - for the benefit Of tile now deceased
The proprietor of the public hall, ant
| defendant for possession of the property il
stlit, now through his attorneys called
fog III Julia Epon the stand, who, upol
much coas1iog, is Pc, suaded 10 elevate tllt
arm and take the oath. But all the light
that could be obtained from 50 much dark
ness, was her mcIo-dramatic exclamation
I owns dat pianer myself"
The tangled case was given to the jury
who, after two hours detiberation upol
the arguments addueed, returned a verde
in favor of the old woman, who first wa
found III possession, and whose rights hay
been ably defended by her attorneys
. ntessrs. BUCK & Hnnt.~Zz---