The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-06-05
4 Rustic VIEW OF RUBSsTEIN.

Well, sir, he had the blamedest, big
gest, catty-cornered pianner you eve
laid eyes on; somethin' like distract
ed billiard table on three legs. The lie
was hoisted, and mighty well it was. L
it hadn't been he'd tore the entire in
sides clean out, and scattered 'em to the
four winds of heaven.
Played well? You bet he did; bu
don't interrupt me. When he first 81
down, he 'peared to keer mighty little
bout playin', and wisht he hadn't come
He tweedle-leed'ed little on the treble
and twoodle-oodled some on the base
inst foolin' and boxin' the things jaw;
for bein' in his way. And l says to {
man settin' next to me, says L: "Wha
sort of fool playin' is thatP" And hi
says, Heish!" But presently his
hands commenced chasin' one another
up and down the keys like parcel o.
rats scamperin' through a garnet very
swift. Parts of it was sweet, though
and reminded me of a sugar squire
turnin' the wheel of candy cage.
"Now,'' l says to my neighbor, She:
shown off. He thinks he's a-doin' o.
it, but he amt got no idee, no plan O.
nothin'. If he'd play me tune of some
kind or other I'd
But my neighbor says Heish!" very
impatient.
l was just about to git up and &C
home, bein' tired of that foolishness,
when 1 heard a little bird waking up
away off in the woods, and call sleepy.
like to his mate, and 1 looked up and
see that Ruby was beginning to take
some interest in his business, and l sit
down again. 1t was the peep of day.
The light came faint from the east, the
breezes bowed gentle and fresh, some
more birds walked up in the orchard,
then some more in the trees near the
house, and all begun singin' together
People began to stir, and the gal opened
the shutters. just then the first beam
of the sun fell upon the blossoms leetle
more, and it techt the roses on the
bushes, and the next thing it was broad
day; the sun fairly blazed, the birds
sung like they'd split their little threats
all the leaves was movin', and tlashin
diamonds of dew, and the whole wide
world was bright and happy as king
breakfast in every house in the land, and
not sick child or woman anywhere
1t was fine mornin'.
And l says to my neighbor: "That's
music, that isl
But he glared at me like he'd like tt
cut my throat.
Presently the wind turned; it began
to thicken up, and kind of gray mis-
came over things l got low-spirited di
rectly. Then silver rain begun to fall
/ could see the drops touch the ground
some flashed up like long pearl ear
rings, and the rest rolled away Xix,
round rubies. 1t was pretty, but mel
ancholy. Then the pearls gathered
themselves into long strands and neck
laces, and then they melted into thin
silver streams, running between colder
gravels, and then the streams Joined
each other at the bottom of the hill, anC
made brook that flowed silent, cxcep
that you could kinder see the music
specially when the bushes on the banks
moved as the music went along dow
the valley. / could smell the flowers il
the meadow. But the sun didn't shine
nor the birds sing; it was a foggy day
but not cold.
The most curious thing was the it'll
white angel-boy, like you see in pictures
that run ahead of the music brook ant
led it on and on, away out of the world
where no man ever was, certain.
could see that boy just as plain as 1 Sc,
you. Then the moonlight came, with
out any sunset, and shone on the grave
yards, where some few ghosts lifted thei
hands and went over the wall, and be
tween the black, sharp-top trees splen
did marble houses rose up, with fin
ladies in the lit-up windows, and mel
that loted 'em, but could never ge
a-nigh 'em, who played on guitars un
der the trees, and made me that miser
able / could have cried, because
wanted to love somebody, don't know
who, better than the men with the gui
tars did.
Then the sun went down, it got dark
the wind moaned and wept like los
child for its dead mother, and l coul,
a-got up then and there and preached
better sermon than any ever listene,
to. There wasn't thing in the worl,
left to live for, not a blame thing, ant
vet didn't want the music to stop on
bit. 1t was happier to be miserable
than to be happy without being miser
able. / couldn understand it. 1 hun.
my head and pulled out my handker
chief, and blowed my nose loud to keel
from cryin'. My eyes is weak, anyway
1 didn't want any body to be a-glarin
at me a-snivlin', and it's no body
business what do with my nose. It.
mine. But some several glared at m
mad as blazes. Then, all of sudden
old Rubin changed his tune. He rippe'
out and he rared, he tipped and h
tared, he pranced and he charged lik
the grand entry at circus. 'Peare'