The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-07-08
The Music Lesson.

| am poWe:1ul 1onO OF music. W HcH
l was only knee high 20 a grass hopper
l used to foler all the hand-organs that
came inter the place. And them men
that squeeze something under their arms
and make such a squealing, funny noise,
were aliurs sure of getting my pennies.
And here | am Deacon SCOTS wife, and
ouehter to be settled dow reading the
blessed Bible, and thinking of my latter
days, yet here am ready to upset ev-
ervthing and run after the first strain of
music | hear, if it is nothing but a jews
harp.
Brother Jones lives next door and be-
longs to our church. He has taken 1t
into his head to buy a pianer for his
girl Sarah Maria. A powerful nice
girl is Sarah Maria, but awful proper;
wouldn't do anything that was Bit
naughty; never had any fellers hanging
round after her. Everybody likes her,
and so do l.
she has been taking lessons on the
pianer from the observatory, and great
professor comes here and plays till am
eenamost carried away. But how he
does bang away on the new. pianer! 1
think Brother Jones is queer to let him
60 at such rate. He'll be going just
as soft and nice and all at once he will
hit the pianner as though he had got
mad at something.
One night | sat at my winder listen
ing: all at once l thought Ia go in and
hear all l could. l went right in. The
professor was there, and so was Sarah
Maria They were very polite-gave
me a chair-and began talking to the
professor about music. Says he
"Wll you favor US with song, Miss
Scott, or something on the piannerF
81 did not bring my music, and l
have very bad cold; please squeeze
me-"
He smiled and gave Sarah Maria a
very knowing look.
l asked him to favor me with some
music.
(Which shall it be, vocal or instru-
mentalp
81 have little of both" says l.
l thought was safe in saying that
He asked me if l was fond Ut uproar
music. l said had been in SO few up
roars did not know.
Thereupon he commenced singing
about "dreaming he lived in marble
halls" Then he looked straight at
Sarah Maria, and kept saying "that
he loved her, that he loyed her just the
same" l thought he acted funny, but
it was uproar music, and of course l
was prepared to hear him come down on
the panner as though he was smashing
it all to pieces
Sarah Maria asked me if liked that.
said, "Oh, yes! 1t was splendid!'
allurs noticed that everybody praises
what they don't understand in company;
and the deacon allurs tells me not 10
criticise other people.
Saws the Professor, ''Can play you
anything else, Miss ScottG'
/ thanked him pei litely, ard told him
to keep right on, and when was tired
I'd tell him to stop. Thereupon he CON-
menced on something else, and COM
menced to keep time, first with one fut,
then with my hands, then with my
whole body. The music kept playing,
and kept agoing. Sarah Maria kept
Laughing, and at last down came the
Professor on the pianner, and down 1
went on the sofy, more dead than alive
thought l was bewiched, add after 1
came to life leetle, said
"What have you done to me, Pro-
fessorf'
"How do you like ita' says he.
81 guess / would. like it when / get
used to il"
He said he played Thousand and
one nights" shouldn't you think he'd
get tiredY'
felt kinder played out, SO / thought
I'd 60 down into the dining room and
see Brother and Sister Jones. There
they sot, be reading one of them iylns
newspapers, she darning stockings. he
read about three men breaking bank
Jest as If three men could break one OF
them great big stone buildings. II