The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-03-15

Christm3s night and no piano
FOUNDER" said he. "This ia q nice
country Tor a christian 10 live H."
Getting piece of paper he scrawle,l
the words:
: 60 Reward
To n compliant Pianer Player.
This he stuck up on the music rack
and though the inscription glsred at
the frequenters Of the room until mid
night, it failed to draw any musician
from his shell.
So the merrv-making went or the
hilarity grew apace. Men danced
and sang to the music of the squesky
fiddle and WORKOUT guitar. a. the jolly
crowd within tried to drown the howl
ing of the storm without. Suddenly
they became aware Of the presence Of
q white-haired man crOuchins near the
fireplace. His garments. such ~ we're
left. were wet with melting snow, and
he had self-starved, hslt-crszed *.
preston. He held his thin. trembling
bands toward the FIRE, aud the ligh
of the blazing wood made them almost
transparent.
He looked about him once in q
awhile. as If in search of something,
and his presence cast such u chill
over the place that gradually the
sound of revelry was husked, and it
seemed that this waif of the storm had
brought in with it all the gloom and
GOODNESS Of the waring elements.
Goskin, mixing up q cup of hot
eggnog, advanced and remarked.
Here. stranger. brace up! This is
the real staff"
The man drained the cup. smacked
his lips, and seemed more at home.
been prospecting, Ell? Out in
the mountains-caught in the storm !?
Lively night, this!"
Pretty bad" said the man.
''Must feel pretty dry ?"
The man looked at his streaming
clothes and laughed. As if Goskin's re-
mark was Q sarcasm.
How long out!'
"Fcur DAYS"
Hungry
The man rose up, and walking over
10 the lunch counter. fell to work up
on roast bear, devoaring it like any
wild animal would have done. A.
meat and drink and warmth began to
penetrate the stranger. he seemed to
expand and tighten up. His features
ost their palIor, and he grew more
md more content with the idea that
he was not in the grave. As he un-
lerwent these changes the people
about him got merry aud happier,
md threw of the temporary feeling
IF depression which he had laid upon
hem.
Presently his eye fell upon the
piano.
where's the player?" he asked.
"Never had any," said Guskin.
at the confession.
Il used to play when l was Young.
tioskin almost tainted nj the ad-
mission.
stranger. do tackle it, and give
,. tune! Nary man in this camp
yer had the nerve to wrestIe with
hat music box" His pulse beat
astsr, tor he feared that the man
would refuse.
"i'll do the best can," ne eaid.
There was no stool, but eeizing a |
.andle box. he drew it up and seated
himself before the instrument. 1t
'uly required a few seconds for q i
lush to come over the room.
q THAT old coon is going to give
ne thing q rattle"
The sight Of a man at the piano
vas something ~ unusual that even |
he faro-dea'er, who was about to take |
n $50 bet on the tray. paused, and |
lid not reach for the money. Men |
topped drinking with the glasses at
heir lips. Conversation appeared to
ave been struck with y sort of
'aralysis, and cards were no longer
huffied.
The old man brushed back his long.
Ehi.e locks. looked up to the ceiling, |
'alf closed his eyes. and in q mystic
ort Of reverie passed his fingers over
he keys. He touched but a single
ote, yet the sound thrilled the room,
t was the key to his improvisation, |,
nd as he wove his cords together the
music laid it's spell upon every ear and
cart. He felt his way along the
eys, like man treading uncertain
aths bat he gained confidence q he
and presently bent to his
,ork like a master. The instrument
'as not in exact tune, but the ears of
is audience. through long disuse, did
OF detect anything radically wrong.
hey heard q succession of grand
hords, a suggestion Of paradise, mel
dies here and there. and it WAS
nough. See him counter with his
=" said IN old rough. enraptured. i,
''He calls the turn every time on
re upper end of The board" respond .
! man with a stack of chips in his ,
and.
The player wandered OF into the old
allads he had heard at home. Ali
he sad and melancholy ard touching
'ngs, that came up Ike dreams Of
this unknown PLAYER drew /.
ON the keys. His hands kneaded
'eir hearts like dough, and squeezed /,
1t the tears rs from q wet sponge.
s the strains flowed one upon the {
her, they saw their homes of the
no 400 reared aDaiu. thew vere nIsv.