Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-05-22
" How long out 2n

the lunch counter, fell to work upon roast
bear, devouring it like any wild animal
would have done. AS meat and drink and
warmth began to permeate the stranger,
he seemed to expand and brighten up.
His features lost their pallor, and he grew
more and more content with the idea that
he was not in the grave. AS he under
went these changes, the people about him
got merry and happy, and threw off the
temporary feeling of depression which he
had laid upon them. nil
Presently his eye fell upon the piano.
Where's the player" he asked.
"Never had any," said Goskin, blushing
at the confession.
81 used to play when | was young"
Goskin almost tainted at the admission
stranger, do tackle it, and give us
tune. Nary man in this camp ever had the
nerve to wrestle with that music-box.n His
pulse beat faster, for he feared the man
would refuse.
''rn do the best I can," he said.
There was no stool, but Selling a candle
box, he drew it up and seated himself before
the instrument. 1t only required a few
seconds for a hush to come over the room.
"That old coon is going to give the thing
rattle"
The sight of a man at the piano was
something SO unusual that even the faro
dealer, who was about to take in a fifty
dollar bet on the tray, paused, and did not
reach for the money. Men stopped drink
ing with the glasses at their lips. Conver-
sation appeared to have been struck with
sort of paralysis, and cards were no longer
shufHed
The old man brushed back his long, white
locks, looked up to the cealing, half closed
his eyes, and in mystic sort of reverie
passed his fingers of the keys He touched
but single note, yet the sound thrilled the
room. 1t was the key to his improvisation,
and as he wove his chords together the
music laid its spell upon every ear and heart.
He felt his way along the keys like man
treading uncertain paths; but he gained
confidence as he progressed, and presently
bent to his work like q master TIL instru-
ment was not in exact tune, but the ears of
his audience, through long disuse, did not
detect anything radically wrong. They
heard a succession of grand chords, q sug-
gestion of paradise melodies here and there,
and it was enough.
"See him counter with his 1eft!" said an
old rough, enraptured .,=-
He calls the tune every time on the up
per end of the board" responded a man
with a stack of chips in his hand.
The player wandered off into the old
ballads he had heard at home. All the sid
and melancholy and touching songs, that
came up like dreams Of childhood, this IN
known player drew from the keys. His
hands kneaded their hearts like dough, and
squeezed out tears as from a wet sponge.
As the strains flowed one upon the other,
they saw their homes of the long ago reared
again; they were playing once more where
the apple blossoms sank through the soft
air to join the violets on the green turf of
the old New England States they saw the
glories of the Wisconsin naples and the
haze of the Indian summer blending their
hues together; they saw the heather of the
Scottish hills, the white cliffs OF Briton, and
heard the sullen roar of the sea as it beat
upon their memories vaguely.
Then came the old Christmas carols, such
as they sung in the church thirty years
before; the subtle music that brings up the
gllmmer of wax taper, the solemn shrines,
the evergreen, holly, mistletoe and surpliced
choirs Then the remorseless performer
planted his stab in every heart with . Home,
Sweet Home"
When the player ceased the crowd SUNK
away from him. There was no more
reyelry left in his audience Each man
wanted to sneak off to his cabin and write
the old folks letter. The day was break
ing as the last man left the place, and the
player, laying his head down on the piano,
fell asleep.
Il say, pard,'' said Goskin, "don't you
want little rest ?"
q feel tired" the old man said "Per-
haps you'll let me rest here for the matter
of day or So"
| He walked behind the bar, where some
| old blankets were LAYING and stretched him
| self upon them.
81 feel pretty sick. I guess / won't last
long. I've got brother down the ravine
his names DriscoH. He don't know I'm
here. Can you get him before morning !?
| I'd like to see his face once more before I
| die"
Goskin started up Fat the mention of the
name. He knew Driscoll well.
* He your brother? I'll have him here
in half an hour"
AS he dashed out in the storm the must
| clan pressed his hand to his side and groan-
ed. Goskin heard the word Hurry "
and sped down the ravine to Driscolls
cabin 3D..
1t was quite light in the room when the
| two men returned. Driscon was as pale as
death.
MY God! I hope he's alive. I wronged
him when we lived in England, twenty
years ago." =.
They saw the old man had drawn the
blankets over his face. The two stood q
moment, awed by the thought that he might
be dead. Goskin lifted the blanket and
pulled it down astonished. There was nc
one there.
''Gone" cried Driscoll, wildly
"Gene, echoed Goskin, pulling out his
cash-drawer. Ten thousand dollars in the
sack, and the Lord knows how much loose
change i'll the drawerl"
The next day the boys got out, followed a
horses tracks through the snow, and los
them in the trail leading toward Phoebe.
There was man missing from the camp
1t was the three-card monte man, who used to
deny point blank that he could play the
scale. One day they found wig of white
hair, and called to mind when the g stran
ger" had pushed those locks back when he
looked toward the ceiling for inspiration, on
the night of December "a, 1853.
/ HOW TO SECURE HEALTH.
1t seems strange that any one will suffer
from arrangements brought on by impure