The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-06-25
MrvUJG CAMPS FIRST PIANO.

rs ut CAMf'S FIRST H1ANUs
ii s in 1S58-or it might have been
Ave ears earlier or later-there was a
iitale camp about ten miles from Phoebe,
coupled by upward of three hundred
miners, every one of whom might have
lacked his prospecting implements and
eft for more inviting fields any time be-
fore sunset. When the day was over,
the men did not rest from their labors,
like the honest New England agricul-
turist, but sang, danced, gambled and
shot each other, as the mood seized
them.
One evening the report spread along
the main street (Which was the only
street) that three men had been killed
at Silver Reef, and that the bodies were
coming in.
Presently numbering old conveyance
labored up the hill, drawn by a couple
of horses, well worn out with the pull.
The cart contained good sized box,
and no sooner did its outlines become
visible through the glimmer of stray
light here and there, than it began to
affect the idlers. Death always enforces
respect, and even though no one had
caught sight of the remains, the crowd
gradually became subdued, and when the
horses came to standstill the cart was
surrounded. The driver, however, was
not in the least impressed with the sol
emnity of his commission.
All therep" asked one.
"Haven't examined. Guess 500
The driver filed his pipe and lit it, as
la G .nl, +lo
load had gone over the BANK
A man who had been looking on step
ped up to the man at once. "I don't
know who you have in that box, but if
they happen to be any friends of mine
I'll lay you alongside .
"We can mighty soon see," said the
teamster, coolly. "Just bust the lid off,
and if they happen to be the men you
want, I'm here. -
The two looked at each other mo-
ment, and the crowd gathered a little
closer, anticipating trouble.
81 believe that dead men are entitled
to good treatment, and when you talk
about happening to see corpse 90 over
a bank, all have to say is that it will
be better for you if the late lamented
amt my friends
"We'll open the box. I don't take
back what I've said, and if my language
don't suit your ways of thinking 1 guess
l can stand it,"
With these words the teamster began
to pry up the lid. He got the board off,
and then pulled out some old rags. A
strip of something dark, like rosewood,
presented itself.
"Eastern collins, by thunder!" said
several, and the crowd looked quite as
founded.
Some more boards flew up, and the
man who was ready to defend his
friends memory shifted his weapon a
little. The cool manner of the teamster
had so irritated him that he made up
his mind to pull his weapon at first sign
of the dead, even if the deceased was his
worst and oldest enemy. Presently the
whole box cover was off, and the team
ster, clearing away the packing, re-
vealed to the astonished group the tor
of something which puzzled all alike.
"Boys," said he, "this is pianner.'
A general shout of laughter went up
and the man who had been so anxiou.
to enforce respect for the dead muttereC
something about feeling dry, and thu
keeper of the nearest bar was severa
ounces better off by the time the boy
had given the joke all the attention i
called for. Had a dozen dead men beer
in the box, their presence in the cam,
could not have occasioned half the ex
element that the arrival of that piano
caused. By the next morning it wa
known that the instrument was to grac
the hurdy gurdy saloon, owned by Ton
Goskin, the leading gambler in tn
place. 1t took nearly week to get thi
wonder on its legs, and the owner wa
the proudest man in the State. 1t ros
gradually from recumbent to an up
right position, amid confusion O
tongues after the manner of the towe
of Babel.
OF course everybody knew Just hoy
such an instrument should be put up
One knew where the soft hind leg
should go, and another was posted O
the " front piece"
Scores of men came to the place ever
day to assist.
"I'l put the bones in good order"
elf you want the wires tuned, I'm tn
boy" a~4 .a
"I've got music to feed it for
month"
Another brought pair of blanket
for cover, and all took the liveliest il
terest in it. 1t was at last in conditio
for business. ua
"It's been showin' its teeth all tt
week. We'd like to have it spit OF
something"
Alas! there wasn't man to be foun
who could play upon the instrumen
Goskin began to realize that he had
losing speculation on his hands. I
had q fiddler, and a Mexican WI
thummed a guitar. A pianist -woul
have made his orchestra complete.
One day a three-card monte play,
told a friend confidentially that he cou
"knock any amount of music out of
piano, if he only had it alone few hou
to get his hand in" The report spres
about the camp, but on being question:
he vowed that ne didn't know a note
music. 1t was noted, however, as