The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-07-07
THE FIRST PIANO.

THE FIRST PIANO.
In 1857-it may have been five years
earlier or later, this is not history for the
public school-there was little camp
about ten miles from Phoebe, occupied
by upwards or about 800 miners, every
one of whom packed up his prospecting
implements and left for more inviting
fields any time before sunset. When the
day was over the men did not rest from
their labors, like the honest New Eng
land agriculturist, but sang, danced,
gambled, and shot each other, as the
mood seized them.
One evening 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 a numbering old conveyance
labored up the hill, drawn bya couple Of
horses, well wornout with their pull
The cart contained a good-sized box, and
no sooner did its outline become visible
through the glimmer of stray light
here and there; than it began to affect
the idlers. Death always enforces re-
spect, and even though no one had
caught sight of the remains, the crowd
gradually became subdued, and when
the horses came to stand-still, the cart
was Immediately surrounded. The
driver, however, was not in the least i'm
pressed with the solemnity Of his COM
mission.
''All there" asked one.
"Havn't examined. Guess So.
The driver filed his pipe and Lit it as he
continued:
"Wish the bones and the load had
gone over the grade"
A man who had been looking on
stepped up to the man at once.
II don't know whom 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 for q
moment, and the crowd gathered little
closer, anticipating trouble.
II believe that dead men are entitled
to good treatment, and when you talk
about hoping to see corpses go over a
bank, all have to say is, that it will be
better for you if the late lamented ain't
my friends
"We'n open the box. I don't take
back what I've said, and if my language
don't suit your ways of thinking, guess
can stand it."
With these words the teamster began
b. Aho H. %1o
off, and then pulled out some old rags.
A strip of something dark, like rose
wood, presented itself.
eastern coffins, by thunder!'' said
several, and the crowd looked quite as
tonished.
Some more boards flew up, and the
man who was ready to defend his
friends memory shifted his weapon {
little. The cool manner of the teamstel
had so irritated him that he made u1
his mind to pull his weapon at the frs
sight of the dead, even if the deceased
was his worst and oldest enemy
Presently the whole of the box covel
was off, and the teamster, clearing ava,
the packing, revealed to the astonishet
group the top of something which puz
zled all alike.
s'Boys," said he, "pianner."
A general shout of laughter went up
and the man who had been so anxious
to enforce respect for the dead, mutteret
something about feeling dry, and tn
keeper of the nearest bar was severa
ounces better off by the time the boy
had given the joke all the attention il
called for
Had half dozen dead men been il
the. box their presence in the camp
could not have occasioned half the ex
| citement that the arrival of that lonely
piano caused. By the next morning i
was known that the instrument was tx
grace hurdy-gurdy saloon, owned b.
| Tom Goskin, the leading gambler il
the place. It took nearly a week to ge
this wonder on its legs, and the ownel
was the proudest individual in the State
It rose gradually from a recumbent t.
an upright position, amid confusion
of tongues after the manner of the Towe
of Babel.
OF course everybody knew just hov
such an instrument should be put up
One knew where the ''off hind leg
should go, and another was posted OF
the 'front piece.
Scores of men came to the place ever,
day to assist.
'Ill put the bones in good order"
eff you want the wire tuned, I'm tn
boy"
"I've got music to feed it for
month"
Another brought pair of blankets fo
a cover, and all took the lvliest interes
in it. It was ut last in condition fo
business.
"It's been showin' it's teeth all tn
week. We'd like to have it spit out some
thing" -
Alas! there wasn't man to be foun
who could play upon the instrument
Goskin began to realize that he had
losing speculation on his hands. He ha
fiddler and Mexican who thrumme
upon guitar. A pianist would hav
made his orchestra complete.
One day three card monte player tol
friend confdentially that he coul
"knock any amount of music out of
piano, If he only had it alone for fe
hours to get his hand in" The repol
spread over the camp, but on being que'
toned he vowed that he didn't know
note of music. 1t was noted, however
as suspicious circumstance, that he o.
ten hung about the instrument, an
looked upon it longingly, like hungr
man gloating over beefsteak in rel
taurant window. There wss no dout
that this man had music IN his SOU
perhaps In his fngers' ends, but did n,