Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-02


moment, and the crowd gathering a
little closer, anticipating trouble.
~ believe that dead men are entitled
to good treatment, and when you talk
about hoping to see corpses go over a
bank, all l have to say is, that it will be
better for you if the late lamented amt
my friends"
"We'll open the box. don't take back
what Eve said and if my language don't
suit your ways of thinking, guess can
stand it,"
With these words the teamster began
to pry up the lid. He got the board off,
and pulled out some old rags. A strip
Of something dark, like rosewood, pre-
sented itself.
eastern collins, by thunderw said
several, and the crowd looked quite as
tOnished
Some more boards blew 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 lrritated him that he had made
up his mind to pull his weapon at the
first sight of the dead, even if the de-
ceased was his worst and Oldest enemy.
Presently the teamster, clearing away
the packing, revealed to the astonished
group the top of something which puz-
zled all alike.
Boys" said he, "this lisa planner."
A general shout of laughter went up
and the man who had been SO anxious to
enforce respect muttered something
about feeling dry, and the keeper of the
nearest bar was few ounces better off
by the time the boys had given the joke
all the attention it called for.
Had dozen dead men been in the box
their presence in the camp could not
have occasioned half the excitement
that the arrival of the lonely piano
caused. By the next morning it was
known that the instrument was to
grace hurdy-gurdy saloon, owned by
Tom Ooskin, the leading gambler in the
place. 1t took nearly week to get this
wonder on its legs, and the owner was
the proudest individual in the State.
1t rose gradually from q recumbent to
an upright position, amid confusion
of tongues after the manner of the tow
er of Babel.
OF course everybody knew just how
such an instrument should be put up.
One knew where the "off hind leg"
should go, and another was posted on
the "front piece"
Scores Of men came TO the place every
day to assist.
'T'll put the bones i'll good order
"If you want wire tuned, I'm the
boy"
GIVE got music to feed it fora month";"
Another brought pair of blankets
for cover, and all took the liyeliest in
terest in it. 1t was at last in condi-
ton for business.
'It's bsen showin' its teeth all the
week. We'd like to see it spit out
something"
Alas! there wasn't man to be found
who could play upon the instrument.
Goskin began to realize that he had a
losing speculation on his hands. He had
q fiddler and q Mexican that trimmed q
guitar. A pianist would have made his
orchestra complete.
One day three-card monte player
told a friend conidentially that he could
"knock any kind ofmusic ont ola piano
if he only had it alone few hours to
get his hand in" The report spread
about the camp but on being question
ed, he vowed that he didn't know note
of music. 1t was noted, however, as a
suspicious circumstances, that he often
hung about the instrument and looked
upon it longingly, like q hungry man
gloating over breakfast in restaurant
window. There was no doubt that this
man had music in his soul, perhaps in
his fingers ends, but did not dare to
make a trialof his strength after the
rules of harmony had suffered SO many
years of neglect. SO the fiddler kept on
with his jigs, and the greasy Mexican
paved his discordant guitar, but no man
had the nerve to touch the piano.
There were doubtless scores of mel in
the camp who would have given ten
ounces of gold dust to have been half an
hour alone with it, but every mans
nerve shrunk from the jeers which the
crowd would shower upon him should
his first attempt prove failure. 1t got