Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-04-19
THE FIRST PIANO IN A MINING
CAMP.
BY SAN DAVIS.

In 1858. it might have been five years
earlier or later, tais Is no; a history for
the public schools-there was a little
camp about ten miles from Pioche, occu-
pied by upward Of 500 miners, every on,
of whom might have packed his prospect
ing 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
lang agucullurist. but sang, danced,
g4mbIed aud shot each other as the mood
seized them
One evening the report spread along
the main street which was the onl,
street. that three men had been killed a.
Silver Reef. and that the bodies were
coming IN.
Presently a numbering old conveyance
laboTrd up the hill, drawn by couple OF
horses well worn out with their pull
The cart contained good sized box, and
no sooner did lis outline, become visible
through the glimmer Of stray light here
and there, than it began to aztec, the
ldlers. Death always entorces respect,
and even though no one had caught sigh,
Of the remains, the crowd gradually be-
came subdued, and when the horses came
20 a stands,ill the cart was surrounded.
The driver, however, was not in the least
impressed with the solemni,y of his COM
mission.
"Al there - asked one.
Haven't examined. Guess SC"
The driver filed hi. pipe and lit it, as
continued;
wish the bones and load had gone
over the grade
\ man who had been looking on step
ped up 10 the man at once.
Il don't know who you've got in that
box, bu; if they happen to be any friends
OF mine I'll lay YOU alongside.
I'VE can mighty soon see said the
teamsier coolly. Just burst the Id off
and if they happen to be the men you
want, I'm here"
The two looked at each other for mo-
ment, and the crowd gathered Z little closer,
anticipating trouble.
Il believe that dead men are entitled
10 good treatment, and when YOU talk
about wishing TO see a corpse go over a
bank, all have to say IS, that II will be
better for YOU if the late lamented amt
any of my friends.
We'll open the box. / don't take
back what I've said, and If my language
don ! suit your ways Of thinking, | guess
can stand It.
With these words the teamster began
10 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,ounded.
Some more boards flew up, and the
man who was ready TO defend his friend S
memory, shifted his weapon a little.
/ The cool manner of the teams,er had so
irritated him that he made up his mind
TO pull his weapon at the first sign OF the
dead, even If the deceased was his worst
and oldest enemy. Presently the whole
of tie box cover was off and the teamster,
clearing away the packing, revealed to
the astonished group the top OF something
which puzzled all alike.
/ -. ss,bss q r,tappar
A general shout of laughter went up,
and the man who had been so anxious TO
enforce respect for the dead, muttered
something about feeling dry, and
the keeper of the neares. bar was
several ounces better off by the time the
boys had given the joke all the attention
called for.
Had dozen dead men been in the box,
their presence in the camp could not have
occassioned half the excitement that the
arrival of that lonely piano caused. BY
the next morning it was known that the
instrument was to grace a hurdy- gurdy
saloon, owned by Tom Goskln, the lead
ing gambler in the place. 1t took nearly
a week to get this wonder on its legs, and
the owner was the proudest man in the
State. 1t rose gradually from recum-
bent to an uprigh, position, amid con-
fusion of tongues after the manner of the
tower of Babel.
OF course everybody knew just how
such an instrument should be put up,
One knew where the ''of hind leg
should 90, and another was posted on the