The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1881-06-23
THE FIRST PIANO IN CAMP.

1t
upward of about 800 miners, every one Of
whom nigh. have packed his prospecting
Implements and LETT for more inviting
fields any time before sunset When the
day was ,ver, the men did not rest from
their laborS. like the honest New Eng
land ag1iculturist, but sang, danced, gam
bled and shot each other rs the mood
seized them.
One evening Il 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 q numbering old conveyance
laborcd up the bill, drawn by "a couple Of"
horses we'll Worl -out with their pull.
The cart contained a good sized box, and
no sooner did its outline become visible
through the glimmer Of a stray light here
and there than it began to affect the dlers.
Death always entorces respect, and even
though no one had caught sight OF the re-
mains the crowd gradually became sub
dued, and when the horses came TO g
standstill the cart was Immediately SUR
rounded. The G1iycr, however, was not
in the least impressed with the solemnity
of bis commission.
''All there ~ asked one.
/ "Hayen't examined. Guess so.
| The driver filled his pipe and lit it as he
continued:
! 'sWish the bones and the load had gone
over the grade
/ A man who had been looking on step
ped up to the man at once. 5
s<I don't know who YOU have in that
box, but If they happen to be any friends
of mine Ill lay you alongside.
EWe can mighty soon see," said the
teamster, coolly. "Just burst the lid Oft,
and if they happen TO be the men you
want, Pm here.''
The two men looked at each other for
moment, and the crowd gathered little
closer, anticipating trouble.
! SI believe that dead men are entitled tc
good treatment, and when you talk aDou'
hoping to see corpses go over bank, all
have to say is, that It will be better fol
YOU if the late lanented are not my
friends -
"Well. open the box. [ don't take bach
what I've said, and if my language don
suit yo,,r ways Of thinking, / guess car
stand IT.
With these words the teamster began t
pry up the lid. He got the board OIL, ant
! then pulled out some old rags. \ strip Q
ii something dark, like rosewood, presented
: itself.
s'Eastern collins, by thunder" sale
: several, and the crowd looked quite as
| l0nished.
!, Some more boards flew up, and the ma
: who stood ready to defend his friends
! memory shifted his weapon little. IN
: cool m4nner ofthe teamster had SO lrrltate
him that he had made MP his mind to pu1
S his weapon 1T the first sight Of the deac
y even # the deceased were his worst an
}, oldest enemy. Presently the whole
e the box-coYer Awas off, and the teamstc1
It clearing away the packing, revealed
IS the :stonished group the top of somethin
Il which puzzled AL alike.
Ss'Bovs," said be, 'spianncr.
Il A general shout of laughter went u
h and the man who had been 50 anxious
enforce respect for the dead muttere
= something about feeling Cry, and the keel
- ar of the nearest bar was several ounc
!, better off by the time the boys had give
:, the Joke all the attention it called for.
=, Had dozen dead men been in the bo
- their presence in the camp could not ha'
j occasioned half the excitement that the
-. rival of that lonely piano had caused. !
i the next morning it was known chat Il
81 instrument was to grace hurdy-gurt
20 saloon, owned by Tom Goskin, the lea
- mo gambler in the place. It took 11ear
week to get this wonder OH its legs, al
the owner was the proudest individual
= the State. It rose gradually from
= cumbent to an upright position, amid
: = confusion of tongues. after the manner
: the tower Of Babel.
: OF course everybody knew just he
snch an Instrument should be put !
ID One knew II here the. off hind leg'' shot
@ 90. and another was posted on the 'sfrc
piece"
ed Scores Of men came to the place eve
az day to. assist.
by stT,u put the bones in good order. =
be ..If YOU want the wire tuned, I'm
.ao -, boy"
lth ..I,ye got music to feed it fora mo1ltf
'al Another brought q pair Of blankets to-
cover. and al took the liveliest interest
len it. 1t was at last in Q condition for BY
- ness.
na- .ssIt's been showin' its teeth AL the we
zht We'd like to have it#spit out something.
OF Alas! there wasn't a man to
found who could plaT upon
hat |instrument. Goskin began to real
no that lie had q losing speculat
dul 71non his hands He had fiddler, an
use Mexican who thummed the guitar. 4
,es- anist would have made his orchestra &C
ION plete.
ole. One day a three card monte player TO-
ent friend confdentially that he could skn
Il. any amount Of music out Of piano Il
md onlv had it alone for q few hours to get
In hand in The report spread about
j. Icalnp; but on being questioned he yo'
L..