Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-03-29


The two looked ut each other for q
moment, and the crowd gathering o
little closer, anticipating trouble,
~ believe that dead men are entitled
to good treatment, and when You talk
about hoping to see corpses 60 over
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. don'ttake back
what I've said and if my language don't
snit your ways Of thinking, guess ! can
stand it,.
With these words the teamster began
to pry up the lid. He got the board of,
and pulled out some old rags. A strip
of something dark, like rosewood, pre-
sented itself.
Eastern cofiins, by thunderw said
several, and the crowd looked quite as
t0nished.
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 is a planner."
A general shout of laughter went mp
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 Oft
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 occasione6 half the excitement
that the arrival Of the lonely piano
caused. BY the next morning it was
known that the instrument was to
grace a 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 broudest individual in the State.
1t rose gradually from 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 "otf hind leg"
should go, and another was posted on
the "front piece
Scores of mel came to the place every
day to assist.
"I'll put the bones in good order"
eff you want wire tuned, I'm the
boy
"I've got music to feed it fora month";"
Another brought pair of blankets
for cover, and all took the liveliest in
terest in it. 1t was at last in y c0udi-
ton for business.
ats b9en showin' it's teeth all the
week. We'd like to see if 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
fiddler and % Mexican that trimmed a
guitar. A pianist would have made his
archestra complete.
One day three-card monte player
told a friend cOnfdentially that he could
"knock any kind ofmusic out 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 q note
of music. 1t was noted, however, as q
suspicious circumstances, that he often
hung about the instrument and looked
upon it longingly, like hungry man
gloating over u 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 y trialof his strength after the
rules of harmony had suffered so many
years ofneglect. SO the fiddler kept on
with his jigs, and the greasy Mexican
paved his discordant guitar, but noman
had the nerve to touch the piano.
There were doubtless scores of men in
the camp who would have given ten
ounces 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