The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-03-26
THE. PRESS.
[From the Argonaut.l
The First Piano in a Mining
Camp.
BY SAM DAVIS.

BY SAM DAVIS.
In 1s5s-it might have been five years ear
lier or later, this is not history for the
public schools-there was a little camp
about ten miles from Phoebe, occupied By
upward of 300 miners, every one of whom
might have packed his prospecting imple
mems and left for more inviting fields am
time before sunset. When the day was owe
the men did not rest from their labors, like
the honest New England agriculturist, blu
sang, danced, gambled and shot each other
as the mood seized them.
One evening the report spread along the
main street (which was the only street, tha
three men had been killed at Silver Reef
and that the hodies were coming in.
Presently numbering old conveyance la
bored up the hill, drawn by a couple OF
horses, well worn out with their pull. The
cart contained good sized box, and nc
sooner did its outlines become visible through
the glimmer of stray light here and there
than it began to affect the idlers Death
always enforces respect, and even though
no one had caught sight of the remains, the
crowd gradually became subdued, and when
the horses came to a standstil the cart was
surrounded. The driver, however, was moi
in the least impressed with the solemnity OF
his commission.
"All thereg' asked one.
Haven't examined. Guess 500
The driver filled his pipe and lit it, as he
continued:
''Wish the bones and load had gone over
the grade.''
A man who had been looking on stepped
up to the man at once.
81 don't know who you've got 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 team
ster coolly. "Just burst the lid off and if
they happen to be the men you want, Pm
here"
The two looked at each other for amo
ment, and the crowd gathered a little closer
anticipating trouble.
II believe that dead men are entitled to
good treatment, and when you talk about
wishing to see corpse go over a bank,
all i have to say is, that it will be better for
you if the late lamented amt my friends. -
We'll open the box. l don't take back
what I've said, and if my language don't
suit your ways Of thinking, guess 1 can
stand it.''
With these words the teamster began to
pry up the lid. He got the board off, and
then pulled out some old rags. A strip of
something dark, like rosewood, presented it.
self.
Eastern collins, by thunderw said sever
al, and the crowd looked quite astounded.
Some more boards few up, and the man
who was ready to defend his friends memo
~, shifted his weapon little The cool
manner of the teamster had SO irritated him
that he made up his mind to pull his weap-
on at the first sign of the dead, even if the
deceased was his worst aud Oldest enemy.
Presently the whole of the box cover was off,
and the teamster, clearing away the packing,
revealed to the astonished group the top of
something which puzzled all alike.
Boys" said he, 'this is pianner''
A general shout of laughter went up, and
the man who had been so anxious to enforce
respect. for the dead mnttered something
about feeling dry, and the keeper of the
nearest 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
occasioned half the excitement that the ar
rival of that lonely piano caused By the
next morning it was known that the instru-
ment was TO grace a hurdy-gurdy saloon,
owned by Tom Goskin, the leading gambler
In the place. 1t took nearly week to get
this wonder on its legs, aad the owner was
the proudest man in the State. 1t rose
gradually from recumbent to an upright
position, amid a confusion 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 "off hind leg" should go, and an
other was posted on the s'front piece.''
Scores of men came to the place every day
to assist.
''Pll put the bones in good order''
IF you want the wire tuned, Pm the
boy.'
''rve got music to feed it for month";
Another bought pair of blankets for a
cover, and all took the livelest interest in
it. 1t was at last in a condition for bust
ness.
s'It's been showing its teeth all the week.
We'd like to have it spit out something"
Alasl there wasn't man to be found
who could play upon the instrument. Cos
kin began to realize that he had a losing
speculation on his hands. He had fiddler
and Mexican who thrummed guitar, A
pianist would have made his orchestra COM
plete
One day a three-card monte player told
friend confdentially that he could knock
any amount OF music out of a piano. if he
only had it alone few hours to get his hand
in" The report spread about the camp:
but on being questioned he vowed that he
didn't know note of music. 1t was noted,
however, as suspicious circumstance, that
he often hung about the instrument, and
looked upon it longingly, like hungry man
gloating over beef-steak in a 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 trial of his
strength after the rules of harmony had suf-
fered so many years of neglect. So the fid-
dler kept on with his jigs, and the greasy
Mexican paved his discordant guitar, but no
man had the nerve to touch that piano.
There were doubtless scores of men 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 shrank from
the jeers which the owd would shower up
on him should his first attempt prove fail
ure. 1t got to be generally understood that
the hand which first essayed to draw music
from the keys must not SLOUGH its work.
1t was Christmas Eve, and Goskin, &C
cording to his custom, had decorated his
gambling house with sprig of mountain ce-
dar, and shrub whose crimson berries did
not seem bad imitation of English holly
The piano was covered with evergreens, and
all that was wanting to completely fill the
cup of Goskin's contentment was a man to
play that piano.
Christmas night and no piano-pounder,"
he said. ''This is nice country for Chris
tian to live in.''
Getting piece of paper he scrawled the
words:
-: e20 Reward
Toa compliant Pianer Player.