The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1881-06-23

'aH7--N
err, lie said. s>This is nice country for !;
Christian to live in
Getting piece Of paper he scraWled the
words:
| ~ G20 Reward !
10 q Compliant Pianer PLAYER.
This he stuck up in the music-rack, and
though, the inscription glared ut the fre-
qytenters Of the room until midnight, it
failed to draw any musician from his shell.
So the merry-making went on; the hill
arity grew apace. Men danced and sang
to the music Of the sqneaky fiddle and
worn out guitar, rs the jolly crowd within
tried to drown the bowling Of the storm
without. Suddenly they became aware
of the presence Of q White-haired man
crouchcd near the Fireplace. His gar
ments, such us were left, were wet with
melting snow, and he had q halt-star'ed,
half-crazed expression. He held his thin,
trembling hands towards the fire, and the
il9ut VI titC VIVA 'ft'1t'> t''N'1& 50
, most transparent.
He looked about him once in 4 while, as
if i'm search Of something, and his pres
!. ence cast such a chill over the place that
gradually thesound ofrevelry was hlshed,
and it seemed that this waif Of the storm
had brought III with it al tie gloom and
+ coldness Of the warring elements. Cos
kin, mixing up a cupof egGnog, advanced
and remarked cheerily:
> ssHere, stranger, brace Up. This IL the
| real stuff -
E The mar tt1lined the 45tts, ssi.tcked his
I lips, and seemed more at home. =
s'Been prospecting, eh: Out i'll the
! ountains--caughrin the Storm Lively
: night, this,
"Pretty bad" I" said tie man.
s'Mt,st feel pretty dry?o
!, The man looked at his streaming clothes
q and laughed. as if Gos!in's remark was q
/ sarcasm.
II @ssHow long out!.''
|. s'Four days.
n 4lNllSt
,f The man rose up, and walking over Il
. the lunch counter fell to work upon roast
= bear, devouring it like any wild anima
O. would have done. AS meat and drint
and warmth began to pcrmcate the stran
ger. he seemed to expand and Tighten up
n His features lost their pallor, and he grew
Fo more aud more content with the idea thai
Il he was not in the grave. AS he underWen
= these changes the people about him go
% merrier and happier, and threw OH tn
~ temporary feeling Of depression which h
had laid upon them.
X Presently his eye fell upon the piano
va "Whcre's the player?2 he asked.
y 'sNever had any," said Goskin, blush
~ inc at the confession.
no II used to play when was young
~ Goskin almost tainted at the admission.
a. stranger, do tackle it and give us
" tune! Nary man in this camp ever .ha
m the nerve to wrestle with that music hlSN
!, sI'll do the best can,' he said.
q There was no stool, but seizing the car
. dle-box, he drew it up and seated himse
of before the instrument. It only requires
few seconds for a hush to come over tt
,w room.
N 'sThat old coon is going TO give the thin
I'D a rattle. y
nj The sight Of . man at the piano ";
something SO unusual that even the Ia
~ dealer, who was aboutto to take IN q fiji
dollar bet Oh the tray, paused, and did n
reach for the money. Men stopped drin
Ia inc with the glasses at their lips. Conve
sation appeared to have been struck wi
, ), a sort Of paralysis; and cards were ]
] longer shut1ed.~
il The old man brushed back his lol
,e;. white locks, looked up to the ceiling, clos
his ewes, and in a mystic sort of revel
IL passed his fingers over the keys. ]
,, touched but a single note, yet the sou1
l., thrilled the room. It was the key to |
tho improvisation, and as he Woye his ehor
izo together the music laid its spell upon eve
ion ear and heart. He felt his way along t
i j KEYS like a man treading uncertain path
nj but he gained confidence in his work Ii
-, 4 master. The instrument was not III ex;
tune, but the ears Of his. audience, throu
n > long disuse, did not detect anything ra
oek cally wrong. They heard i succession
s.he grand chords, 4 suggestion Of paradi
his melodies here and there, and it "
the enough.a
ne5 Essee him counter with his left, 7 said
1t old rough, enraptured.
cir tile calls the turn every time on the
tho per end Of the hoard, = responded q y
olr. with a stack. Of chips in his hand.
,eef- The player wandered off to the
was. was ballads he Ind heard at home. All5the
his and melancholy and touching songs,
did came Up like areama Of childhood, this