The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-04-15

sThanks," said the judge, in accents bland;
"a thousand thanksi for a swecter draught
From = fafrer hand'-but there Re laughed
And the sweet girl stood in the sun that day
And raked the Judge instead the hay
THE FIRST PIANO IN A MINING
CAMP.
BY SAM DAVIS.
In 1S54-it might have been five years
earlier or later, is not history for the
public schools-there was little camp
about ten miles from Phoebe, occupied
by upward of 800 miners, every one OF
whom might have packed his prospect
ing implements and left for more in
viting fields any time before sunset.
When the day was over the men did
not rest from the labors like the honest
New England agriculturist, but 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, that three men had been killed at
Silver Reef, and that the bodies were
coming in.
Presently a numbering old conveyance
labored up the hill, drawn by couple
of horses, we'll worn out with their pull.
The cart contained good sized box,
and no sooner did its outlines become
visible through the glimmer of a stray
light here and there, than it began to ef-
feet the idlers. Death always enforces
respect, and even though no one had
caught sight of the remains, the crowd
gradually become subducd, and when
the horses came to a stand-still the cart
was surrounded The driver, however,
was not in the least impressed with the
solemnity of his commission.
"All there?' asked one.
"Haven't examined. Guess 500
The driver filled his pipe and lit il, as
he continued.
seWish the bones and load had gone
over the grade"
A man who had been looking on step
ped up to the man at once
81 don't know who you have in that
box, but if they happen to be any friends
of mine I'll lay you alongside"
I'VE can mighty soon see," said the
teamster, cOolly. "Just burst the lid 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 a little
closer, anticipating trouble.
81 believe that dead men are entitled
to good treatment, and when you talk
about happening to see corpse go over
bank, all 1 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
can stand it,
With these words the teamster began
to pry up the lid. He got the board of
and then pulled out some old rags. A
strip of something dark, like rosewood,
| presented itself.
eastern collins, by thunderl" said
several, and the crowd looked quite as
founded.
Some more boards flew up, and the
| man who was ready to defend his friends
memory shifted his weapon little The
| cool manner of the teamster had so irri-
tated him that lie had 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 the box cover was off, and the
teamster, clearing away the packing, re-
vealed 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 muttered
something about feeling dry, and the
keeper IF the nearest bar was several
ounces better off by the time the boys
had given the joke all the attention ii
called for.
| Had dozen dead men been in the box
their presence in the camp could not
have occasioned half the excitement that
the arrival of that lonely piano caused
BY the next morning it was known that
the instrument was to grace the hurdy.
gurdy saloon, owned by Tom Goskin
the leading gambler in the place. II
took nearly week to get this wonder
on its legs, and its owner was the proud
est man in the state. It rose gradually
from a recumbent to an upright position
amid 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 another was posted or
the 'front piece
Scores of men came to the place
every day to assist.
"I'll put the bones in good order'
"1fyou want the wire tuned, I'm the
boy"
| Another brought pair of blankets toI
q cover, and all took the liveliest inter
est in it. 1t was at last in a condition
for business.
"Irs been showin' its teeth all the
week. We'd like to have it spit on
something"
Alas! there wasn't a man TO be founC
who could play upon the instrument
Goskln began to realize that he had
losing speculation on his hands. H
had fiddler, and Mexican who thumm
! ed guitar. A pianist would have mad
his orchestra complete.
j One day a three-card monte-playe
told friend confidentially that he coul,
KNOCK any amount of music out of
, piano, if he only had it alone for a few
, hours TO get his hand in" The repor
spread about the camp, but on bein,
/ questioned, he vowed that he didn'
know a note of music. 1t was noted, how
ever, as q suspicious circumstance tina
/ he often hung about the instrument an,
! looked upon it longingly, like hungr
man glosting over a beefsteak in a res
t taurant window. There was no douh
r that this man had music in his soul
| perhaps ID his fingers ends, but did nc
: dare to make trial of his strength afte
; the rules of harmony had suffered S
r many years of neglect. So the fiddle
} kept on with his jigs and the greas
+ Mexican paved his discordant guita
| but no man had the nerve to touch this
E piano.
InerB were QOuDJleS scores OF men L
the camp who would have given tie
ounces of gold dust to have been halfa
hour alone with it, but every mans nerv
shrank from the jeers which the crow
, would shower upon him should his frs
attempt prove a failure. II got 10
|, generally understood that the hand whic
!. first essayed to draw music from tn
keys must not SLOUGH its work
1t was Christmas Eve, and Goskin, az
: cording to his custom, had decorated hi
gambling house with sprigs of mouI
! tain cedar, and a shrub whose crimso
: berries did not seem a bad imitation G
: English holly. The piano was covere
: with evergreens, and all that was wan
ing to completely Ill the cup of Coz
ktn's oontentment was man to play tha
piano.
"Christmas night, and no piano-pounC
: er," he said. "This is a nice countr
: for christian to live in"
Getting piece of paper he scrawle
: the words:
eco Reward
e To Competent PiHner Player
: -----------------s--- ---F-----.-
r This he stuck up on the music racl
f and, though the inscription glared at III
v hrequenter of the room until midnigh