The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-06-25


country for Christian to live in"
Getting piece of paper he scrawled
the words:
$50 Reward
To compliant Pianer Player.
This he stuck up on the music rack,
and, though the inscription glared at the
frequenters of the room until midnight,
it failed to draw any musician from his
shell.
So the merry-making went on; the
hilarity grew apace. Men danced and
sang to the music of the squeaky fiddle
and worn-out guitar, as the jolly crowd
within tried to drown the bowling storm
without. Suddenly they became aware
of the presence of a white haired man
crouched near the fireplace. His gar
ments, such as were left, were wet with
melting snow, and he had half-starved,
half-crazed expression. He held his
thin, trembling hands toward the fire,
and the light of the blazing wood made
them almost transparent.
He looked about him once and while
as if in search of something, and his
presence cast such a chill over the place
that it gradually seemed as if this waif
| of the storm had brought in with it all
the gloom and GOODNESS of the warning
elements. Goskin, mixing up cup of
hot egg-nogg, advanced and remarked,
cheerfully:
"Here, stranger, brace up! This is
the real stuff" .
The man drained the cup, smacked
his lips and seemed more at home.
"Been prospecting, Ell? Out in the
mountains-caughti in the storm? Lively
night, this!'' t
"Pretty BAD said the man.
"Must feel pretty dry?"
The man looked at his steaming clothes
and laughed, as if Goskin's remark was
a sarcasm.
elbow long out?" .t.
"Four days"
"Hungry?"
The man rose up, and walked over to
roast bear, devouring it like any wild
animal would have done. AS meat and
drink and warmth began to penetrate
the stranger, he seemed to expand and
straighten up. His features lost their
pallor, and he grew more and more con-
tent with the idea that he was not in the
grave. AS he underwent these changes
the people about him got merrier and
happier, and threw off the temporary
feeling of depression which he had laid
upon them.
Presently his eye fell upon the piano.
"Where's the player?n he asked.
"Never had any, said Goskin, blush
ing at the confession.
81 used to play when | was young.''
Goskin almost tainted at the admis-
sion. .e
stranger, do tackle it, and give us a
tune! Nary man in this camp ever had
the nerve to wrestle with that music
box" His pulse beat faster, for he
feared that the man would refuse.
"I'l do the best | can,n he said.
There was no stool, but Selling q can
dle-box he drew it up and seated him.
self before the instrument. 1t only re.
quired few seconds for hush to come
over the room.
That old coon is going to give the
thing rattle
The sight of a man at the piano
was something so unusual that even
the faro -dealer, who was about to take
in a fifty dollar bet on the tray, paused,
and did not reach for the money. Men
stopped drinking, with glasses at theil
lips. Conversation appeared to have
been struck with sort of paralysis, and
cards were no longer shuflled.
The old man brushed back his long,
white locks, looked up to the ceiling,
half closed his eyes, and in mystic
sort of reverie passed his fingers over
the keys. He touched but single note
the sound thrilled the room. 1t was the
key to his improvisation, and as he wove
his cords together, the music laid its
spell upon every ones ear and heart
He felt his way along the keys like {
man threading the uncertain paths, bu
/ gained confidence as he progressed, anC
presently bent to his work like master
! The instrument was not in exact tune
but the ears of his audience, through
long disuse, did not detect anything rad
, ically wrong. They heard succession
p OF grand chords, a suggestion of Para
! disc, melodies here and there, and j
was enough.
5 "See him counter with his left!'' sal,
: an OLD rough, enraptured.
A He calls the turn every time on th
upper end of the board, responded
Q man with stack of chips in his hand
t The speaker wandered off into the oil
ballads he had heard at home. All tn
sad and melancholy and touching songs
). that came up like dreams of childhood
q this unknown player drew from tn
e keys. His hand kneaded their heart
o like dough, and squeezed out the tear
d as from a wet sponge. AS the strain
flowed one upon the other, they sa,
r their homes of the long ago reare
d again; they were playing once NOR
a where the apple blossoms sank throug
8 the soft air to join the violets on Ii
d green turf of the New England States
|, they saw the glories of the Wisconsi
If naples and the haze of the Indian sun
a mer blending their hues together; an