The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-03-02
A MINING CAMPS FIRST
PIANO.

CceuDied Nv upward of three hundred |
miners. every one of whom might nave |
packed his prospecting implements anu
left for more inviting fields any time oe-
fore sunset. When the day was over, !
the men did not rest from their labOrs,
like the honest New England agrlcul-
turist, but sang, danced, gambled anu
shot each other as the mood selzed
them.
One evening the report spread along
the main street (Which was the only
streeO that three men had been Killed
at Silver Reef, and that the bodies were
coming in.
Presently a numbering old convey
auce labOred up the hull, drawn by
couple of horses, well worn out win
the mill. The cart contained a good
sized box, and no sooner dld ITS outlines
become visible through the gllmmeT OF
a stray light here and there, than IL be-
gan to affect the idlers. Death Always
enfOrces respect, and even uhOuBn no
one had caught sight of the remains,
the crowd gradually became subdued,
and when the horses came TO stand
still the cart was surrounded Inc
driver, however, was not IN the ieast
Impressed with the sOlemnity OF his
commission.
"AU there?" asked one.
"Hayen't examined. Guess So
The driver filled his pipe and lit IL, as
he continued: wish the bones and
load had gone over the bank
A man who had been looking on step
ped I'D to the man at once. uOh
know who you have in that box, put II
they happen to be any Irlehus VI nllhe
IN lay you alongside" =,
eve can mighty soon see" said the
teamster, cOOlfy. Just bust the llu OIL
and if they happen to be the men you
want, Pm here"
The two looked at each other mo
ment, and the crowd gathered little
closer, anticipating trouble.
81 believe that dead men are entitled
tn GOOD treatment, and when you talk
about happening to see corpse go over
a bank. ali have to say is, that 1T Will
be better for you if the late lamented
amt my friends"
well open the box. l don't take
back what I've said, and II my language
don't suit your way OF thinking guess
| can stand it,
With these words the teamster began
to pry up the lid. He got the board or
and then pulled out some OLD rags.
strip of something dark, like rosewood,
presented itself.
Eastern collins, by thunder. SAID
several, and the crowd looked quite as
tOnished.
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 irritated him that he made up
his mind to pull his weapon at first
sign of dead, even If the deceased wa
ms worst and oldest enemy. presently
the whole box cover was OIL, ana the
teamstpr, clearing away the packing,
revealed to the astOnished group the
top of something which puzzled all
alike.
"Boys," said he, this is a 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 of the nearest bar was several
ounces better off by the time the boys
had given the joke all the attention 1t
called for. Had dozen dead men been
in the box, their presence in the camp
could not have OccasiOned half the eX-
citement that the arrival of the piano
caused. By the next morning 1t was
known that the instrument was to grace
the hurdy gurdy saloon, owned by Tom
GOskin, the leading gambler in the
place. 1t took nearly week to get this
wonder on it's legs, and the owner was
the prOudest man in the State. 1t rose
gradually from recumbent to an up.
right 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 on
the front piece"
Scores of men came to the place every
day to assist.
eff you want the wires tuned, I'm the
boy" =.
"Tve got music to feed it for
Another brought a pair of blankets
for cover, and all took the liveliest in
terest in it. 1t was at last in condition
for business.
week. We'd lie to have it spit out
something"
Alas! there wasn't man to be found
who cOIld play upon the instrument.
GOskin began to realize that he had
losing speculation on his hands: He
had a fiddler, and Mexican who thum-
med a guitar. A pianist would have
made his orchestra complete.
One day a three-card monte player
told a 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 dldn. t
know a nOLe OF uluSlCs IL was nOLCu,
however, as a suspicious circumstance,
that he often hung about the instIu-
ment, and looked upon it lOngingly, like
a hungry man glOating over beefsteak
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 trial of his
strength after the rules of harmony had
suffered so many years OF neglect. SO
the fiddler kept on with his J1gs, and
the greasy Mexican paved his discord-
ant 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
Ounees of gold-dust to have been hall
an hour alone with it but every mans
nerve shrank from the jeers which the
crowd would shower upon him should
his first attempt prove failure. 1t gOt
to be generally understood that the
hand which first essayed to draw music
from the keys must not sloueh his
work.
It was Christmas Eve, and GOskin
according to his custom, had decorated