St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-25


every one Of whom might have packed
his prospecting implements and left for
more inviting fields any time before
sunset. When the day was over, these
men did not rest from their labors, like
the honest New England agriculturlst,
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 numbering old
conveyance labored up the hill, drawn
by couple of horses, well worn out
with their pull. The cart contained a
good-siZed box. and no sooner did its
outlines become visible through the
gllmmer 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 stand-still the cart was Immediately
surrounded. The driver. however, was
not in the least impressed with the SOL
emnity of his commission.
'.All there?" asked one.
Haven't examined. Guess So"
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 at once.
II don't know who you have in that
hut tn
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, Pm here
The two looked at each other for a
moment. and the crowd gathered lit
tie closer, anticipating trouble.
The teamSter began to pry up the lid.
He got board off, and then pulled out
some old rags. A strip of something
dark, like rosewood, presented itself.
Eastern collins, by thunderH said
several, and the crowd looked quite as
toniShed.
Somemore 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
lrritated HIM that he made UP his mind
to pull his weapon at the first sight of
the dead. even if the deceased were his
worst and 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 NUT
tered something about feeling dry, and
the keeDer of the nearest bar was sew
eral ounces better off by the time
the boys had given the joke all the
attention it 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 the piano caused. BY
the next morning it was known that
the instrument was to grace hurdy-
gurdy saloon. owned by Tom GoSkin,
the leading gambler in the place. 1t
took nearly a week to get this wonder
on its legs, and the owner was the
prOudest individual 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 20, and another was posted on
the front piece.
Scores of men came to the place every
day to assist.
"'ll put the bones in good order"
III YOU want the wires tuned up,
I'm the boy
live got music to feed it for a
month"
Another brought pair of blankets
for cover. and all took the liveliest
interest in it. 1t was at last in condi-
ton for business.
ITS been showin' its teeth all the
week. We'd like to have it spit out
something"
Alas there wasn't a man to be found
who could play upon the instrument.
GOskin began to realize that he had a
losing speculation on his hands. He
had a fiddler, and Mexican who
thrummed guitar. A pianist would
have made his orchestra complete. One
day three-card monte player told
friend coniidentially that he could
"knOck any amount of music out of the
piano. ii he only had it alone few
hours to get his hand in" This report
spread about the camp, but on being
questioned he vowed that he didn't
know note of music. 1t was noted,
however. rs a suspicious circumstance,
that he often hung about the instru-
ment. and looked upon it longingly,
like hungry man gloating over beef
steak in 4 restaurant window. There
Al u hod
music in his soul, perhaps in his fingers
ends, but aid 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 jigS,
and the greasy Mexican paved his dis
cOrdant guitar, but no man had the
nerve 10 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 ieerS 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 SLOUGH its work.
It was Christmas Eve, and Goskin, ac-
cording to his custom, had decorated
his gambling he'll with sprigs of noun
tain cedar ard a shrub whose crimson
berries did not seem bad imitation of
English holly, The piano was covered
with evcrgreenS. and ali that was want
ing to ill the cup of GoSkin's content
ment was man to play that piano.
'ChriStmas night, and no piano
FOUNDER" he said. This is nice
1.
Getting piece of paper, he scrawled
the words;
-''-.--.-. '..-'.........
$50 Reward
To Il compliant Pianer Player
This he stuck up on the music-raek.
and. though the Inscription glared at
1 Ia. frppuputerS 0f the room rDriI mid