Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-07-19
DAILY HERALD:
IFor the Herald.
THE TUkEyUL TRAM

IFor the Herald
THE TUkEYUL TRAMP.
Considerably cosmopolite, the comp'ny by the
way,
As company is apt to be at any new survey.
We represented ev'ry land of very much
amount,
From Chinaman of Shanghai to French and
German count.
We gathered close together in the prairie town
hotel
The cheerless, dingy tavern we anathemized as
we'll
And talked about the weather we crowded
round the stove,
For blizzard it was blowing, and chilling
mist 1t drove,
Blew and clustered, skipped and scurried, as
only 1t can drive
Ger level plain of forty miles the dreare est
place alive.
We smoked and talked of everything that any
could recall,
Considering the comp'ny, which could interest
all
We talked about elections, the cattle and the
crop.
VI any nkely section where a man could safely
drop;
or cattle thieves and ly nching bees, of any kind
of sport,
And dwindled to relations of the reminiscence
sort,
aware,
And thought of other days more dear and other
scenes more fair.
Then at the windshook door was heard q
shuffling sort of clamp,
And entered there fellow of unprepossessins
stamp,
Whom each one thought before he spoke and
marked him for tramp
He looked upon the company, the company
looked at him,
In truth he a dirty chap and very tall and
slim;
He took from meath his ragged coat large
harmonica-
That he was up to business what everybody
saw.
"Now, gentlemen, sirs, if you please, I'm in a
rss- hungry way NeAs - -sas~r sysE s..
1 haven't had bite to eat for all the blessed
day
And if you don't object, why then" the tramp
he further said,
"Ill give a little music for a mouthful and
bed"
Then some vowed in joking way, and
winked wink droll,
"Ill give a dollar if you'll play tune to suit
us ALL"
the place,
~
The tramp was silent for a spell, then said,
Fall into line,
And If 1 strike the needful tune the dollar will
s.z-- be mine, onH
And If a gentleman desires to show his appro-
baton,
That may know when am done he'll please
vscste his station"
He took up his harmonc. and blew SO soft
air
That almost every bethought to take him
self to chair;
Then suddenly, yet skillfully, he changed about
And drifted to the melancholy "Bonny Banks
O Doom"
He looked upon q scotchman, who wilted
lse, straight away
With, That's the sweetest music, man. I've
heard for many q day"
A abort refrain. An interlude, Q change from sad
to gay.
military attitude, and then the "Marselaise"-
Forth sprang the Frenchman, fire in eye,~at
-. what he loved to hean --s2s7 a<sassez3
He WAS again in sunny France, graceful
grenader.
The ar.ful music still went on, skipped to the
"Waeht am Rhen;"
German was another one to step from out the
line;
And doughty Cornishmsn succumbed to Aud
Lang syne."
With eye alert and wondrous skill he Kept the |
game in hand;
A soldier lad who fought with Lee went out at |
Maryland"
An Irishman helped out the gap at Wearing OF
tbs Green,'
And quite sentimental chap stepped out al
Gypsy Queen;" |
Old Yankee Doodle took one more, Yankee |
tall and slim. a.
John Chinaman still kept the floor, and what
could "fetchee'' him?
The player wavered just bit moment to
recall,
Then made quite ingenious hit and played no
'..aa tune at all Il ..xsS a,i. =.
He simply iumbled DER the keys and made
dreadful din 4: a<v-a. : .sssssxs s'e'-
There wasn't any music, but, it, roped the
heatheu in
he was the last; the tramp sat down; the
- reader may regard $50 -.
That when the ragged hat Went ,rOund il met q /
L. A. OSBORNE.
TosToS, Mont.