The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-12-27
The First Piano in Camp.
A Christmas Carol.

LII 1O0C-lU mlSnU nave DeeH uNe
years earlier or later, this is not his
tory for the public schools-there was
a little camp about ten miles from
Phoebe, occupied by upwards ofthree
hundred miners, 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 agriculturist, but sang.
danced, gambled, and shot each 9th
er, 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 q couple of horses,
we'll worn out with their pull. The
cart contained a good-sized box, and
no sooner did it's outlines become
visible through the glimmer of q
stray light here and there, than
it began to effect 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 solemnity 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.
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
"We 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 a
moment, and the crowd gathered a
little closer, anticipating trouble.
The teamster began to pry up the
lid. He got a board off and then
pulled out some old rags. A strip
of something dark, like rosewood,
presented itself.
Eastern coffins, by thunder!" said
several, and the crowd looked quite
astonished.
Some more boards flew up, and the
man who was ready to defend his
friends memory shifted his weapon a
little. The cool manner of the team
ster had so irritated him that he had
made up his mind to pull his weapon
at the first sight of the dead, even if
the deceased was his worst and old
est enemy. Presently the whole of
the box-cover was of, and the team
ster, clearing away the packing, re-
vealed to the astonished groupe 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 bet
ter off by the time the boys had
given the joke all the attention it
called for.
Had q dozen dead men been in the
box, their presence in the camp could
not have occasiOned half the ex-
element that the arrival of that
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
q week to get this wonder on it's legs,
and the owner was the
proudest individual in the
State. 1t rose gradually from re-
cumbent to an upright position, amid
q confusion of tongues, after the
manner of the Tower of Babel,
OF course everybody kn,whow such
an instrument should be put up.
One knew where the ssoff hind leg"
should go, and another was posted
on the ssfront piece"
Scores Of men came to the place
every day to assist.
"1'l put the bones in good ORDER"