Wichita eagle., 1888-10-17
A PIANO TUNER TALKS.
BONE OF THE STRANGE THINGS EN-
COUNTERED IN HIS TRADE.

Rats Play havoc with the Felts-Children
Poke Canes Under the strings-Findinc
Carelessness.
"Look out for that ratl" was the excla-
lnation Of piano tuner to a reporter, q
Few days ago, as he stood watching him
take piano to pieces. The words had
barely been said when large, lean rat
jumped out of the instrument and scam
pered across the room and out Of an open
door. While he was dexterously remov-
ing the rats nest from inside the piano
the reporter asked if rats were usually
part and parcel Of pianos. The tuner re
marked that while probably two-thirds of
the Instruments in residences were free
from the rodents, the other third were in
tested with them, at least that had been
his experience during twenty years of his
life. Those in the country, especially in
well to do farmers houses, were gener-
ally inhabited by rats, and in dozens of
cases fully half bushel Of small scraps
Of paper that had been carried there by
the pests had been discovered. The paper
and the nests were not so bad, but rats
very frequently did the instrument much
damage. Rats play havoc with the felts
in the action, and he had repaired pianos
where the felts had all been eaten away.
Occasionally hungry rat is discovered
that shows fight, and the welding of a
broonstick, with the accompanying
screaming by the women folk, is neces-
sary to get rid of the animal
Children oftentimes cause pianos to get
out Of order, but while the trouble caused
by them is usually quickly repaired there
are times when they do more damage than
rats. Left alone in the room with an open
instrument the spirit Of mischief comes
over them, and q cane or a book is poked
in under or among the strings. The
owner returns to play on the piano, and
then finds it at skies and sevens. AS
everything was all right but few min
utes before the cause of the trouble can
not be understood, and then there is
buster about the house. Should the
piano be new one the maker is blamed,
the instrument is condemned, and a sharp
letter Is forwarded to the seller. The re-
pairer with fear and trembling hastens to
the scene, the trouble is found, and after
apologies, the whipping Of the small boy
who did the mischief, and the payment of
the bill for repairs, the piano is left to its
fate.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES.
Picking up a five cent piece lying on the
action, the tuner said: Here Is something,
too, 1 find as well as rats nests and the
work of children. To be sure money is
not found frequently, especially in any
considerable amount, but the finding of
two fat pockstbooks and q ten dollar gold
piece will never forget. The gold had
been placed in the piano for safe keeping
by young lady, and its hiding place for
gotten, and my finding it. OF course,
made the owner happy. The bringing to
light of one Of the pocketbooks made me
$50 richer, that being present from its
loser. It had been missing for a year,
and contained $500. Detectives had been
hunting for thieves who, il was supposed.
had stolen the money. The discovery Of
the pocketbook brought back the reool-
lection that It had been laid on the TOP
lid Of an upright piano, and that 1t had
10 doubt fallen In the inside, where had
found it.
Instead of getting reward came
near being arrested. and perhaps SEN
fenced to term Of imprisonment for
finding the purse. It's contents were over
carelessly left on top of the instrument,
it fell inside. Being missed while was
In the house, and the owner Of the money,
q country justice, remembering where hs
had laid it. suspicion rested On me as the
one who had taken II. When / remarked
the mysterious actions Of the justice, his
wife and two daughters. he told ne of hi5
loss and what be suspected, and threa.ened
ny arrest unless the money was inmedi
ateiy produced 1t was bsd rsedscsneEs |
10 be Ia, and what to do puzzled me- Tho |
finding Of the other pockesbook flashed
across ny mind. Suggested . search II
tie interior Of the plano. and there IT was
found to ny Joy. Tie old 1an took /.
without as much as saying Thank you
and to this day l shiak he holds tha |
opinion that bid II away Ia TIE piano
Chicago Journal