Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-01-11
THE PIANO IN CAMP.

In fS5S-it might have been five years
earlier or later, this is not history for the
public schools-there was a little camp about
ten miles from Phoebe, occupied by upwards
of 800 miners, every one of whom might have
packed his prospecting implements and left
for more inviting fields any time before sun
set. 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 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 a
numbering old conveyance labored up the
hill, drawn by couple of horses, we'll worn
out with their pull. The cart contained a
good sized box, and no sooner did its outlines
become visible through the glimmer of @
stray light here and there, than it began to
affect the idlers. Death always enforces re
spect, and even though no one had caught
sight of the remains, the crowd gradually be-
came subdued, and when the horses came tc
stand still, the cart was Immediately sur
rounded. The driver, however, was not in
the least impressed with the solennity Of his
commission.
sAll there?' asked one.
'Haven't examined. Guess 500
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.
rll lay you alongside"
'We can mighty soon see,' said the team
ster, 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 mo-
ment and the crowd gathered a little 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 rose
wood, presented itself.
eastern collins, 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 little. The cool man
ner of the teamster had SO irritated him that
heh had madeup his mind to pull his weapon at
the first sight of the dead, even if the de.
ceased was his worst and oldest enemy.
Presently the whole of the box cover was
off, and the teamster. clearing away the
packing, revealed to the astoaished group
the top of something which puzzled all alike.
s'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 near.
est bar was several ounces better off by the
time the boys had given the joke all the at
tention it called for.
Had dozen dead men been in the box
their presence in the camp could not have &C.
casioned half the excitement that the arrival
of that piano caused. By the next morning
it was known that the instrument was tC
grace hurdy gurdy saloon, owned by Tom
Goskin, the leading gambler in the place. II
took nearly week to get this wonder on its
/ legs and the owner was the pro udest indi
vidual in the state. 1t rose gradually from
recumbent to an upright position, amid 8
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 60, and an
other was posted on tho ''front piece"
Scores of men came to the place every day
to assist.
''I'n put the bones in good order"
eff you want the wires tuned up, I'm the
boy"
''I've got music to feed it for a month"
Another brought pair of blankets for q
cover, and all took the liveliest interest in it
1t was at last in a condition for business.
sits been showin' its teeth all the week
We'd like to have it spit out something"
Alas there wasn't man to be found who
could play on the instrument. Goskin began
to realize that he had losing speculation Oh
his hands. He had fiddler, and a Mexican
who thrummed guitar A pianist would
have made his orchestra complete One day
a three card monte player told a friend con.
fidentially that he could "knock any amount
of music out of the piano, if he only had ii
alone q few hours to get his hand in" This
report spread about the camp, but on being
questioned he vowed that he didn't know g
note of music. It was noted, however, as a
suspicious circumstance, that he often hung
about the instrument and looked upon II
longingly, like a hungry man gloating over
beefsteak i'll restaurant window. There
was no doubt but 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 jgs, and the greasy Mexican paved his
discordant guitar, but no man had the
nerve to touch that piano. There We're
doubtless, scores of men in the camp
who would have given ten ounces OF
gold dust to have been half an honl
alone with it, but every mans nerve shranl
from the jeers which the crowd would shower
upon him should his first attempt prove q
failure 1t got to be generally understood
that the hand which first essayed to draw
music from the keys must not SLOUGH it,
work.
81 = i
1t was Christmas eve, and Goskin, accord
ing to his custom, had decorated his gambling
hell with sprigs of mountain cedar and 6
shrub whose crimson berries did not seem
bad imitation of English holly. The piano
was covered with evergreens, and all that
was wanting to fill the cup of Goskin's con
tentrnent was a man to play that piano.
''Christnnas night, and no piano FOUNDER,
he said. "This is a nice country for Chris
tian to live in"
Getting a piece of paper he scrawled TIE
words,
......-..........-.,...
$40 Reward !:
70 a compliant Pianer Player. /.
s.............
This he stuck up on the music rack, anl
though the inscription glared at the FIRE
quenters of the room until midnight, il
fo;lod 10 d,-o musician from, bic shall