Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-08
TIE PLANO IN CAR.

= fgJ3-ss might have bssn Eve ysap
earlier or s.tes. tah - not history for d
pubic schools-shere was LITTLE camp abo9s
ten mi.es from Flochs. occupied BY up~ards
Of 80 miners, every one Of whom might navs
packed his pro<s Getting implements and ~
for more inviting fields any tine before uak
81 When che day va over thess men daA
not rest from their abors, like H. honsss
New England Ayrlcuiruris1, but aang, danced,
esmblsd and shot each other, - The mood
se.zei them
Ooe evening the report spread along III
main street (which was the only street. thai
thrse men had teen killed at Silver Reef and
thai the bodies were coming 10. Presently
lurlnering old convey ancs lAbored up TIN
hill, drawn by . couple Of norses, well worn
out vith their pail The cart ooataiDcd .
good sized box and no sooner did IL outlines
berone visible through the glimmer Of .
stray light here and there. than II began 70
a1sct the idiers Death always enforcss re-
spsct. and even though no one bad caught
sight OF the remains the crosd gradually BE-
caHle sptst0ell, ami when the horses came 70
a stand stAi, the cart was lmmed lately sur
rounded The driver, however. was not 10
the least iinre.sed with the soiemnity Of his
commission
"Ali tnerer asked one.
"Hayunt exAmlned Guess 30"
Tue driver dIIci his pipe and lit it - be
CONTINUED;
WISH the bonn and load had gone over
toe grade
lnau who bad bssn looking On stepped
up at once.
II don't know who you have in that box,
but II taey happen To be any friends OF mine
III lay you aiousside'
We can mighty soon rec, said the team
ster, cooliy. Just burst the lid Oh. and u
they happen 10 ts the msA you want, Pm
here"
The two looked at each other for q mo-
ment. and the cro~d gathered little closer,
Anticipating trouble.
TIE teai,ater began to pry up the lid He
got oo@rl Of and then pulled out some old
rags A strip OF something DARK, Ike rose
wood, presented itself,
''Eas.eru collins, by thunderr' said several,
and the crowd looked quite astonished
SINE more boards few up, and the man
WHO was ready 10 defend his friends memory
shifted tbs weapon a Lttle. The cool man-
her OF the tes,ulster had irritated him that
he had made up hts mind 10 pull his weapon at
the hrst aant of the deed, even If The do
ceased was MS worst and oldest enemy.
Presently the whole of tie COX cover was
of, and the teamster clearing away the
packing. revealed 10 the astouished group
the top Of something winch puzz.ed all alike
Boys" s,iid ne, this Is palmer.
i general shout OF laughter went up, and
the man VINO mad been - anxious 10 enforce
respect for the dead mutter.d something
about feeling dry, and the keeper Of tie near
ess Lar was several ounces letter of by the
time the boys had gwen the Joke all the at
teuliop it called for.
Had dozeu dead men been in the box
their presence In the camp could not hive &C
casloued htif the excitement that the arrival
uf Tat piano caused By tine next morning
At was known that the instrument was to
grace turdy CURLY saioon, owned by Tom
GVs.in, tAe ieaaing gambler III the place 1t
tool. yearly q wees 10 get this wonder on its
legs, aud the owner WAS the pro udest indi
vldual IN toe state 1t rose gradually from
a recuInLent TO an upright position, AMID
confusion of tongues, utter the manner of the
Tower Of Babel.
OF course everybody knew just how such
an instrument should he put up Ono knew
where the of hind leg should go. and an
otter was posted on the front piece"
Scores OF men came 10 the place every day
to assist
IN put the bones in good order"
III you want the wires tuned up, I'm the
boy
I've got music to feed 1t for month"
Another brought u pair Of blankets for a
cover. and all took tile lveliest interest i'll it,
II was at last Ia u condition for business.
Its Teen shown It's teeth all the week
Wed ike To have il 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 on
as hands He had fiddler, and Mexican
who thrunmed q guitar A pianist would
have made his orchestra complete One day
u three card monte player told friend cou-
iidentialy that he could knock any amount
Of music out OF the piano, if he only bad it
alone few hours 10 get his hand IN" This
report spread about the camp, but on being
questioned be vowed that he didn't know a
uote OF music 1t was noted, however. as q
SUSPICIOUS circumstance, that he often hung
about the instrument and looked upon 1t
IougiuGly, like hungry man gioating over
a beeCsteas IN a restaurant window. There
wss no doubt but that this man had music In
his soul, perhaps in his fingers ends, but did
net 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
bis jIgs, and the greasy Mexican paved his
discordaut guitar, but no man had the
nerve TO touch that piano. There were,
doubt,ess, scores Of men in the camp
who would nave given ten ounces Of
gold dust 70 nave b-en half an hour
alone with It, but every mans nerve shrank
from the ieeis which the crowd would shower
upon INN should bis first attempt prove O
failure 1t got to be generally understood
that tho hand which first essayed to draw
music from the Keys must not slouch its
work
IL was Christmas eve and Goskin, accord
Ing TO his custom, had decorated bis gambling
he'll with sprigs of mountain cedar and
shrub whose crimson berries did not seem a
bad imitation Of English holly. The piano
vas covered with evergreens, and nj! that
was wanting To Ill the cup of Goslin's con-
teutment was n man to play that piano.
CHRISTMAS night, and no plano FOUNDER
ne said TINS is u nice country for Chris
tan 10 live IN"
Getting piece of paper he scrawled tie
words:
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