The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-02-13
TOM GosKINs NEW PIANO.
now THE rHEEE-oARD MOVIE xEx PLAY
I'D oN II FoR slG STAKES

ID u II Et8 1-ir ctAhAos
( s4sa Davis in Carson ApB-s
Ia ls4S-it might haze been I've years
earlier or later this i no history for
/ public sehools-there was little camp
Ten miles from Pioche. occupied by up
ward Of three hundred miners. every one
of whom might have packed his pros
. pecting implements and left for more in
yiiing fields any time before sunset
When the day vas oser these men did
not rest from their labors Ike the honest
New England agricaIsarist, bat sang
danced, ganbled, 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 mea bad been killed
at Silver Rect. and that the bodies we're
coming in. Presently 8 numbering old
conveyance laisored up The bill. drawn
{ by a couple OF horses, vel worn out by
their pull The cart eontained a good
sized box, and no sooner did its outlines
become visible than II began 70 effect the
oilers Death always enforces respect,
and, even though no onehad caught sight
Of the remains the crowd gradually be-
came subduei, and when the horses came
10 a staadstiII the cars was Immediately
surrounded. The driver, however, Was
not IN the least impressed wiki the 80
lennity Of his commission.
All there - asked one.
Haven't examined guess 50"
The driver filed his pipe and lit It, a.
he continued:
Wish the boEes and load had gone
over the grade"
i man who had been looking on, step
ped up at once
! don't know who you have in that
box, buG if they happen 70 be any friends
Of nsnef'li Eay you asohrSSier
We can mighty soon see,v said the
teamsfer, eoOliy. Just burst the lid of,
and if they baPpen to be the men you
want. rm here
The two looked al each other for mo-
merit, and the crowd gathered closer, an
tieipating trouble.
The teamster began to pry up the Id.
He got board of, and then pulled out
some rags A strip Of something dark,
ike rosewood, presented itself
Eastern cotiins. By thunderw SAID
several, and the crowd looked quite as
tonished.
Some more boards aew up, and the man
who Was ready 20 defend his friends
memory shifted his weapons a little. The
cool manner Of the teamster had 80 irri-
tated him that he hal made up his mind
to pull his weapon az the first sight ofthe
dead, even if the deceased vas lis worst
and oldes, enemy. Presently the whole
box cover was oif, and the teamster, clear
ing away the packing, revealed TO he as
ionished group tie top something that
pazzIed all alike
Bows" said he, this IS a pianner-
A general shout'of laughter went up,
and The man who had been 80 anxious
To enforce respect for the dead mattered
something about feeling dry, and the
keeper OF the nearest bar was several
ounces better of by the time the boys
had given the JOKE al the attention It
called for.
Had dozen dead men been in the box
their presence in the camp would No,
nave occssioned half the excitement that
the arrival Of that piano caused. BY the
next morning It vas known that the in
sirument WIS to grace harjy-gurdy sa-
loon, owned by Tom GToskin, the leading
gambler Of the place Il took nearly 8
week 70 get this wonder on It's legs, and
the owner was the proudest man in the
state. Il gradually rase from a recum-
buent to an upright position, amid a con
fusion oftongues. after the manner Of fle
Tower Of Babel.
OF course everybody knew jus: how
such an instrument should be put up.
0ne knew where the of hind leg
should 20, and another was posted on the
front piece
Scores cane to the place every day to
assist.
-rlI put the bones in good order said
one
IF you want the wires tuned up, I'm
the boy said another
I've rot the muscle to feed it for a
whole MONTH
Another bought q pair Of blankets for
a cover, and ali took the livelies; interest
in Il"
Ii vas at last in a condition for bu=i-
ness.
It's been shown It's teeth AL week I;
we'd Ike to helr il spit up something"
Ais there wasn't man to be found
who cculd play upon the instrument, and
Goskin began to realize that ne had
losing speculation on his hands He had
fiddler and Mexican who thrummed
on guitar. A pianist would have made
his orchestra complete.
One day three-cari-nonte player
told a friend conhdentially that he could
knock any amount Of music out Of the
piano, if he only had II alone for few
hours 10 get bis hand in This report
spread throughout the camp, bat On be-
ing questioned, he sad he didn't know a
note of music 1t was noted, however, as
a suspicious circumstance. that he often
hung about the instrument and looked
upon "a Iongingly, ike hungry mars
gioafing over beefsteak in a restaurant
window. There was no do1bt but that
this man had music in his soul. perhaps
| n his fingers ends bur did not dare 70