New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-06

ont OF his mind
Nipper munied himself closely in his overcoat and
dashed through the storm to the ferry house. The
wind wa, hcwlins ;,;;ay and sweeping over the ferry
bridge and across the water with unrcsraned fury.
Standing inst under the shed where he felt the storms
effect, most bitterly was an old man His overcoat,
a long thin garment. fall of holes and generally for
lorn, buttOncd closely about him like the >ilkcn
dress of an able. Iii, head uncovered. and the
snow fell upon it and lay his gray hair as If to
emphasize his age. lie was standing in the attitude
of a performer as he might have stood in concert
room. all unmndfu Of the snow and wind. and. with
his svery corlci ne play ing deliberately and with
wonderful power and skill.
Nipper approached the old quietly for there
was something awful about the spectacle. When the
last cadence of a second had died away Nppcr
spoke.
Iii. hi" he said.
He seemed to have the idea that the old must
be walked up
Bocchtel paused and lowered his cornet. "Veni"
he said. I'M low deep voice.
"What, dc mattcrl7
"Noddings."
"what you doingl'
"Noddmgs."
"Why don't You 60 hOme'"
Home
d" Yes"
Eocchtel did not answer. lie simply looked at Nip.
per- and then lifted his and PLAYED with great
beauty Patio, a strain of Home. sweet Home
slipper accepted this Is an answer. When the cor
net fell again he walked up close To Bocchtc and said
" DO you know Peggy Donnelly :"
"Yah.7 There was QucLncss and brightness in the
word.
Well she wants to you She Is over across the
street. Come aIonc-carcful now!7
Nipper that the old man was wandering mon
tally we'll pin, sicaly. lie supported each step and
led him gently over the slippery cohblc stones Peggy
stll waiting in the doorway. and She directed sip
per 10 bring hi, charge upstairs into small com
Portable back room Boechte seemed TO lose the r'm-
nant Of his strength after Ne stopped playing. and
suffered himself to be disposed o. without sign Of con
sent protest. NppG laid him gently upon a soft
bed in the room and poured quantity OF brandy down
his throat.
Good ight. Nippcr." said Peggy when this wa,
done. what big You are. Nippcr, II made
me feel good to how they all proud Of y"n.'
This the point where they left 70" in the coach at
the sound # Boechcl's cornci.
Good night Peggy l hadn': 10 idea Won cared
much"
We'll | don't care much but what can sleep
"weIl goodnig sposc you don't care
enough
Its pretty late. Nippcr. an you've 20; long
ways to CO.
He Looked at her and she looked a. the fire and
then they both said "GOcd-nght.7 again.
Bocchtel was an old friend Of Pcsgys She had
cornct playing Home. sweet Home many times.
She had known succc>svcly every member ~ h. little
brass band and nad often followed IL up Fulton
It., and along Pearl. She remembered when be- the
Professor ne called. a decidedly elegant
looking old fellow I'm his big. bright spccaccs and his
uniform Of red and green and gold. Hi, band which
atterly numbered hnt four beside himself. and
they somewhat blown A. 10 wind and faded
dress once large and brllian, with "A quantity
Of gold lace and Of brass and silver horn,
which had been The pride and admiration Of all tie
boys and girls in the ward.
In those day thc Professor though AWAY. hold
ing his cornet ready for use d, the proper moment
when The thrilling accent, Of Voc OF plci-rc
were 10 be prduccd for the most part cuplo,c d him
self with little black baton which hc nour,hed ~
the air with marycou, energy. Sow. when the strain,
were gentle 1t would glide up aud down
and back and forth with motion
easy and graceful the curves Of a ballet dancer
Then 1t would move with power. and make sharp
strokes In the air, and the horns would give forth
great bursts Of melody. Then the Professor would
glance about him al the musician, either side over
lis spectacle AT the crowd and through hi >pcc'ales
al the note. and he would lash III, air in frantic
way, standing on his very tptoc, and growing d.
pciaieS red in the face While the horn, rOaici and
shrichcd in ecstasy Of emotion.
For long while Peggy was under the impression. ~
she stood on the curb watching Eoechtcrs excite
mcnl. that the music came out Of ;hc end Of hi. baton
III really seemed 10 her IA hl" fOild " 'phlhg
for when it danccd. the music danced: when IT quIV
cred, the music quiVcrcd when grew -ad and low
such paintivc sound, fell her that She often
wanted To cry when II RACED and siormcd and dashed
lnthes and yon, there were vcritabc tornadoc, Of
passion the She And after she had
followed the band around from corner from
saloon to saloon. ana from street TO street. until her
little legs actually raised mut,ny. she would 20 L"
hcT home In >oathst. ana into the little room back
Of the 'ohcchou,c. ana there she would arm herself
with hoop-tick and stand In front Of the looking
glass and beat away the style Of the Professor
10 her great .ati,faction licr dearest wish was for
little black baton that would make real sounds
These experiences had led to the growth Of warm
affection between Peggy and the Professor sometimes
he would come into the coffee house and sit around
for an hour or drinking hfs. DOnncllys colcc ana
eating her hot cakes and explaining 10 Peggy the
mystcilc, Of ms cOrnct She noticed with no little
sorrow that she grew Older he did too. and cvi
IDENTITY poorer we'll His uniform became Seedy ana
hi, band feeble and few. Iii, finger, shook good
deal when lac tried t. play. and he couldn't produce
the high. clear notes she remembered 80 well hnt
sill he kept on. year after year. winter ana summer
irdeinS biaycly along h- old IOutc and "iicner paid
for not playing than for any work he did At first
this hurt the old and caused him dismal icfcc-
tons but soon lac got used TO IL.
Peggy meanwhile had become "a young
woman, and now presided over thc coffee
house herself. IL wa, never prosperous
before. The fame Of pcggy's buttercakcs
extended alons south st.. from james sip l" the Eat
terry, and known 1, every sailor that put into The
East River docks. pcggys father In his young days
had .ailed the seas, and attcrly had been ferry
master in Peel. Slip But he took life easily now on
the profit OF Pcggy's cakes
The Professor recovered slowyso slowly Indeed, rs
much anxiety and trouble to Peggy. She found
she had taken upon herself large and ever growing
burden. Feeble a. he was, useless a. each member
Of his body became when II called upon 10 con
tribute 10 his wcllbeng. he yet chung to life Win
amazing tenacty. general paralysis gradually fell
upon him following long and tedious fever and poor
Peggy, after months Of nursing. began to look b'
haesard. The doctors bills came In TO friehcn ana
distress her, ard the coffee house revenues showed
signs Of a diminishing custom. II she should break
down her act Of mercy would become little short OF
suicide.