Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-03-11

ALTOONA'S GRATITUDE.


ALTUUNA>S GKATITUDE
Somehow | never see banjo wi thout
thinking of Altoona's, never hear the
lively strum -strum of the resonant cat
gut but recall the little stained and
battered instrument that now hangs,
still tied BY ito dirty leather cord. in a
place of honor in ills room. Oddly
enough it looks, too, among the treas
ures that every land and every cline
have lent to deck this place Of beauty.
There, beside the banjo, remember,
hangs, bit of gobelin tapestry, and
beneath it are always fresh roses in the
slim necked Japanese vase You will
wonder how it came here. There is con-
nected with it strange story.
The train had stopped for supper at a
scantily eauipped station in middle Cali
fornia. The sleeper was not over-crowd-
ed and very few Of the passengers seemed
anxious to accept the cordial invitation
which the hotel porter was calling out
from the platform We had seen the
sun sink behind the Jagged line of pur-
pie hills some miles back, and now as
twilight was coming down il brought its
usual burden Of home thoughts and
made us all feel more or less quiet and
depressed.
One of the passengers a Louisiana
PLANTER. who had boen tho very life of
the whole train all day, seemed now
sedately pensivo, as he sat ia the apart
ment across from ours, thoughtlessly
drumming with his fingers on the closed
pane. | could see from his pursed lips
that he was whistliug softly under bis
breath. When the changing of the bla-
tant gong had ceased we heard the
stunning of banjo, and presently
from round the corner of the station
came the player.
He was a little understood fellow,
perhaps ~ years of ago, and about the
dirtiest, most dilapidated, and half
starved bit of humanity | had seen for
many day, but there was a certain air
of staggering impertinence withal that
made him comically interesting as he
was miserable. The planter, who had
quit his window accompaniment when
the banjo was heard, now poksd his
head out and called to the musician:
"Hi there, Buddy, come here and
give us a tune
CHATS a relative NV NINE" said the
urchin in peculiar little cracked voice,
as he nodded towards the planter, with
n slv wink at the group of stragelers
that had begun to collect around him on
the platform.
The planter smiled od-natursdly,
and the bow nut one foot on an over.
turned key, threw his banjo 10 position
and began to play "Dixie." The plan
ter ,lapped his hands gleefully. Ulis
and [ followed suit, and all tho people
in the car were soon beating time 10 the
music. whose inspiring strains contain
so much of irresistible contagion.
"Hurrab p said the planter, when
then boy had stopped. "Thats the
finest thing I've heard this side the Mis-
sis,ippi. You must hail from Dixie
land Yourself or you wouldn't knock of
that tune 80 we'll. | reckon got two bits
worth of that music. don't you !" aud
he tossed quarter out the window.
The boy caught the piece dexterously
in bis ragged cap and came under tho
windows from which quite a shower of
small coins found their way to his pocket.
missed 1t that time, pard," he said
to the planter. Never saw Dixie land
in NV life. I was playiu' To suit YOU.
helms TWAS YOUR benefit. TN a native
son of the West. | am. an | don't kscr
who knows IT," He stuck his thumb
under his arm and looked up saucily.
"Bully for you" said the planter.
oval. air. | admire your spunk. But
tell me. how did you know / wanted
Dixie p,
II know n thing or two. mister : ever
hear ANYBODY north of Mason and
Dixou's line saw ,cbupe' for toon % an
swered the boy, whereupon he set bis
can iauntily on his curly pate. struck an
attitude that riyaled the mandolin PLAYER.