The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-13
PIPER TIM.
"T can pipo. too. . he said.


when he has just learned how beautiful
this vast world is when he feels his wings
like bird, ere the heritage of the sons of
toll has dimmed them? So Tins eyes
looked that winter night. He opened the
door of the smithy where the members of
the village orchestra sat at practice round
the blazing forge. Every man paused, in
strument in hand, at the sound of the.
fearless, shrM young voice.
Then, smiling, Tim shut out the drift
ing snowf1akes and stepped into the
room. The small feet were shoeless and
dark as the earthen floor on which he
stood. The clothes he wore hung round
his slim form in grotesque tatters. But
above the tatters rose a face such as God
sends into a dark world now and then.
Noble were the features; the sweep of the
blue eyes was clear and grand; the curve
of the lips was proud yet sweet. From the
beautiful brow waved hair, tawny and sun
kissed, on which the glstening snow
shone like stars. The men had scarcely
time to look at the child when, raising his
pipe to his lips, he began to play. The
wonderful eyes shone; the slim, brown
fingers obeyed the impulse of the grand
soul imprisoned in tiny Tim. Strong men
laid aside their instruments and claspeC
horny hands to listen. Here and there
face Swallowed; now and then tear was
furtively wiped away.
Tim smiled as he took the pipe from his
lips, and his eyes turned wistfully to the
blazing fire. They made way for him;
they entertained him as if he had been of
royal estate. A small, three legged stool
was his throne, and he sat there, pipe
clasped close, as happy as king. He told
them whence he came, as far as he knew.
cover the hills he said, "far, far over
the hills" They called him Piper Tim in
the caravan, never another name. He had
always piped.
Then he laughed and stretched his thin
brown hands with joy to the blaze. He
could tell nothing more; he belonged to
the thinker band, and the sound of mu-
sic had drawn him so that he fingered to
listen while the caravan went on its way
'oyer the hills.''
The smiths wife admired the child's
lovely face; his tatters brought tears to
her eyes; womanlike, she gave him to eat
and to drink. Then they sat once more
amazed while he played on his pipe ere,
with laughing farewell, he went off into
the darkness. That night the smith sat
long dreaming by the red logs in his forge.
He sighed as he turned in at the cottage
door, where his wife awaited him by the
fire.
Chow would it ha' been," he said, "gin
we'd kept that little chap the piper? Our
Dd1Tn WOulQ JUST ma D66n aDOOG MS dS6
gin the Lord had spared him.
There was note of anxious query in his
tone But the starved mothers heart in
the woman cried out:
Gel but I've been sittin here seein the
bonny face O. the BARN in the freight. I
thought o. him out there in the darkness
an the shaw wi the thinkers folk. God
keep an guide him. I wish ye'd spoken
sooner. Keep himI Would 1 ro', VII you
bonny face, you blithe eenP'
when he comes back again, - the smith
| said as he drew his chair to the hearth,
and his wife with a glad smile echoed his
| words.
The schoolmaster placed his old violin
| tenderly in its corner that night. He
smiled little bitterly as he thought of his
gray hairs and his many years of Flooding,
then of Piper Tim. -
''He plays as bird Sings he thought
really; ''his heart is full of music" Then
he trimmed his lamp and sat down to his
| books.
But the boys face smiled from every
page, the free, fearless voice was in his
ears, the blue, pure eyes shone in the
cracklings flames. The schoolmaster flung
aside his book and was back in the old
| days, when the hills and the stars, and
| the sunshine had been his book, maid
ems eyes his heaven and the world world
| of wonders. He looked at the empty chair
of his dead wife, and he thought Of sons
and daughters far away.
eff I had kept the lad" he unused
| aloud, 81 could have made man Of him,
have saved him from the tinker life. He
would have filed my empty home.'
Long he dreamed, then a smile of reso-
| luton curved his lips.
| EEWhen he comes again, - he said.
And Piper Tim?
He went on his way that night, turning
! again and again to look at the long, bright
CLEANS that fell on the snow from the great
forest fire. He knew his people were camp
ing in the mountains and to the noun.
tains and the darkness he turned his face
There was singing in his heart, there was
always singing there, so he went on his
way merrily. Up, up, through the blind
ing snow, neither cold nor weary for the
singing in that heart of his, he watched
always for the CLEAN OF the red campfire
But he beheld never a spark.
The stars shone out serenely. Tin
raised his face to them. They smiled int
| their twin stars, his eyes. Yet still wal
there no campfire.
Tim, growing sore, sat down in thl
sheltered Granny of rock. He raised his
pipe to his lips He played a tune that be
gan bra7ely and ended softly, and NOR
softly still Tim was asleep. The snow
| lakes Tell ike DflsV1ng stars; ire OaWI
smiled over the hills but Tim piped neve
again.
Little rocked the tinker band that ont
child less crouched to the fire, one brown
hand less stretched to the steaming pot
| When the musicians meet in the sInithy OF
| winter nights, and the wind shakes weir
melodies from trees and mountains tn
men look at each other, and sometimes
| light breaks over rugged faces. ''Sound
like tune from Piper Tim, say they.
. Occasionally a strange presence seems
fill the place. The smith and the school,
master raise eager faces, words tremble o
| their lips, but-ahi the fancies that al
aver aslumber in dreamers' hearts hay
been stirred by the winds song and tn
shadow of the dancing Aames.-Black an