Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-11-09
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MUsIUs CHARM.

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Is NUsIUs CHARM. I
In the year 1888 a man named Tap,
pan moved his family from New
York to the remote western country.
said family consisting, besides him
self, OF wife and six daughters. He
had failed In business, was broken in
spirit; his children, he thought,
needed fresh air, so he accepted as
gift from his brother a large tract of
land upon the edge of the wilderness
and settled thereon. Very soon en-
terprising people began to settle be-
yond him, and there came to be much
travel past his door, and as an act
OF humanity he frequently enterta ned
wayfarers. AS these calls upon his
hospitality became more and more
frequent he enlarged his house to
meet the requirements of a comfort
able inn and put up the usual inn
keepers sign.
Not long after this party of young
men, eight or ten in number, well
mounted, were returning by round.
ABOUT way from an electioneering ex-
pedltior1. They had stopped at every
tavern on their route, and toward the
middle OF the afternoon they refined
up before Tappan's door, pretty well
under the influence of various kinds
OF f1ery fluid, and, having dismounted
ind secured their horses, they entered
the house and noisily demanded whis.
ky.
Now, it so happened that Mr.. Tap
pan and his wife were both away,
ana only his daughters were in
charge, and it also happened that the
host, being rigid and conscientious
teetotaler, had never kept any spiritu.
Gus liquors in the house. OF this fact
the visitors were informed by the eld-
est daughter, handsome, intelligent
girl OF IL. But the riotously inclined
invaders had no care just then for fe-
male beauty, nor were they moved by
the fear and distrust of the fright
ened girls, but they still demanded
whisky, and when they had become
assured that they could not have it
they resolved that they would cut
down the sign before the door, and
the leader SO informed the young
lady.
You must do as you please, gen.
tlemen," she said, shrinking, while
her little sisters gathered around her
for protection. 81 cannot prevent
you"
"a tavern sign, and no whisky!
Such sign is base fraud"
"Aye-down with it!''
Where is your ax?"
"You will find it somewhere by the
woodpile, sir"
Three or four of the party made
a rush for the woodpile, cursing as
they went, while the leader of the
gang, a young man who would have
been decidedly handsome if he had
been himself, with others of his COM
panions took notion to overhaul the
house, insisting that there must be
"a drop OF something" somewhere.
And we may here say that the whole
party considered themselves gentle
men. They were we'll dressed and re-
specially connected.
In small, we'll furnished apart
ment, apart from the guests room,
was found a pianoforte.
"Hallo!" cried the leader, "who
plays on this? Can you?"
cit is mine sir" answered the girl
thus addressed.
And you can playa"
eyes, SIR
Can you sing?"
II sing sometimes, sir?"
''Will you play and sing for us?"
With pleasure, sir"
She opened the piano and sat down
and played and sang 'The Maiden's
Prayer" Her voice was clear, must
cal and sweetly rich, and the accom-
paniment was played with rare skin
and grace. The little sisters gathered
in semicircle close around the in
Strument, and the heretofore riotous
men-but riotous no more-drew
nearer and nearer upon the outside.
Some of them had never heard
piano before, and not one of them had
ever heard sweeter music. After a
pause, at the conclusion of the piece,
the leader spoke again, but in
strangely subdued tone:
"Will you sing for US another
song?"
And she played and sang that sweet
song, 1.-THE Old House"
The men who had gone to search
for the ak, hearing the music, had left
the woodpile and reentered the house.
Other songs were sung, in several
of which two of the younger sisters
joined. The riotous spirits were all
subdued, and half the party had wet
cheeks. Their sympathies were
aroused, their hearts opened and the
best part of their natures brought to
the surface, and when they had taxed
the fair songstress so far that they
felt ashamed to tax her more they
thanked her heartily and withdrew
with as much decorum as might have
been exhibited had they been retiring
from before the throne of monarch.
A year after this event Mr. Tappan
CHANGED to be in Jacksonville on bust
ness, where he was introduced to
Philip st. Clair, rising young lawyer
of that place.
'Is this the ar. Tappan who one
year ago kept public house on the
Cloud Hill road?" asked ST. Clair.
THE same, sir"
"And i, sir" pursued the lawyer.
was the leader of that party of rio
tous men who so shamefully fright
ened your daughters. I suppose they
told you of the circumstance"
eyes, SIR
tGyEa1I NJ