Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-27
LITTLE TIN,
THE PIPER.
I can pipe. too" he said.

II can pipe, too, he said.
Do you know how a child's eyes look
when he has just learned how beautiful
this vast world is, when he feels his wings
dke bird, ere the heritage of the sons of
toll has dimmed themf 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, shrill young voice.
Then, smiling, Tim shut out the drift
ing snowfiakes 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 face such as God sends into dark
world now and then. Noble We're the fea-
tures; the sweep ST 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 glistening snow shone like
stars. The men had scarcely time to loo<
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 Tin. Strong men laid aside their
instruments and clasped horny hands to
listen. Here and there a face shadowed
Now and then a tear was furtively wiped
away.
Tim smiled as be 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 a king. He told
them whence he came, as far as he knew.I
"Over 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 tinker band, and the sound of music
had drawn him so that he fingered to lis
ten while the caravan went on its way over
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 dreamingly 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.
"How would it ha' been, " he said, "gin
we'd kept that little chap, the piper? Our
bairn would just ha' been aboot his age
rim fba ord bod hin, -
There was note of anxious query in
his tone, but the starved mothers heart
in the woman cried out:
"El, but I've been sittin here seein the
bonpy face o. the BARN in the freight.
thought O. him out there in the darkness
an the snaw wi the tinkers folk God
keep an guide him. l wish ye'd spoken
sooner. Keep himi Would l ro', wi you
bonny face, you blithe e'enr'
when he comes back again. the
smith said as be drew his chair TO the
hearth, and his wife, with a glad smile,
echoed his words.
The schoolmaster placed his old violin
tenderly in it's corner that night. He
smiled little bitterly as he thought Of
his gray hairs and his many years of plod-
ding, 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
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, a maiden's |
eyes his heaven and the world a world of
wonders. He looked at the empty chair of
his dead wife, and he thought of sons and
daughters far away.
If l had kept the lad, " he unused aloud |
i could have made a man of him, have |
saved him from the tinker's life. He |
would have filled my empty home"
Long he dreamed; then a smile of reso
luton curved his lips.
"When he comes again." he said.
And Piper Tim?
He went on his way that night, turn |
ing 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 camping in the mountains, and to
the mountains and the darkness he turn
ed his face There was singing in his
heart, there was always singing there, SO
he went on his way merrily, Up, UP,
through the binding snow, neither cold
nor weary for the singing in that heart of
his, he watched always for the gleam of
the red campfire, but he beheld never a
spark
The stars shone out serenely. Tim
raised his face to them. They smiled into
their twin stars, his eyes, yet still, was
there no campfire.
Tim, growing sore, sat down in the
sheltered Granny of rock He raised his