Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-09
AT Bender's Camp Where the
Rough Miners Congregated.
THE SHERIFF ARRIVES
AZ the Climax Of the Drama when
the Man He Was In Search OF Had
Demonstrated That Music Hath
Charms TO SOothe the Savage
Breast"
written for the suNpAY GLopr.

forward to this event DAYS before, and to
say that we were surprised when Reg
Balls deposited the huge box inv the center
OF the Emporium's barroom would of
course, be saying what was untrue.
We were fully aware OF the fact of Reg s"
having been on the road a week with his
precious burden, and almost every man in
the camp was assembled at the Emporium's
on the night that the expressman was due
to arrive.
II took but a few moments to rip the
covering from about the instrument and
when this had been done there stood boldly
out before our delighted eyes an old.fash-
ioued square piano 1t was BY no means
new, having served for two or three years
at Harry Hawkshaws dance hall, over at
Gamblers City; but such as it was we con-
sidered ourselves extremely fortunate in
becoming its proud possessors; especially,
in view of the fact that there had been a
dozen willing purchasers, when it had been
announced that Harry Hawkshaw, having
received a brand new piano from the east,
was DESTROYS of selling the old one.
Beuder's, having received inside infor-
nation to this effect some days previous to
the public announcement, had Immediately
dispatched Reg Balls to Gamblers City
with instructions to bring the piano back
with him, regardless of the price asked for
the instrument; consequently we were the
proud owners Of the only piano within two
hundred miles of the camp.
We had long felt the need of a piano in
the camp as we were rapidly becoming
sristocratic in our tastes, but as the nearest
railroad depot was at least three hundred
miles distant, the most sauguine member
in our little community felt that our
chances in this respect were decidedly slim,
and 1t is needless to state here with what
pride aud veneration we now stood con-
templating the instrument as it stood in the
center of the Emporium barroom.
In connection with the liquid department
of the Emporium there was also a cheap
form of dance hall, the talent being mostly
girls who had worn out their welcome in
the more pretentious amusement places in
the West but who we're received with open
arms at Bender's. These fairies" had been
singing and dancing to the accompaniment
of two "6ddles, all along and they we're
forever complaining at the absence of
piano claiming that they could not do
themselves justice without the aid of this
instrument. Everyone had felt this to be
reasonable enough kick, " and we bad ac-
deficiency, with the above mentioned re-
suits
The sight of the old piano, with the var
nish scratched off in many places, and with
several bullet holes in the case, testifying
to bloody scrimmages in the past, awakened
in the minds OF many Of those present, the
half-forgotteu memories of long ago. Wis
ions Of far away homes arose before the
eyes of the roughly garbed miners as they
passed their toil-hardened hands half fear
fully over the worn ivory keys Of the bat
tered old instrument. Scenes Of childhood
and the thought of how mother or some
loved one used to play in those dear old
boyhood days, when the world was not as
unsatisfactory as 1t has since been found to
be, arose IN the minds of many of the rough
strong fellows and caused them to converse
in curiOusly mufied voices. But pshaw.
few hurried trips to the bar banishes such
kid" fancies and behold we are men
again-for awhile anyway.
The news of the EmpOrium's latest ac-
QUESTION having been noised abroad, the
dance hall became a curiOusly congested
mass Of struggling humanity, and when
Nellie Clifford seated herself before the
piano the silence was so profound that you
could have heard feather drop.
Nell, after a few preliminary hourishes,
struck up lively song and dance air, then
extremely popular in the West and Kitty
Howard afterwards killed in a fracas that
occurred at St. Georges dance hall over at
Jimpt's Rdn--executed the movements in
true professional style This performance
was greeted with the applause that it GER
tainly deserved, and money was showered
upon the performers literally not to men
tion recklessly
After this turn" Nell played a Mexican
Fandango dance, and Kit" went through
the steps with an abandon that was truly
startling, to say the least and which took
five repetitiOus to partially allay the excite
ment this event created. Then both the
girls sang a duet in high-pitched and sadly
cracked voices, but what they lacked in
music they more than evened things BY
their horrible obscenity, aud the:crowd-
that IS to say the maiority-cheered them
o the echo when they had concluded. 1t
doesn't take much to interest man when
he is used to leading an out Of door life.
Finally after the girls had left the piano
and were seated among the men drinking
they receiving percentage on the liquor
sold, several of the men, one after the
other began picking out airs on the piano.
Long AOtBOlleu melodieS which perhaps
had been taught to them by their mothers
or sweethearts in the old glad days when
life seemed worth the living. Some Of
these amateur performers would hurriedly
arise, after striking few familiar chords,
and hastily take refuge within the bar
where they would cause some surprise even
there by the quantity Of the liquid refresh
ments they would dispose Of in the course
Of the evening Others would stumble
laboriously through some old air with an
execution that spoke of a musical education
acquired, and forgotten many, many years
before.
II was just as Sam Thompson, the pro.
prietor Of the place, was in the act Of clos
ing the piano that a ragged dressed fellow
with dissipated, but by no means ill-iook-
ing countenauce, pushed his way through
the crowded room and made directly for
the piano. Seating himself heavily upon
the stool, greatly to the amazement Of Mr..
Sam Thompson and the assembled crowd
Of onlookers, the stranger-he was a
stranger to the majority Of US. although
aaVeral OF the men reculfecfad him after