The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-14
HOBO AT THE CITY HALL SURPRISES
 EVERYONE BY HIS PIANO PLAYING

1 To dance, however. there must be music.
 To furnish music there is usually supplied l a piano.
 l For that reason some few days ago a
 piano was rolled up into the city hall armory in preparation for a militia dance. and then and there "Old Man Raymond,
 tramp became pr. Cari Raymond. mu- sician
 1 For the past few weeks there has been i a distinguished appearing man whom everyone about the hall regarded as d tramp. sleeping every night and spend- I ing the larger part of his days in the armory on the third floor of the city hall. Various officials at times were on the , point of having him arrested as a vag- rant. But about him was peculiar ap- peal It was plain to be seen he was not tramp. in the ordinary, accepted way. i He carried with him a dignity that in one who was an "ordinary gentleman of the road would have bene ludicrous. About his eyes was an intelligence that | signifed culture and learning In spite of
 his shabby clothes. his plainly unkempt condition. there was an atmosphere which hung about this man that pointed him out as something other than tramp. 1 Therefore, he had been permitted to make his bed each night on the wrestling mat which the playground boys use in 1 the city gymnasium and from time to time pieces of money were given him by va i rious people at the city hall whose atten- ton had been attracted irresistably. And so, when the militia boys decided to dance and rolled their piano into the armory, the surprise of the seeming miracle that took place was not lessened by the fact that practically everyone of those who witnessed 1t had down in their heart been anticipating just some such thing.
 Grandpa" at Piano 1 Grandpa as the old gentleman had be- come known to the habitues of the city hall, arose. He crossed to the piano. There seemed to be a caress of untold love and l sympathy in the old mans fingers as he 1 opened the instrument sat down before i it and for a moment looked at the white row of keys. The spell soon passed from the old, gray-haired figure seated at the | instrument, but it was just descending on the few who stood about him as he slowly began to run his hands over the keys and 1 in answer to his magic touch there came | forth melodies such as send rapture to | the human soul
 l pr. Carl Raymond is a big man. If souls were proportionate to bodies. there souls weer proportionate to bodies there might be some explanation of the source of that wonderful. mysterious, enchanting genius that seems to enshroud the great form of the truly Bohemian character which many people in Birmingham know only as "Od Man Raymond
 l He has run the gamut of the world tricks of fortune and doubtless with it the gamut of earthly passions, joys and sorrows. He has been an idol of the pub l lie, feted and heralded wizard of music, a learned seer who held communion with the muses.
 l But today he is a tramp. He has no home His friends are not conspicuous I for their number. He has no job. He eats food only when chapce gives him the opportunity. He rests his head only when chance affords place to lie down and sleep.
 But the great, burning, eloquent genius of Carl Raymond today Is just as much extant as in those days When. fresh from his studies in Liepsic university, Cornell, London and Paris he went out to conquer the world with the poetry and harmony of music that burned in his soul. Though his
 body may be hungry and his brain heavy with needed rest. the great talent that the Almighty placed within his breast is still yearning for expression and at every op- portunity crops out.
 | Dr. RaymOnd's Story | The story of Dr. Raymond is purely q story of the world It seems crowded to the overflowing with both joy and sorrow. Depew his reasons, saying that he thought