Year: 1868

"Ohi for lodge in some vast wilderness ~


How often from my heart, the very bottom Of


my heart, have echoed that apparently nissan


tbropic wish. The English bard must surely have


lived in q usica neighborhood to have conceived


and given expression to that thought.


To begin at the beginning, am man with


very little Emusic in my SOUL" If that means


fondness for amateur performances on any iustru.


ment whatever. by those who will never reach even


fair mediocrity much less amaze the world aud


the rest OF mankind by their talent and execution


wish had the execution Of some Of them
My landlord getting beyond bearing 10 his ex.
toruon, concluded TO move rather than pay al
ieaet three times as much my house was worth


and unfortunately for me did not examine in o


the musical capacity, OF rather want Of capacity
o. my new neighoorhood, but blindly took house
that suited in other particulars.


For the first few days either out of compliment
to their new neighbors or from some more domes-


Tic cause, did not hear much of the so-csIled -


music, and though annoyed, did not give il much


attention, but it seems they duly held up TO 90 il


the stronger when they did startn.


Now, after | come home to dinner never go


up town again till next morning with the except.


ION OF my club night, and my lodge night, but


aonbing my slippers and dressing gown. make


myself generally comfortable enjoying the society


OF ny household goddess and the little gods and


Roddesses. and invariably take a cigar and quiet


nap after dinner to aid digestion. In my old house


could do this with great degree of comfort and


take comfort In b.; but oh now, now, I've for
gotten the meaning Of the word.


Ny bret experience was in this wise: Coming
home tired out, and not feeling well, Polly Jane


that's my household goddess) said, Dear,
INT you better take your nap upstairs, I'm
aiTsld the music will annoy you ~ bat laughed
az the idea, and after dinner and my cigar stretch
ed myself on the lounge in the library aud drop
ped OF to sleep. How long slept. can't say, know
was wakened by most unearthly din aud star
tied almost into an spoplectic 6t I'm stout you
see) by the fright AS soon as | could collect my
scattered senses sufficiently TO make out waere /
was, and what the noise was. I'm afraid said
some words not very pious in their nature. Pm
afraid did, not exactly swearing you know. but
something closely related.


There were no less than seven pianos at
work, while the shrill screeching of flute. rasD.
ing Of fiddle and drumming of guitar, and
small boy beating time on an old keg (the best
music OF II all, by the way, and two boys passing
along, one with an accordion and one with the
bones, made up a noise that would have silenced
the roar Of Niagara. On my right was piano
and fiddle, on my left flute and piano, in trout
three pianos and guitar and on the rear quarter
two pianos and squsller singing opera, fondly
fancyiDg herself Jenny Lind OF Patti which she
isn't, while the little boy with his mpromtu drum
and the accordion and bones seemed all around


The worst of the matter is that this was not an
affair Of one evening or night, gotten up as a
serenade In honor of our coming into the neigh
borhoOd. By no manner of means, net at all: but
has been kept up briskly and warmly ever since.
Now vote that while our pie-bald legislators are
making so many laws, and putting their fingers
into everybodys pie, that they do something for
my relief. and pass law making it a fine Of five
hundred dollars for any one to play on any instru-
ment more than twenty minutes at q time and
that only once 10 twenty four hours unless they
are competent masters Of the instrument, and |
then not to exceed thirty minutes. Why, nv |
goodness, gentlemen 1'm wskened up in the |
morning TO piano, flute and fiddle; | turn out of
bed and take my bath to Up with the Flag" or
The Lsrk's Early Warning" | eat my break fast
to the scales in every variety possible of time and
lone, put on my hat and leave the house TO
: Wearing of the Green,"" Sally come home with
The soap; come in at dinner to the whole instruc-
.ion book and the "lrish Wssherwoman:'' eat NV
inner to . little bird sat swinging limb,n
PTima Donna Waltz Devils Dream.n or |
Iome other id nonsense-there l almost said
naughty cuss words again; sit through the even.
Dg, and go to bed at night to a m edley that
would puzzle the old Nick to separate, perfectly
Incapable OF talking or hearing any one else talk
or the internal dim. Can't something be done TO
help man who has :" no music (Of this kind) in
lis soul!" Mr.. Editor, can't something be done
or ny relief! THOMAS Q0kRsY.