Life in the Clearings versus the Bush

a Travelli

hath not music

annoyances which beset the path of him who is musically inclined, and whose soul is in unison with sweet sounds. This was my case. I loved music w

His nature is open, easy, and unsuspecting; pleased with his profession, he hopes always to convey the same pleasure to his hearers; and though doubts will sometimes cross his mind,

irst attempt to deceive would defeat its own object, and prove him to be a mere pretender. His hand and voice must answer

ccurrences that beset the path of the modern minstrel, were not more replete with odd chances and ludicrous in

---, and was busy making the necessary arrangements, when I was suddenly accosted, as I left the hotel, by a tall, thin, lack-a-daisical looking man, of a

ving a concert he

in? That is--I want to say--what a

lar--the us

wards me, as if he doubted

r?" repeated

ts, you'll have a smasher. If, mister, you'll lower that agin to six and a quarter cents, you'll have to take a field,--there ain't a hous

etim

by trade, I leads the first Presbyterian choir upon the hill.

you can tell me if I am likely

you will; that is, if yo

l I get the

had better try the

paid him for the information I had received. The ticket was for a single admission. He took it, turned it slo

Well--I s'pose she

o give you a d

said, "I've one of the smartest boys you ever seed; he's a fust-rate ear for music; he can whistle any tune he

all patience, "you would

st you any, mister; and if we don'

concert-room, with a small family of ten or twelve. Presently, another

t--admission,

a pew in this here church by the year, and I've a right to

sing for their especial benefit, I returned to my lodgings. I learned from my doorkeeper the next morning, that my friends

maker for ever, but no such good luck. Befo

ly," says he, "but I was anxious t

put on my dressing gown, and slipped from my b

r your leaving us as you did. We were all kinder disappointed. You'd have had a better house, onl

ese bills the name of the composer generally follows the s

o Pianoforte .......

ve .................

.......................

k," said he; "Now where is Henry Hertz; and Henry Russell, where is he? And the Old English Gentleman, Martin Luther, what has become of him? The

the beauty of the country through which we were passing, when I observed a very tall, thin-laced, sharp looking man, regarding me with very fixed attention. Not knowing who or what he was, I was at

steam-boats. But here you are as large as life--and that's not over large neither, (glancing at the slight dimensions of my figure,) and as ready to raise the wind as ever. I am highly gratifie

which the fellow spoke, I inq

tre-men-dous. It will make a

about?--Have you

Rochester, on the canal-boat. We met on our way a tre-men-dous storm. The wind blew, and the rain came down like old sixty, and everything looked as black as my hat; and the passengers got scared

very unusual in a canal-

will repeat what I can to you, and what I can't I will write right off when I gets hum.--Hold on--hold on--" he continued, beating

know'st the

and, and g

bring the tr

d scene and

ri, tu

ter Cadoga in

t morning in

e strove--bu

ot up, he fel

ri, tu,

at bee-u-tiful?" he exclaimed. "What a fine effect you could give to that on the pee-a-ne, humouring the keys to i

ation from his fac

ers rushed u

r with

safe out

ad lost

ri, tu,

ered around us drowning his nasal drawl in a complete roar of laughter. Seeing that I wa

ing at me in that ere way. But the truth is, you can't comprehend nor appreciate anything that is sublime, or out

control my inclination to laugh, and not wishing to hurt his feelings

signal before he came in contact with the bridge, which sent him sprawling down the gangway. He picked himself up, clambered u

onger take care of himself; for the next moment he stumbled over a little child, and would have been hurt severely if I had not broken his fall, by catc

ine; but though not quite so good, it is som'at in my style. I cut it out of a newspaper down East. You are

ith the droll quizzing humour of the lines, I have preserved them ever si

alls Of

w long you'v

infern

all you've

cipher'd

such a thund

New York

ome Injins have

s have raised

wild stags

d where n

cared at first, they

where the

hat rainbow ha

-rise at

terfall bee

tant spat

er mention'd ye

r things d

ow ye must have f

eluge was

strange, magnif

ok down o

rious place fo

ra wo

t a tremendo

d over i

urnish all the

ingle pr

many times the

ptied o

id not feed t

-I think

very strange tha

look up

I never expect

l ete

aning over me in the most inquisitive manner, until his long nose nearly went into my eye, and humming a bow-wow tune in my ear to ascertain if I were really napping, he turned from me with a dissatisfied grunt, flung himself into a settee,

t being pestered with his company to listen to him, a circumstance I now rather regret, for had his dreams been equal to his poetry, they cer

her gentleman, and quite forgot my eccentric friend until I reti

as afear'd we had put you ashore.

ted to

e-mend-ous black, as if they'd be a-pourin' all night. The reason why I prefer the upper berth is this," he continued confidentially; "if we should fall in with a st

by my quondam friend. I had just laid myself comfortably down, when I felt one of his huge feet on the side of my berth. Looking out, I espied him crawling up on all-fours to his place of security for the night. Hi

thing. I soon, however, discovered that the mysterious sounds proceeded from the berth above me. It was my friend reciting, either for my amusement or his own, the poem he had favoured me with in

ter Ca-do-ga--

ng--tew--f

--he--but

ll--down--he g

u--ri

r, which fortunately did not put a stop to the sonorous bass of my companion

oremost, to the floor. This accident occasioned me no small discomfort, as he nearly took my berth with him. It was fortunate for me that I was awake, or he might have killed me in his descent; as it was, I had only time to

dful night--not a soul can be saved,--I knew it--I dreampt it all. Oh Lord! we s

of the passengers, awakened

d, clutching at the table in the dark, he upset it, and broke the large lamp that had been left upon it. Down came the broken glass upon him in a shower which, doubtless, he took f

hat man mad or drunk?" e

d forth,--"We are all lost. If I once get upon dry

t. When I returned to the cabin, I found the poet lying on the floor, with the table upon him, and he

bed were not strong enough to hold you, and you have got a

ces of furniture in my reach, to the great amusement of the passengers, who were sitting up in their berths listening to; and laughing at our conversation. We w

my might to free myself. "There is no harm don

he delusion that he was in the water. "Give me a hold

left him to unroll himself to his full dimensions on the floor,

during the night gave rise to much quizzing and merriment, particularly when he

--, do try and set last night's adventures to music, and sing them this even

o the deck, and from the deck to the shore, which he fortunately re

ounta

me of your sp

r me the g

irst for a dra

pure, fresh

ts currents th

heath, and the

rze, and the

sweets to the

the bank and t

let droops li

eyes from the

her soul to th

my spirits a

oy o'er the ne

scatter'd her

th balm the

s fountain my

e of each sweet

d with me the

together the