A REFINING INFLUENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1262, 7 May 1896, Page 9

A REFINING INFLUENCE.

(By ROBERT ALLAN.) (Sperialln trrittenjhr the New Zealand Mail.) " What score, marker ? " "Twenty - six fifteen" from the slovenly-looking marker. Tho enquiring player followed on with i« prosy cannon. A nondescript crowd looked on lazily. There was nothing in it; two indifferent players, with a score of fifteen and twenty-six respectively, the result of twenty minutes' mismanagement. The onlookers sat about the lounges talking sheep and cattle, and the "horsey" element with a smattering of Maoris was also in evidence.

A few men were gathered about a gaudy half circular bar at the end of the room making the most of their doubtful drinks and the repartee of a red headed barmaid. A little fat in 111 with bloated eyes and green stains d ivvu his coat front dropped dead matches into the water jug from time to time in an aimless sort of way. lie seemed to take no notico of the wonderful species of wit indulged in by the majority, and his glass was full beside him. " Drink your beer, Tom," the girl said careless'y. He motioned toward the back of the bar; she reached behini her and throw him a cigar. He leisurely bit the fop off, and poked the end into his neighbour's pipe for a light. " (jo and play the pi mnir, Tom,"someone Huggeslid. Hut thelililefal man remained silent. " Col, the blues, Tom \" 11 • sent his beer oil at a gulp. Tire girl caught him by the coat, "Co on Tom, give us some music," she pleaded. He turned away, went slowly down to flu. pi alio, and fiat, strumming idly with one hand A I'd Maori walked over to him. " By kolly ! T nn," lie said, " Good man yon for to play to '.vatah " (waltz), Thtif.-.l in in turned his pig's eyes on him a nionit nt.

" Now you go lo nil 1 f this, Ringi," he growled, and the .Maori looked back. "Ti'ni's got another bad I'll mi " said the marker to 110 on;: in p trliculw. The man went, on playing, and the clinking of glasses and rough dialect of the natives rdmoat drowned Hie sixty chords from the piano. A solitary man with an air of better times about him drew gradually towards the fat man, and watched him in silence. The call of the marker and tho clicking of balls went on. The fat man had both hands on the piano now and his eyes were half eloped. His stray chords took shape, and his music drifted into the " minor."

The solitary man spoke to him quietly. He looked up, a sudden interest in his face, and played a few bars in answer. "Ah! that's it," from the solitary man, an eagerness in his voice, "Twelveeight time." "' Ui, Tom," someone cried across the room ; " that sounds like the rockin' of a cradle, d n me, if it don't." Then softly the fat man's playing took life from the whisper of tho solitary man, "Messiah,'" he was saying; " Ho shall feed Ilia flocks—eight hundred voicesfinest soprano on the Continent "; and a silence fell between them—the silence of appreciation, Softly the first faint " rock" of the air awoke beneath the short fingers of tho fat man. Faintly, with a perceptiblo swelling, he ran down the measured symphony,

"He shall feed His flocks," sans; the solitary man beneath his breath, and the fat man played on, the music rising and falling beneath his sensitive hands. A few men gathered round him ; the men left their billiards, and on ho played, githering strength and feeling. "And Ho shall gather tho lambs with His arm," sang tho solitary man, raising his voice as he followed the majestic sway of the wonderful harmony, and the song went rocking along in a sigh of diminishing strength, down, softly, gently, to a bar of whispered " accidentals." '" With His arm," murmured the solitary man. The parly deserted tho bar, and githored sheepishly round him, swaying unconsciously to the music ; tho natives sat silent, with round, white eyos aud quivering lips. "Come unto Him all ye that labour ; come unto Him all ye that are heavy laden," Tho two man sang together; tho fat man introduced orchestral harmonies in a wonderful manner, and the girl camo slowly down the room, tho tears in her eyes. "And He shall give you rest" wailed tho solitary man ; a hundred memories on his lips. "'And He shall give you rest," murmured the listening group, a feeling upon them they could not understand. "Take Mis yoke upon you," sang tho solitary man, a pathetic ring in his voice, while the fat man playod on in measured chords, with the soul of the whole group in his hands. " For He is meek aud bwly of heart," the fat man sang to tho solitary man, gradually working up tithe "cescendo." " And yo shall find rest—And ye shall find rest," sang tho solitary man, a sob in his voice. " Unto your souls," the two men sang together, swaying down the following " bar," and the poor unfortunate girl sal, with her head buried in her arn s, crying.

"And ye shall find rest unto your souls," sang everyone, and the fat man, with head high and closed eyes, played smoothly, rockingly, softly away to a distant chord.