The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-06-11
A MYSTERIOUS PIANIST.

About year ago | observed in the
columns of the journal an article in ex,
planation Of certain aural phenomena
which are frequently ascribed to a super
natural agency. Many similar events
must frequently occur which are not re-
corded, and whose cases, owing to SUI
perstftion or fear, remain undiscovered.
An investigation of all such seeming
mysteries at the time and in the placs
where they occur, might save many a
onean infnity of discomposing thoughts,
which not seldom end in the rece pt;on
Of a most absurd belief. il the yeracity
Of the following narrative be questioned,
names and places can afford no proof. /
can therefore only assure the reader that
the narrative Is true TO the minutest
PARTICULAR and was jotted down while
the circumstances were fresh in my
memory.
On the last day Of 1879 left home to
pay my annual visit to my widowed
mother and deliver my New Year greet
iDgs in person. On my arrival | found a
number Of old friends assembled to ex-
change good wishes vand usher in the
dawn of the new year. As the com
pany was dispensing some one suggested
a song; and, as was credited with some
ability in that direction, I was at once
appealed to. ] consented, and we ad-
Journed 30 another room, where my sis.
ters piano had stood untouched since
her lamented death, which had happened
two years before. 1t was an old 'instru,
ment, OF six and a half octaves, OF the
cottage shape, with nothing remarkable
about It save that solid, substantial look
which is 50 foreign to many articles Of
modern furniture. / sat down and rat
tied off q few rollicking diities suited to
the occasion. winding up with the ever
new "Auld Lang Syne5 as our guests
departed. noticed while playing that
lne instrument was much out of tune,
and that several Of the levers were dis.
ordered or displaced. specially noticed
tnat one wire ofithe q ia the fifth
octave wasmuch fatter than the other,
winch gave the note peculiar and
easily recognizable sound. ~
as was to sleep in the apartment. /
sat down by the fire to smoke a pine and
muse on the changes time had wrought
on the little world Of my boyhood. The
keyboard of the instrument glisteninp
N the freight insensibly led INV,
thoughts to that vanished hand that.
mad 50 often nimbly and skflfully
pressed IT. Only two short wears ago
si. sie Aad !i, sat there singing my favorife
sals with the rich, mellow voice that
Mas hers alone: AS wave after wave of
memory surged over my heart, | became
~ aDstracte that ! fancied / heard the
J;s.ce SJiuelce Of her beautiful voice like the
Instant echo ina dream I Remembered.
wo, mat theiast song i heard her sing
ThasInat touching melody welded to
,I Io words OF Burns weird song, g Open
.Ae Door to Me, Oh!' With nv minds
ar W l hea the pathetic wall with which
.ne melody concludes, and was inst an
sle point Of awakinp from INV davl
snd % II. w wnen the piano at my side slowly
has au glsilntctiy repeated the last simple
tha g%a q the music with the faulty G for
me- urc key-note. ! was not startled: the
n9,so y,s.erlous accompaniment was 20 IN
n;r'. son with my reverie that ii was some
sms.a ,muses before ! realized what had oc-.
J;.nsu' J,su' NY first idea was that. by long
ususe, some of the hammers had becoyl,ee become
.,,;. ...sAed and had fallen. forward on ths
tonng ttm,ngs- But on trying the notes M j j
,owiS UaIu they responded readily 10 The
M IaVn. M For some time / tried to soive
cOrol,, r Enigma but at length coming to the
cwm ov".lusion that had been tlupcd bv INV
and na tars ; shut down the keyboard
prao a Jumped into bed, where 1 was soon
Iba'ssiolls baS Of mortal and spirit al Ike.
,,Jg I'm slumbered for some time. when
ns".; Suaaen y awoke with that Singing
ri,h iI".loh @ over the whole BODY which,
citone, me always hetokens nervous ex-
jnS "'Sht' and lol the piano was sound
oTib. sat bolt upright; tried to shake
Tbs.ie nie hallucination, and listened again.
inS;s;h, is,T was no denying the fact. Some
h,,, power was touching both the
,ss;. @ and treble notes. I STRUGGLED
sssan sunSs queer feeling that began b
jhSpp; over me- and tried to reason.
Go1g1ng from a former experience /
h. ivstn. = y might be some animal travera-
NJ ~, ue ne wires; but then / reflected that
h, @, was was lmpossibl. in their perpendicu-
,S,l " position; neither could any animal
In ti.a@ Doth treble and bass at the same
done : M 10y ear informed me was be ng
Of bsa slustering courage, Jumped out
he ~. ~ ana approached quietly. when
ousnps nppssti,or'nance suddenly ceased Z n
pss,ss sues The keyboard and the topslid