Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1880-06-19
A MYSTERIOUS PIANIST.

About year ago I observed in the
columns of the journal an article in ex-
PLANTATION 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 su-
perstition or fear, remain undiscovered.
An investigation of all such seeming
mysteries at the time and in the place
where they occur, might save many a
one an infnity of discomposingt thoughts,
which not seldom end in the reception
of most absurd belief. If the veracitv
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 r.
pay my annual visit to nv widowed
mother and deliver my New Year greet
ings in person. On my arrival l found a
number of old friends assembled to ex-
change good wishes and usher in the
dawn of the new year. As the COM
pany was dispensing some one suggested
. song; and, as | was credited with some
ability in that direction, was at once
appealed to. l consented. and we sd-
journed to another room, where my sis.
ter's piano had stood untouched since
her lamcnted 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 il 80 foreign to many articles of
modern furniture. ! sat down and rat
tied of . few rollicking di,ties suited to
the occasion. winding up with the ever
new "Auld Lang Syne" as our guests
departed. noticed while playing that
the instrument was much out of tune,
and that several of the levers were dis
ordered or displaced. specially noticed
that one wire of the G in the fifth
octave was much fatter than the other,
which gave the note a peculiar and
easily recognizable sound.
As I was to sleep in the apartment, l
eat down by the fire to smoke pipe and
muse on the changes time had wrought
on the little world of my boyhood. The
keyboard of the instrument glistening
in the freight insensibly led my
thoughts to that vanished hand Mat
had 20 often nimbly and skflfully
pressed it. Only two short years ago
she had sat there singing my favorite
airs with the rich, mellow voice that
was hers alone As wave after wave Of
memory surged over my heart, became
% abetracted that fancied l heard the
cadence of her beautiful voice like the
distant echo in dream ] remembered,
too, that the last song heard her sing
was that touching melody welded to
the words of Burns weird song, "Open
the Door to Me, OH With my minds
ear l heard the pathetic wall with which
the melody concludes, and was just on
the point of awaking from my dav.
dream, when the piano at my side slowly
and distinctly repeated the last eimple
bar of the music, with the faulty c for
the keynote. ] was not startled; the
mysterious accompaniment was 20 In
unison with my reverie that it was some
minutes before realized what had oc-
CURED. Ny first idea was that. by long
disuse, some of the hammers had become
relaxed and had fallen forward on the
strings. But on trying the notes 1
found they responded readily to the
touch. For some time l tried to solve
the enigma; but at length coming to the
conclusion that had been duped by my
own ears. I shut down the keyboard
and jumped into bed, where ! was soon
unconscious of mortal and spirit alike.
Ihad slumbered for some time, when
I suddeny y awoke with tfat singing
a nsation over the whole body which,
with me. always betokens nervous ex-
citement; and 10! the piano was sound
ing. Int holt upright; tried to shake
off the hallucination, and listened again.
There was no denying the fact. Some
invisible power was touching both the
has and treble notes. l struggled
ssaiust Q queer feeling that began to
creep over me, and tried to reason.
Judeing from . former experience. /
Thought it might be some animal travers-
;nS t6e viros; but tlhen ] reflected that
hat was impossible in their perpendicu.
i., position; neither could any animal
.c;tste both treble and bass at the same
t;me. a my ear informed me was be ng
Sone. Mastering courage. jumped out
- I'D. and approaehed quietly. when
II The nerformance suddenly ceased.
opened the keyboard and the top lid,