The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-01

shA@AA ~ q AAonP oAdh6OA WhoV hA"NSe
the music in the old well. That's some
thing to scare you, now. Why, you can
just hear the tunes. I used to hear tell
of fairies when l was little, and that's
enough to make person believe in
them. You can't think anything natural
makes music in well sixty feet Deep"
"Where is it?"
"Why, old Durley's well in the mea-
dow; no one uses it now; it's dried up, I
reckon; but all the neighbors have been
down there this morning to hear the
music coming up out of it. I wouldn't
believe it until l heard for myself. l
thought it was a cricket, or, perhaps, a
bird got down there, but no cricket or
bird that ever l heard could jingle off
Annie Laurie and MY Pretty Jane
You'd better 60 and see for yourself"
"What do you think it is?' asked
Margie, when old Jenny had gone.
"I don't know, dear. We might 60
down and see; the moon is coming up,
and ! presume there will be others
there" ....
ooh, Aunt Nell, I don't care about the
we'll"
"But you had better go than to sit
here crying, Margie? Let me get a
shawl for you"
So they wrapped up and went down
across the fields. The air was very damp,
but it was bright, shining night Be-
fore they reached the old well, they saw
knot Of people crowded about it. They
stood around silently, though one or two
wondered aloud, and some tried to
laugh, and said it was trick-ventrilo-
quism or something of the sort. No
one among the many doubters that there
had been disbelieved the tale then. The
fine faint strains struck the ear plainly.
1t was like elfn music, indeed. 1t was
''The Mistletoe Bough" that was being
played, merrily enough, as Margie and
Nell came up.
Suddenly it stopped, and another air
commenced. 1t was the more modern
love ditty, maggie by My Side."
Sharply violent scream from Margie
sounded.
"Oh, it's Jackl it's Jack!" she cried.
"He's down the we'll. Bring ropes! Oh,
l know it's Jackp"
Everybody was aghast. Still the
merry music tinkled its silver strains.
"Oh, hurryl" cried Margie. "It's the
music-box that he promised to bring me
once. He has fallen in the well. Some
one must go down to him." ,
"Perhaps she's right" exclaimed
Farmer Brown. "Bring ropes, boys, from
my barn yonder. I'll go down, if nobody
else will. Hurryv'~
There was haste and excitement
enough then. Before the ropes were
prepared for the deep descent, Aunt
Nell had been to the house, and returned
with bottle Of wine.
eff it is jack" said she, che has lain
there for more than twenty-four hours,
and must be weak and exhausted. Take
this down with you, Silas," to the
younger man who had volunteered in
old Browns place.
| "All ready!-slowly," said Silas, as
they swung him down.
They watched him descend, carefully
guarding his lantern from the rocks. In
a moment he had disappeared. Steadily
the rope slipped through the mems
hands; the great coil upon the ground
lessened until at last it was spent. They
waited, looking at each other, in sus-
pense. The signal of a wish for return
three jerks Of the rope-was not given.
One, two, five, ten, fifteen min
utes passed. The men almost avoided
each others questioning eyes.
| "I'm' afraid the foul air has killed him.
Hadn't we better begin to draw up"
asked Brown.
After a few seconds more this was
agreed upon. The rope came up slowly.
!, Whether Silas were dead 'or alive, eau
ton was needful; the sides Of the wall
were rough.
Three quick jerks suddenly relieved
their minds Of the burdensome. fear.
, They made little more haste then, and
finally drew Silas Jones up alive.
"Well," he said, stepping upon solid
, ground, Jack Lane is down there, but
his horse has fallen on him, and he can
: just breathe, and that's all. Iguess he's
wound up that little music box for a sig.
nal for the last time. I tried to give him
) some wine, but he can't drink. Some
one must go down with me, and if that
horse can't be drawn up, he must be cut
, away piecemeal, that's all. Jack won't
stand it more than half an hour longer
Instantly there was dozen ready to
60 down. Three only went, taking
hatchets to cut the horse away if nee
= essary. His heavy flank was stretched
across Jacks breast, Silas said, and
!, there was no room in which to dis.
: place him.
r The watchers at the Wells mouth were
sick at heart long before the great
length Of the rope came up again.
' Then Margie shrieked and covered
her face. CHASTITY, haggard, stained
D with the clotted blood from the dead
: horse, on the breast of his sturdy frienc
i. Silas rose Jacks face. He could no
stand. They carried him home upon s
: stretcher.
Taking snort cut across the field
Q the night before his horse had tumblet
, lheadlOnv into the we'll which Jacl