Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-11-21
HIS NEIGHBOR'S PIANO.
By GERALDINE FLEMING,

There, I've stopped that nuisance"
Mr.. Joel Phillips declared triumphantIy
as hs deposited his shiny beaver on the
hat rack and hobbled into the CHEEKY
sitting room.
Mr. Phillips was afflicted with a
equity limb, which no doubt did not en-
nance the suavity OF a temper never the
mildest and most equable.
" The woman is going, bag and bag.
gage; and we sh all have no more of her
diabolical piano." he continued, IA,
with an air of jubilant satisfaction, he
settled himself IN his capacious cushion
ell chair beside coy gratefire.
" We did have rather too much
N usic," said his sister--a pleasant little
matron, who was knitting by the light
OF rosily shaded lamp ON pretty cor
ner table.
Music." the gentleman repeated
with short, dry laugh, portentous Of
reviving irritation. at was discordl-
from dawn till midnight IL was abomin-
able, eternal. distracting discord!"
1t was rather excruciating some
times" his sister concurred, soochingly,
and the wall Is not very thick be-
tween the two houses. But your next
tenant may be less annoying-people
who live on cheap third floors cannot
usually afford musical instruments"
Instruments of the pandemOnium"
he calculated savasely. "I'll never
have 80 much as Jews harp in home
Of my own-that woman with her
squeskinR, Squeezing, screeching instru.
ment of torture has dis2usted me with
every thing OF the kind"
Mrs. Myles Is very poor, and she
can only earn her living by giving les
Y MI mr. Ia
matron said, practically.
Well, / am glad she Is poor" he
growled, fiercely. II she had been
rich enough TO pay her rent, my agent
could not 80 easily have rid me oil her
and her diabolical piano"
Il only hope she has not taken the
empty flat In the house on the opposite
side of u.s." his sister suddenly remark
ed, as she dropped her knitting ID lis
tened intently to divers suspicious jars
and rumb les, which seemed TO issue
from the very wall behind the pretty
corner table.
Good gracious never thought
OF that" exclaimed Mr.. Phillips, jump.
ing 10 his feet with haste which the
equity limb resented by q prompt and
uhsparinR twinRe. And she has, as
sure az fate" he said dolefully, as he
detested piano, which at that moment
was being conveyed past his own door,
and up the steps of the adjoining house.
We must all have our "Old Man
of the Sea- l suppose" his sister
observed, between smile and sigh.
~ have . mind to perpetrate atson,"
he muttered despairingly, as he resumed
his capAcious chair.
"You might buy the house, Joel"
his sister suggested seriously. You
have plenty OF money to invest In real
estate, and then we could choose our
lneighbors on each side of US"
"The house would not be bad invest.
ment, that is true" he responded
thoughtfully.
But he had no need to reflect upon
the matter. He knew the place would
be q profitable purchase, and TO make
good financial Investments had become
the supremeet purpose Of his life.
| He had other purposes onot- aims
less mercenary, more humADizing am
billions and strivinRs-onoe, years ago.
when his rugged features were unfur-
rowed, when the hair was unstreaked
by gray, and before this distressing
govt and that demoralizing piano had
been instituted 30 sffi let hun.
But music had not been Objectionable
to him in the long ago, In the brief,
blissful time when he had been the
tender lover, the promised husband ri
one sweet girl who hal gone out OF his
life forever, leaving only haunting
vision OF what might have been but for
that melancholy estrangement, which
lseenod more and more melancholy to
him as the years rolled away.
d" For a lonely cid fellow like NE
L nd
Irritable, he used to say to his sister,
whore cherry home WAS the one bright
oasis In the dreary desert of his cell
bacy.
am afraid you are rather grabbed
Joel, when tho equity limb bothers
lyou," she admitted, just the least bill
Icbidingly. But, then, we all have
Jour faiiinRs and that piano Is 30 an
noying when one wants TO feel quiet. v
And the house il not to be bought
either" he grumblod, the owner de-
olines TO soil. Now propose TO inter
view this Mrs. Myles and ascertain Il
, she can DO hired 10 transfer herself u
some other neiRhborhood.'
" She will think you are crazy" thu
litsie mstron said In dismsy, ~ he tool
Iup his stout cane and shiny beaver.
:" And NO / shall be X l an compelled
| to listen m uch longer to her atrociou'
and everlasting drumming, he avow
led, arimly.
"You will only afiront her or hurt
liner feeiings-poor thing" his sistol
again interposed, disnpprovin2ly.
my dear, tho real author OF wa,
Is not he who begins 1t, but he who
lmakes 1t necessary and II Mrs. M le,
fixes to regard herself sfronted, / shall
, rem md her OF the maxim" he scowled
= AZ he strobe out into the dust
Az he went up the steps OF the nd
Iioining house, he perceived that thu
} door had been left ajar and the hall
had MOI yet been lighted. But he could
localiza the apartments OF the pianis
land her execrable instrument; 30 mucl
Ihe would have affirmed without scrupl'
Tor misgiv!ns.
Il He proc. eded unhesitatingly up thu
iH.aircape and then. guided by tiny
/ Iflicker.ng light through the chink OF
Iyindow he turned into what he ian
I icied was transverse passage.
I'll And then and there disaster bese
him. His equity limb colllded with
G IsomethipS hard and sharp; he took
Ipsco forward and stumbled down III
lupQueesed descending step, and theI
with q mighty crash and din he WA
lfioundering IN what seemed an abysi
0 tof tubs ami ails, tins and crockery.
AS he hohbled TO an upright attitude
; there WAS a shriil, childish shriek, then
a door @as swiftly slammed against
kbim and n KEY az swiftly turned Ia the
/ Hook. and MIR, Joel Phillips WAS 8
lnrisoper in n diminutive ballroom
I (which had beer utilized as closet fol-
q kitchen utensils: