Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-06-30

"i''N ~ liphiJNbIi anu kOL III
day OF two the following characteristic
note:
DEAR Wy NDHAN You must have been
asleep. People next door, too. Never
heard any piano. and have lived there
, fourteen Years The man who was there
before me is dead, so | can't send you to
him for irfUrmation Glad don't hear
. It. Can't bear music Delighted that you
like the country Yours, F. T."
called At the end of the week to tell
Miss Mayue the result of my letter. The
aunt Vas better and down stairs; they
gave me afternoon tea, and came away
thinsing that the mystery, as it still WAS,
had AT least obtained for me two very
pleasant acquaintance.
But the unexplained music did not pass
from my mind, especially as heard it still
though not every evening am believer
III what are loosely called ghosts, anC
one day when Mrs Morse was in talka
tive mood, she took away my tea,
brought her conversation round TO tn,
subject of haunted houses hoping that
If there were any tradition belonging L
ThOmpsOn'S house, she would mention it
After many stories which she took pain.
to say she should not think OF believing
she said: This looks likely house foI
such stories, but have never heard, no.
look to hear or see anything, but sOmt
people are 80 silly. There WAS "A silly gir
We had here, hOuSemald, always fancy
ing she heard music at night, near heI
dOOr-she slept down stairs-and at last
she left through it, though !.
couldn't tell master such a tale, but hac
TO tell him something more sensible
Such nonsense! | used To tell her SHE
dreamt OF what her head was full Of, fOI
she was all for musc-wunderfully fonc
OF it. Why couldn't she mind her worI
and sleep at night without dreams, a.
honest people should"
A few days later my holiday came to an
end, and left the country with very pleas
ant memories of Thompson's old. and, as
began to believe, haunted house. 1t die
not pass away from my memory during the
busy winter days neither did the sweet
face of Miss Ethel Mayne.
Ten years have gone since then. Some
success as an architect has come to NE
and am married.
Last year, by one of those strange
chances which come in some mems lives
Thompson had "A very large estate left hin
in the north Of France He went over L
make arrangements for selling it, but
liked the situation so much that he has
settled there, and | have bUu- u-ht the ole
house. | have thrown both houses int,
one, and made several changes since tn,
days when | first knew il. Amongst others
we use aS a drawing room a large room at
the back overlooking the garden, which
Thompson used As a lumber room,
think
My wife and hope to spend many sum
mer months there.
Our stay this year had nearly come tC
an end, when on one Sunday evening
stayed up very late smoking. Before
went upstairs | remembered that my wife
wanted n book brought up. and | wen
into the drawing room To fetch it. Their
was no light in the room but the red glOR
of the fire we had enjoyed that chilli
evening, and was bending over the table
To try and find the book. when "a slight
movement made me look up, and standing
close by the piano, | saw am very SURE
Of it-a slight, girlish figure with face
never shall fOrget-it was SO terribly sad
Slowly she moved from where she stood,
and seemed TO pass NE.
She wore some sort of Clinging brOwI
dress. | followed into the hall where
seemed to see her go. No one was there.
reused my wife and together We searched
the hOuse-vainly, of cOuse
was not the least alarmed at the time
beyond "A slight shock on finding myself
not alone as | had imagined; but after
ward for months. waking or sleeping that
face, with its terrible grief has been be
fore me.
OF course, | tried in every way I could
10 find out what story could be connected
with the house, without, however, saying
why wished to know, for felt almost rs
if should be betraying her confidence if
made that sad face matter of everyday
gossip at afternoon teas and dinner
parties.
We are in London agaia for the winter
now, and one day lately met an old lady.
who had in her girlhoOd well known the
town in which spent the summer. She
told Inc that many years before the house
had the reputation of being haunted
but that the rumor tad been hushed up
by the landlord, and forgotten. And she
told me this story:
The house was once occupied by young
husband and wife. They loved each other
devoteily, but the husband was unreasOn-
ably jealous of his brother One evening he
accused his wife of deceiving him rs To
bis love; she was too wounded to answer
lis bitter words. and he went out. Two
hours later he had drowned himself and
his dead body was brought into the house,
into the very room where his wife was
playing while waiting for his return. She
lost her senses from that day, and during
the rest of her mercifully short life her
nusic was her only apparent consolation.
And" added the landlady, she is said
TO play there still; those who love music
can sometimes hear her"
For myself the thought of the poor girls
bitterly sad story will only give an added
interest to the face / never shall forget,
and her music both my wife and have
listened 10 and loved for long-for my
wife heard it first when she was Ethel
ayne-Household Words