Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-27
THOMPSON'S HOUSE.

THOMPS0N'S HOUSE.
From Household Words.
One very hot summer, Thompson
nv cid school-friend, offered to lend
me his house for month. Circum
stances-mcre plainly, my means
would not allow me to go abroad,
dislike the seaside, and never GO there
for pleasure, so gladly accepted his
offer, and, leaving my hot and dusty
rooms and Office to my landlady's
mercy, went down to the quiet old
cathedral town for moath ofcountry
air.
Thompson's house stands in the
Close, at some little distance from the
dwellings inhabited by Canons and
Dean. in those sedate precincts.
1t is very old, and was evidently
built as one large house, but for many
Years it has been divided. Thompson
let's the other half, His own part has
tine larger hall of beautiful, old-fash.
toned garden at the back, and on the
first day after my arrival, / did moth
ing, fear, but wander up and down
the shady lawn, and give myself up to
thepleasure of having absolutely moth.
log which must be done in that day.
But the next morning alter break
fast, started on a long expedition in
search of interesting church architec-
ture, in which | knew the neighbor.
hood was rich, and about which am
an enthusiast-natural, perhaps, as
am an architect. But mine is not
only professional interest; in any case
must have felt the charm of the old
records OF the past, contained in
Early English, Decorated, and Per-
pendicular arches and pillars, for those
TO whom these words are more than
names.
On my return that evening i found
Thompson's good housekeeper-hc is
not married-rather anxious at my
! late hours, and excited at the arrival
OF new tenants next door. They had
been expected apparently for some
days, and Mrs. Morse was most anx-
ious that they should prove as quiet
and inoffensive as the last tenant, a
deal and paralytic old lady, "who
never annoyed master nor me in the
least, and she was there before came
fourteen years ago last May, that
Is.n
All this and much more of her fears
and anxieties lest the new neighbors
should give noisy parties and keep
late hours, "as they did next door
where lived last, which was why
left, sir, for their noise was dreadful. y
Mrs. Morse told me, as she held in her
hand the toast she had brought in tor
my tea, ssnd which in her abstraction,
she forgot TO set down.
Not until she had at last shut the
door after her good-natured gossip,
and had found the toast decidedly
cold, did / remember that | had heard
a piano the night before, as l sat and
smoked apparently played next door.
accounted for it by imagining that
some one must have arrived there
sooner than Mrs. Morse knew.
She told me the next morning that
the new neighbors were only young
lady and her aunt, and on hearing
this | most successfully Gained her
fears OF the night before.
During the next week | spent most
OF my days in sKetching an early
English church near, which had dis
covered with great pleasure; and in
the evenings smoked many a pipe
while listening to the piano next door.
Generally, am unreasonably irritat.
Ell when ] am obliged to listen to other
people pianos against my will; there
Is something very trying III being
Obliged to submit. without remon-
STRANGE, to hear whatever they may
be moved to play, or-worse still
practise.
But this was different. 1t was,
thought, woman's touch, and she
played weil-chieily old airs and soma
tas OF Corelli. | am very fond of the
old musicians, and there was in this
playing OF them something very gentle
and soothing.
One evening at the end of that week
found, on coming IN, a note, which l
opened, and read in great surprise:
Miss Ethel Mayne would be very
) greatly obliged if Mr. Wyndham would
not allow his piano to be used at so
late an hour. Miss Mayne asks this
Tor the sake of her aunt, an invalid,
who is greatly disturbed by it,.
read the note over and over again,
each time with more amazement.
How could explain without seeming
rude and brusque, that not only had
never played during my stay here,
but that the house did not even con-
tam a piano? Thompson is not in
The least musical. The more thought
OF It the stranger it appeared. One
thing was certain-the piano which
disturbed them must be the same as
that TO which | had listened on so
many evenings. At last | decided to
call next morning, and explain better
than note could, that | was not to
Diane. did SO, about ~ O'Clock
next day, and WAS shown into a draw
mg.room wearing the uncomfortable
look common to newly arranged
rooms, before they had time to re-
ceiye any marks OF the owners char
acteristics.
In few moments the door opened,
and tall girl, with dark hair and a
sweet lace, came in. She bowed as
rose, and said:
Mr.. Wyndham, believe? i imagine
you have called in answer to my note.
lam sure you will accede to my re-
quest. Ny aunt is only now recover
ing from long illness, and the piano
Keeps her awake at night"
lwould, ofcourse, instantly discon-
tnuelt, Isaid, eff werein my power;
out l came 10 explain that | have
played nothing since my coming here;
indeed, my friend has no piauo-in
het, Miss Mayne, ! thought that
was listening to your playing every
nighf, Tor have heard what must be
the same piano"
Miss Mayne looked ipcreGulous at
mrs., then utterly amazed.
II do not understand" she said.
ean 1t be that We are near enough to
near s this from any other house?"
one rose, and went to the window.
NO; 1t IS impossible" as tho window,
t,om which We could SEQ some distance,
showed the nearest house to be sep
afated from us by tho garden and a
street which ran at the bottom of it,
besides the whole length OF another
garden and rambling old orchard.
Is 1t possible" l said, feeling as j!
lsaw glimmer OF light on the ques.
uon, that any OF Your household
walk IN their sleep3 We hear this
quite late; and it might be possible
\ people have done such strange things
" sleep"