The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-06-23
THE MINUHT.

with her book, Cora and Jack in the
corner near the window, mildly flirting
over a game OF patience" and l GRO
cheting, and occasionally looking over
Richards shoulder at our house plans,
which promised to be uawieldy enough
for State capital by the time they were
fully elaborated.
"a cheerful group" said the doctor,
coming in with rush OF chilly air, and,
STOPPING before the CRATE, ha lighted his
cigar with look of great contentment'
at makes me perfectly seaslck to see
the sky so dark and those great trees
waving in the wind" said Cora. "AIr.
Heywood, would you mind changing
places with me and letting me sit with
my back 30 the Window
''But cannot see you so well. "
"But can see you so much better
please do-thank you very much. Mrs:
Ames, doesn't it give you creepy feel
to hear the wind signing inthe chimney
like that?"
"Why, no; it only makes me feel how
cozy we are here, said l. II will tell
you what l do mind, though, Cora; the
creaking OF those boards in the floor up
stairs"
owe will not have any creaky boards
when we get our new house bull" muir
INJURED Richard, dreamily.m
eyes, ! know; just like aghosts foot
steps. So much for the delights OF
house in the country" said Cora,
"Oh, come now" interposed Jack;
GHOSTS have no footsteps. They glide
around, don't you know, in perfectly
impossible eerie manner, and never
we're known to make q noise. You
may have seen a ghost, but you never
heard one"
a have" said the doctor, uuex-
pectedly.
"Reatly? oh, do tell us when" ex-
claimed Cora, looking up with wide
open, startled eyes.
"Shall /? Do you want to hear the
story?n asked the doctor. He spoke to
us all, but he looked ut Matte. She
smiled. Matte never wasted any words,
but he seemed quite satisfied, and, lean
ing against u corner OF the mantel, he
began.
at was when was in Germany, five
years ago. had got through with my
hospital work in New York, and | went
abroad early in April, intending to stay
in Germany about six months. was
almost stranger in B, but for n few
letters had to scientific men in the city,
and since knew so little German de-
termined to live with German family
for time and cram the language. |
liked this plan extremely, so far rs the
German itself was concerned, but was
not especially charmed with the Ger
man fashion OF sleeping between two
feather beds, which my landlady in
struCted me were to be shaken up into
the middle on cold nights, and on warm
nights to each side, so as to leave me
nothing but the ticking for a covering.
| also had difficulty in procuring Il gen
erous supply OF towels, and was still de-
batting in my own mind whether to stay
or to leave, when one OF my German ac-
quaintances, very jolly fellow by the
name Of Albert, came to me one day
after lecture we had both attended.
"NIy friend, he said, for made him
talk English with me, what say you to
taking bachelor quarters with me for
month";
"'When, Alberti% asked. And
then he told me his plan. Some friends
OF his named Hoffman were going uneX-
pectedly TO one OF the baths, servant AMI
all, and being quiet people, not much
given TO journeying, they were little
anxious about their house, and had ask
ed Albert il he would not occupy it, us
il it were his own, until their return.
So he proposed that We should room to.
gether and dine where we liked. do
not know why he should have chosen
me Of all his friends to room with him,
but liked him and ! caught eagerly ut
his proposal. We settled ourSelvesthere
the following week. 1t was very old
house and rather small one, wedged in
between two more pretentious establish
ments, on quiet, pleasant side street.
1t was prettily aud quantity furnished:
had modern upright piano in the par
Tor, and an antique porcelain stove. All
the little kniCknacks had been packed
away, Albert snih, for he had told his
friends that he would not be responsible
for ANYTHING breakable, SO the rooms had
a comfortable, airy look which man
enjoys. We got our meals at q restau-
rant, or cooked them ourselves, attend-
ed our lectures or concerts, studied and
walked together, and nothing unusual
happened until Albert came in one Fri
day night saying:
"Nly friend, have to 90 home to-
morrow. ! hear my sister is sick. Shall
you mind being left alone u night or
twoT
81 assured him should not mind it,
and helped him off the following day.
SIT was the next night, Saturday
night, that | came home ut 0 o'clock
from Il long solitary stroll and sat down
in my window up stairs tosmoke n pipe.
It was beautiful, moonlight evening,
and the air was very still. Suddenly |
heard the tones Of n piano, and put my
head out OF the window to listen, but
the sound did not seem TO come from
\ the street, but from below me. listen
ed intently, but il had ceased. Present
/ ly it began again in the same way, Just
] n UOlt UT WV itllA t4lNll bNNl a1ShAh' ~
was Enthusiastically from down stairs.
\ Next i heard low chord, followed i'm
medistely by u very sweet and charming
melody quite uRfamiIiayt TO me. 1t seem
led tonne to be in minute time, and was
liplayei with the strictest precision and
IidelicScy, but in an old,fashioned style,
Hand with scarcely any use OF the pedal
81 had locked the house when came
lin, No one could have come In since
lWhat, then, waa playing down stairs
II determined to go down and see. TIL,
house was so full OF moonlight that
Al did not need candle to see my way.
( descended the staircase, still hearing tn
A sweet, full tones Of the German piano
and, noiselessly throwing open the par
| Nor door, stood for n moment upon TIN
kthreshold."
4 aBy the bright light which lloode,
n that part Of the room, leaving the rest il
greater obscurity, | could see TINT til
piano stool was empty, and vet til
melody went on. The air was full of il
and as accidentally touched the plan