The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-06-22
THE MINUET.

ueur bue WluuUW, injury HlrllllB tNtr u
game of patience" and crocheting, and
der at our house plans, which promised TO
be unwieldy enough for o state capitol by
the time they were fully elaborated,
"a cheerful group" said the doctor,
STOPPING before the CRATE. he lighted his
cigar with q look Of great contentment.
''It makes me perfectly seasick to see
the sky so dark and those great trees
waving In the wind" said Cora ''Mr.
Haywood, would you mind changing places
with me and letting me sit with my back
to the Window"
"But cannot SEQ you 30 we'll"
But can see you 30 much better
please do-thank you very much. Mrs.
Ames. doesn't 1t give you creepy feel to
hear the wind sighing In the chimney
like thatf'
"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
creakins of those boards in the floor up
stairs"
("We win not have any creaky boards
when we get our new house built" mur-
mured Richard, dreamny.)
"Yes, ! know just like ghosts foot
steps. So much for the delights of a
hohSo ~ WIG Nouieist ooAo Soia'
"Oh, come now" interposed Jack;
GHOSTS have no footsteps. They glide
around, don't you know, In q perfectly /
impossible eerie manner and never were |
known to make O noise. You may have |
seen q ghost. but you never heard one"
II have" said the doctor, unexpectedly. |
Realty Oh, do tell us whenl" ex-
claimed Cora, looking up with wide open,
startled eyes.
"shall II Do you want to hear the |
storyf' asked the doctor He spoke to us !
| Matieenover wasted any words, but he !
seemed quite satisfied, and, leaning
| against corner Of the mantel. he began. /,
ut was when l was In Germany, five
years ago. l had got through with my
! hospital work In New York, and l went
abroad early In April. intending to stay
In Germany about six months was oil
| most stranger In B., but for few
letters had to scientific men In the city,
and since knew so little German deter
mined to live with German family for q
time and cram the language. liked this
plan extremely, 80 far as the German
Itself was concerned, but was not espe-
cially charmed with the German fashion
Of sleeping between two feather beds,
which my landlady instructed me were to
be shaken up Into the middle on cold
nights, and on warm nights to each side,
80 as to leave me nothing but the ticking
for covering. l also had difficulty in
procuring generous supply Of towels,
and was still debating In my own mind
whether to stay or to leave, when ono Of
my German acquaintances, very jolly
fellow by tho name Of Alberti. came to
me one day after q lecture we had both
attended.
"'My friend he said, for made him
talk English with me, what say you to
taking bachelor quarters with me for q
month";
"'When AlbertiF asked, And then
he told me his plan. Some friends Of his
named Hoffman, were going unexpectedly
TO one of the baths, servant and all, and
being quiet people, not much given to
journeying, they were a little anxious
about their house, and had asked Alberti
If he would not occupy it, as If it were
his own. until their return. So he pro-
posed that we should room together 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 l
caught eagerly at his proposal. We settled
ourselves there the following week. 1t
was a very old house and rather q small
one, wedged In between two more preten-
tious establishments, on q quiet, pleasant
side street. 1t was prettily and quantity
Furnished had modern upright piano
In the parlor, and an antique porcelain
stove. All the little knickknacks had
been packed away, Alberti said, for he
had told his friends that he would not be
responsible for anything breakable, 30 the
rooms had a comfortable, airy look which
q man enjoys. We got our meals at a
, restaurant, or cooked them ourselves, at
tended our lectures or concerts, studied
and walked together, and nothing unusual
happened until Alberti came in one Friday
night saying:
! "'My friend. have to 60 home to-mor-
row. hear my sister Is sick. Shall you
mind being left alone night or twoY
II assured him should not mind 1t,
! and helped him of the following day.
1T was the next night, Sunday night
that came home at 8 o'clock from q long
solitary stroll and sat down in my window
A upstairs to smoke pipe. 1t was beau
,, tiful, moonlight evening, and the air was
very still Suddenly heard the tones Of
: piano, and put my head out Of the
|, window to listen, but the sound did moi
K seem to come from the street, but from
below me. listened intently. but it hac
ceased Presently 1t began again In tn,
n same way, Just q note or two and theI
d over again. 1t was Enthusiastically from
Is down stairs. Next l heard low chord
followed Immediately by very sweet ant
= charming melody quite unfamiliar to me
d 1t seemed to me to be In minuet time, AM
d was played with the strictest precision
\, and delicacy, but In an old fashioned style
a. and with scarcely any use of the pedal.
II had locked the house when | cam
In No one could have come In since
d What, then, was playing down stairsi
ss determined to go down and see. Tn
house was so full Of moonlight that | di
not need u candle to SEQ my way. | dc
scended the staircase, still hearing tn
,R sweet, full tones of the German plano
Id and. noiselessly throwing open the parlo
door, stood for moment upon the threst
- old.
/. "By the bright light which flooded tina
ne part of the room, leaving the rest l
y, greater obscurity, could see that tn
piano stool was empty, and yet the melod
went on, The air was full of 1t. and as
accidentally touched the piano case fe
az tho vibration.
II stood still moment, bewilderet
- then, going forward, l stretched out m
hand above tho piano stool, a little aboy
~ It, Instantly drew it. back, tingling {
in II had received an electric shock.
~ will net deny that l was frightenet
= There was something so unaccountable
~ | the whole affair that felt as III mu
re- be dreaming, especially since the mus
had abruptly ceased.
"Alberti and | had had a number
- speculative conversations over our pipe
He was a very imaginative fellow and us'
- 70 maintain earnestly that only thin v,
lay between us and tho unseen worl
And his opinion he persisted In. undi
turbed by my rdicule. thought Of hi
now, wondering what he would do In u
place. Finally spoke.
Whoever you are, said, addressil
the plano stool If you can speak to me
ask you to do So No reply came. T
room was by this time perfectly still.
II spoke again. IL you cannot speal
said I. please go on playing,
After q moment or two the music
gan again. with the same low chord, a
the same melody was repeated to the ell
There the playing stopped and as Oh
more boldly thrust out my hand. 4
nothing but the air.
II was almost afraid TO leave the roo
not knowing whether | might not lea
ha the invisible presence behind met bu
~ did at Last go up stairs, where I lay ava
,rs long time. trying TO explain what ! b
o. heard. OF one thing was sure;-t
touch upon the piano had been by ,