The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-13

/ dinner ready, an asked him would he
stay But he said no. an so OF he went. "
DO you think the Lord viii take US 10
/ heaven, now we have no money! Nellie
/ inquired.
"Oh. well. guess wen get on all right
/ down here for spell vet. lovey." Nancy
replied cheerfuIly 'T'u trot over 10 the
village tomorrow and see ef maybe can't
| get sonethin' TO do-cookin'. or SEWN. or
/ such like There's a good long bit be-
| tween you an me an starvin', my pet:
/ an we aTays got the old house 10 live in,
you know-thanks be-.
Nellie made no reioinder. and they sat
silent The fire fell into the eInbers, on a
cushion Of white ash. The wind rose
without, and the boughs of the great trees
/ swept across the roof OF the house with a
swlshing sound, as il csressing the ven
cradle building over which they ha6fstood
guard so long. How many generations OF
Billops had that soothing sound hushed
TO sleep Nancy was beginning to nod,
when suddenly she felt Nellie start slight
". and saw that she had lifted her head
and was listening intently.
What is IL. lovey? Rats"
Music whispered Nellie. There
don't you hear?"
Nancy uttered faint cry and sat rigid.
Music II was unmistakable. At first
light and airy strain. rising and falling
liam harp. II was fitful. undulating call.
as of fairy MINISTRIES signaling with elm
horns. But presently il assumed a meas
ured form: IL gathered itself into dia
tonic melody. warbling delectably. What
made IL? where did it come from? After
moment Nellie jumped up. ran to the
window and threw IL open. In came the
cold, crisp air; the stars sparkled; the
music sounded more distinct. but still
aerial and remote. II was impossible TO
determine whence II came. It sounded
now here, now there. Sometimes IL
seemed 10 emanate from the listeners
own heart.
''Oh, isn't IL good, Oh. don't let ii stop"
murmured Nellie, with groans of delight.
But il did stop, almost as If out of con-
trariness. A last note swelled out. and
went of in a dininuendo, and sank into
silence.
'Oh, doc let il play some morsI" she
sighed. as If the invisible orchestra could
be propitiated by entreaty. NANNY, you
ask emf
Nancy had all this while remained in
her chair, in state OF breathless agi-
tation. She now managed to find a weak
and quivering voice Come away from
that window. child, Lovey. it's ghosts,
the same as used 70 be when your Uncle
Matt was Twin oh. my sakes-what
turn IL gave me,'
''Ghosts?" said Nellie, stepping back
from the window in momentary dismay.
But she recovered herself. IF ghosts can
make such nice sounds as that, I like
them"
1T won't play no more this time once it
stops" said Nancy. IT rec'lect how't used
TO be well enough, II 'ud play a bit, an
then stop, an then times il 'ud saw some
thin an then you wouldn't hear no more
That's how twas when poor Matt was
hvln'. an guess this is the same ghost"
But did it ever do any harm TO Uncle
Matt? Didn't he like it," inquired the
child.
Il don know as he ever act'Iy heard it
himself: 1t 'ud mostly come when I'd be
alone an he off on his business som'ers.
When I'd tell him about it he'd look
grave, an then he'd say. Well, Nance
he'd say. mind you arays listen what il
says, ~ d say, an whatever il says mind
you DO IT; for ghosts knows more'n we
DO, he'd say. All the same, it scared me
awful"
Maybe 1t isn't ghosts. but faires-good
fairies; and they mean to do us good.
somehow Didn't they do Uncle Matt
good?''
"Wen. b'lieve he did sort of folIer what
they said, when I wasn't too scared to re-
collect II, an he used TO say, times. that
the Voices, as he called 'em, was as good
Tor his business as what a spellin' book is
Tor a child learnin' to read. But all the
same, I'm scared of what I can't see. and
don't know what it is; an arays thought
1t was them ghosts that carried poor Matt
or, mysterious like. at last"
Maybe they'll bring him back again.
then. and he'll make Mr.. Corvin stop trou-
bling u.s.
Nancy shook her head. Ghosts is
ghosts, lovey: they may be good or had.
but never heard as they was able to pay
folks debts for 'em. Eff they could do
that. 1 don't say but what l.. Sakes
alive"'
The cause of this ejaculation was not
supernatural, but material. There was
heavy thump on the hearth, and the wood
ashes flew out into the room. Some heavy
object had fallen down the chimney, and
struck amongst the smouldering embers.
The next instant light blaze broke out,
burnt actively for a minute or so, and
then died down.
Land sakesi il Jest makes me sicki
Must be a brick out OF the chimney, I
spose But what was that burned up so?
1t didn't sound like a brick, neither"
Nellie picked up thin stick end poked
among the ashes. why Nanny, it's
money! whole lot of it, she presently
exclaimed 1T was done up In paper. and
that's what burnt"
Money. child? You're crazy! What
ever would money be doin' in our old CHM
ney?"
but IT is money" persisted Nellie; and
with that she raked out a couple OF $40
gold pieces. "Oh, do see-what a lot OF
EN-" She continued raking out gold and
silver coins. and brushing away the ashes
There were scores of them-hundreds OF
them. We're rich now, amt we, mann
my: we can pay Mr.. Corvin tomorrow and
make him 90 away and the child, look
ing up smiling with excitement and pleas
ure.
Nancy. her simple soul rent between
fear. curiosity and half-incredul0us tov.
got down on her knees on the hearth
stone. and picked up one of the gold pieces
between her thumb and finger.
IT'S real gold. Jest as sure's you're
alive" she murmured, an the same kind
OF coin poor Matt used TO like 10 have
about him. God eagles don't fly away as
easy as other kinds was what he used
70 say. Wei, II DONE seem ike n could
be real. does it.? IT'S. though. all the
same! But ! don't know-may be the
money amt jestly ours. alter all. We don't
know where 81 comes from. an es we was