Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-08-25

children had gone at half past 9.
Mr.. Eveson was agreeable.
He and his wife, after putting out the
lights, wendell tl.el.' way ZIP the stairs.
By and by I'LL the jets of the second
floor were turned out and the house loom
ed ghOstly in the waveriNg light Of the
electric lamp that :wayed above the
street at the corner.
The officer on the beat FASTENED by the
house. it looked so kpooky.
The clock in the neighboring steeple
had struck II, Mr.. Eveson had just rolled
over on his left side to get in his strong
sleep act, and Mrs. Eveson was half doz-
ing, half awake, when a sound fell upon
her ear.
She started up as though struck by
lightning. Her mouth fell open, and her
eyes seemed ready to pop from her head.
1t took all the strength she had to kick
Mr.. Eveson and say, jill John, d-d-d-do
you h-h-h-hear that?
Mr.. Eveson was bolt upright in bed on
the instant.
With every nerve strained he bent his
head and listened.
Up from the darkness Of the hall below
foated the tinkling sound Of piano
the Eveson piano, that stands against
the wall between the parlor and the din
| ing room.
Mr. Eveson felt himself turning pale.
He was growing weak. He tried to wig
gle bis toes and couldn't. Mr.. Eveson
! was scared.
"Listenn'
The word was spoken by Mrs. Eveson
in husky Whisper and then, "John, it
must be spirits"
gether. With a superhuman effort he
crawled out of bed. Thank fortune. the
floor did not creak! 1t was his intention
to sneak down the stairs and peer around
tie j>s:u3 OF the parlor door, but at the
door Of his room he met Mrs. Evcson's
j mother. in the ray Of the electric light
that shone through the hall window he
saw that she, too. had heard the ghostly
sound of the piano, for her face was ashy
pale. Passing John, she stepped to the
side of the bed, and mother and daughter
fell into a close embrace. Shortly she
went into the children's room to keep
them quiet.
John Eveson felt his nerves oozing out
at the ends of his fingers, but he sneaked
down the stairs. The sound had ceased,
and at the parlor door the old Eveson
tabby rubbed against his legs and sent
chill through his entire system, a chill
that seemed to freeze his very SOUL He
stood still moment, then stopped and
stroked the cat to keep it from meowing
out loud. Then he peered around the
jamb of the parlor door. The light from
the lamp on the corner shone into the
room. There was no one, nothing, there,
but the furniture, pictures, carpet and
piano. AS his eyes fell on the piano
John Eveson shuddered. Taking Sec
ond survey of the room, he went back up
to bed.
Though there was no sleep for any one
in the Eveson household, the sounds were
heard no more that night, and the next
morning at breakfast Mr.. Eveson an
nounced that it was his intention to pur-
chase dark lantern and keep it lighted
with the screen closed at his beside to
use in case Of repetition of the playing.
He would pull down the shades of the
parlor window to secure better effect
with the lantern
So Tuesday night. the Evesons went to
bed with certain we'll defined uualms
They did not fall at once to sleep.
Mrs. Eveson counted the strokes Of the
clock, and so did Mr.. Eveson.
Twelve had struck. Then Mr. and Mrs.
cord. Up, up. foated distinct in the alb
sence Of other sounds, the unmistakable
music of the piano keys.
They both listened, holding their
breaths. A chord was played. Mr.. Eve
son whispered to his wife that it sounded
like "Break the News to Mother''
Then Mr.. Eveson arose in all the
strength Of his proud manhood.
So did Mrs. Eveson-that is, she arose.
He didn't know she was doing it, but she
followed him noiselessly down the front
stairs and along the hall to the door Of
the parlor. In her hand she clutched a
paper knife, snatched from her desk by
the front window of her room. At the
parlor door Mr.. Eveson hesitated and
peered in at the top of his dark lantern
to see if it was going. It was. 1t en-
couraged him.
He took long breath, and with one
magnificent bound, that to see sent the
blood flowing backward in the body Of
Mrs. Eveson. trembling there on the
THRESHOLD, he was in the middle of the
parlor floor. Like flash the screen of
the lantern was drawn aside and the lens
turned on the piano. ~
Mrs. Eveson gasped and tainted, and
Mr.. Eveson exclaimed. "Well, I'll be
hanged!' There, up and down the key
board of the piano. walked the Eveson
cat, nonchalantly pressing down, the keys
with its paws and innocently blinking at
the lantern. - --''
The Evesons have decided not to move,
though on Tuesday morning they had
about made up their minds. = Detroit
Free Press. " IL" -, =. u -.
= London. Ex-Waterins Place. =
. Time was when London was water
ing place, whose wells, If not rivaling
Bath or Harrogate, were widely famed
and frequented by people form all quar-
tefs. Ip South London there was quite
number Of spas-Lambeth wells.
Which sold water for penny: a quart
4 and gave it to the poor for nothing; st.
III ..i.3