Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-12
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! When GIQVeyQIdS YQNn. 5
lA.w They Discovered the Spook n
. That Played the Piano at =
s Midnight. .

The house looks the same as any othep
house-that is, just like house.
1t is located in Adams avenue, a few
doors from Woodward, and in it lives a
family by the name of Eveson.
There is Mr.. Eveson, an employee of
the stove works; Mrs. Eveson, Mrs. Eve
ion IS mother, Willie Eveson, aged Z, and
Dorothea Eveson, aged 3.
The entire family sleep on the second
iioor-that is. they do now. They didn't
last Monday night, nor Tuesday night,
but they do now. On those nights they
didn't sleep at all. They had no more
than fallen off into a doZe when it all
happened.
Mr.. and Mrs. Eveson had been playing
pachesi in the sitting room until 10
o'clock, when, after yawning three times,
Mrs. Eveson remarked that she guessed
she'd go to bed. Her mother and the
children had gone at half past 8.
Mr.. Eveson was agreeable.
He and his wife. after putting out the
lights. wended their way up the stairs.
By and by all the jets of the second
floor were turned out and the house loom
Gu SuuSllt III llit iiShl VI ihS
electric lamp that swayed above the
street at the corner.
The officer on the beat FASTENED by the
house. it looked so spoOky.
The clock in the neighboring steeple
had struck II. Mr.. Eyeson 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, "J-J-J-.Iohn. 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 his toes and couldn't. Mr.. Eveson
was scared.
"Listen"'
The word was spoken by Mrs. Eveson
in husky whisper. and then, "John, it
must be spirits"
Then John Eveson pulled himself to-
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
the jamb of the parlor door, but at the
door of his room he met Mrs. EvesOn's
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 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 a sec
ond survey of the room. he went back up
to bed
Though there was no sleep for any one
in the Eyeson 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 qualms.
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.
Eveson kicked each other with one ac-
cord. Up. up. foated distinct in the ab-
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
paror door Mr. Eveson hesitated and
peered in at the top of his dark lantern
to see if it was going 1t 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
paror 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
hangedr' There. up and down the key
hoard 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.