Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-12-10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
A PIANO THAT LAUGHED.
= 0 one could play upon it-that
! is, no one whose nerves
BY CLAUDIA MAY FERRIN.

=: e: : !: T. e: e.: :::: Is: e.: : IS; !;
irsxplicable were in the ascendancy.
A magnificent piece Of workmanship
it was, to be sure, famous since Its
completion for its sweet tone and Its
wide compass Of expression. Yet it
stood there in Mr.. %Briggs's narlor ready
to indulge in mocbing laughter at who
soever should dare to seek its music.
The laughter in itself was sufficient
to unnerve even the most courageous
scoffer at the possibilities Of ghostdom.
Itwas harsh, grating "Ha, ha. HAP
such as a merrymakipg bedlam will
give vent to, and with rs little occa-
sion for utterance. The longer any
one played the louder the laughter be-
came, until even the boldest would
clasp his hands to his ears and arise
in nervous haste. Another strange
thing was that it did not begin until
the performer touched the note G, con-
tinuing until he ceased playing,
whether that note was sounded again
OF not. 1t stopped as soon as the
last echo died away, which caused
more than one to gaze back ut tie
instrument in shamefaced confusion.
"What shall we do with it?" said
Mrs. Briggs, helplessly, after n final
effort to play upon it without needing
Iits ridicule.
g "sell it." replied her husband
promptly.
8 .sNo, no, nop' she said. "Father
made me promise upon my knees that
I'd never part with it. Besides, who'd
want it? I must have piano that
scan play upon, for cannot live with
out music"
Is "Well, then, I'll send an expert to
examine it-what say you?"
,"Send him, of course. But what
:. good can he do? The laughter was
mot heard until after father died, and
you know that the letter G was his
initial-G Of Gottlieb."
8 "It is a strange coincidence, to be
sure. But G may also stand for
.Gretna," said the practical Mr. Briggs.
st'Let's see what the piano-maker will
will discover before we worry further.
Then if he cannot remedy the trouble
III get you new one"
q The next day the expert came. taking
apart the beautiful instrument and
.minutely inspecting every detail in its
makeup. To their dismay he discov-
#ercd nothing out Of the ordinary, In
forming them instead that it was the
sbest-made instrument he had ever eX.
Namined. His efforts proved failure
sobviousl.; for as soon as he had put
1t together again it stood ready to emit
Ethat blood-curdlinG laughter in the
face Of any and every performer.
), The instrument was made In Ger.
&many by the father Of the cultured
Mrs. Briggs. Gottlieb Yandofen had
sbeen one of the leading manufacturers
of pianos in Berlin, also owning large
manufacturing interests In Paris and
London. He was reputed as fabulous
sly wealthy, yet at his death the entire
bulk Of his fortune did not exceed
S3,90G0 000sin American money. This
was be divided equally between his
daughter, Mrs. Briggs, and his son
Karl Yandofen. A sense Of disappoinr
ment was experienced by tie former
though she tried to persuade herself
that she had known so little about
her fathers business affairs that per
, haps she had overestimated his flnan
cial worth.
The son was absent in Australia and
its neighboring islands when the father
= was attacked with his final illness
failing to receive the letter bearing
the news Of his approaching demise
Three months previously he had gone
thither. led by his rowing disposition
and the desire to see that part of tho
world The two had had a lengthy
conversation previous to Karl's depar
. ture, but Gretna had not learned the
purport of it, neither did she let it con
Germ her very much. She knew thai
her father and brother were upon the
best Of terms.
- Two months after Gottlieb Vando
Efen's' death his daughter Gretna was
married to Augustus Briggs, an Ameri
can professor who had gone to Ger
ymany to study the language. Thi:
, seemingly hasty marriage was but ir
accordance with the fathers request
for he knew that his daughters inter
ests would be safe in the hands OF
that gentleman. AS soon as the bust
!, ness, could be adjusted, the happy pail
sailed for America, expecting kar
to .reappear upon the scene at any
day to take charge of affairs there Al
Berlin.
But he did not come, and, unknown
5 to them, was anxiously awaiting wore
from the beloved Fatherland. Finally
he wrote his sister letter of inquir!
as, to her, silence, which reached her ;
few days after her arrival in America
Three months more passed. aud at the
time of the final struggle with the mys
-erious piano Mrs. Briggs was daily
>,ecting another missivc from hel
wandering brother.
Tic lct.cc failedIto come, hut tho
brother arrived il its stead. Sun