The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-11-30

is. no one whose nerves
VI were very sensitive or whose
horrors of the uncanny or the
inexplicable were In the ascendancy.
A magnificent piece Of workmanship
II was, to be sure, famous since its
completion for its sweet tone and its
wide compass Of expression, Yet 1t
stood there IN Mr.. Briggs's parlor ready
TO indulge IN knocking laughter at who
soever should dare 10 seek its music,
The laughter In itself was sufficient
10 unnerve even the most courageous
scoffer at the possibilities of ghostdom.
II was harsh, grating Ha. ha, ha9'--
such as a merrymaking bedlam will
give vent to. and with as 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
ia nervous haste. Another strange
thing was that II did not begin until
the performer touched the note G, con-
4Iuuing until he ceased playing.
whether that note was sounded again
or not, II stopped as soon as the
last echo died away, which caused
more than one TO gaze back at the
Instrument in shame-faced confusion.
what. shall we do with it?' said
Mrs. Briggs, helplessly, after a final
effort to play upon It without needing
its ridicule.
"sell It," replied her husband
nromptly.
.sNo, no. nor she said. Father
made me promise upon my knees that
I'd never part with It. Besides, who'd
want it? / must have piano that 1
can play upon, for cannot live with
out music
swell. 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
not heard until after father died. and
You know that the letter G was his
initlal--G of GottIieh.p
at Is a strange coincidence. to be
sure But G may also stand for
Gretna." said the practical Mr. Briggs.
Lets see what the piano.maker will
win discover before we worry further.
Then II he cannot remedy the trouble
Ill get you a new one
The next day the expert came, taking
apart the beautiful instrument and
infinitely inspecting every detail in its
makeup. To their dismay he diseov-
cred nothing out OF the ordinary. in
forming them instead that 1t was the
best-made Instrument he had ever ex-
amined. His efforts proved a failure,
obviously; for as soon as he had put
1t together again it stood ready TO emit
that 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 vandofen had
been one Of the leading manufacturers
OF pianos in Berlin. also owning large
manufacturing interests in Paris and
London. He was reputed as fabulous
" wealthy. yet at his death the entire
bulk of his fortune did not exceed
S2000.000 in American money. This
was 10 be divided equally between his
daughter, Mrs. Briggs, and his son.
Karl Vandofen. A sense OF iisappoint-
ment was experienced by the 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 finan-
cial worth.
The son was absent in Australia and
lie 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
tfither, led by his rowing disposition
and the desire to see that part of the
world The two had had lengthy
conversation previous to Karl's depar-
ture. but Gretna had not learned the
purport OF 1t. neither did she let 1t con-