The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-29

continued its mOuotonuus beat, aud he
heard the music 10 more.
Ebenezer Pollock WAS angry. He re-
solved to las the infrudiiig yh,sr II
possible. and 50 the uext day wh.f, 4
Watery sun rendered the house 4 lire
less dreary he lighted a lantern and
unseaied the door that led into the
other side of the house.
The house was quite as dusty and
Iorlorn as on the day he had bought
It. Strangely enough. Ebenezer did
not look at the lirtle piano which stood
open just as Cornelia Elnlsbury had
lett II so many years ago. with a vel
lowed sheet OF music upon the rack.
be scurried through the roon,s with
half realization that some slender
spirit vas fitting through the rooms
away from his communicating presence.
A few weeks afterward there came
another storm of wind and rain. and
again be heard the ghostly music.
Ebenezer had twinge Of the rheuna
t1sm that night. and he very frritabiy
raped on the wall with his cane. The
music stopped abruptly. and he did
not hear 1t again. although there were
many storms that fall
One winter evening. when the old
house was wrapped. in binding snow
storm. Ebenezer awoke from his first
| sleep with every muscle aching and
drawing with pain. Rheumatism held
nlm captive. For hours be groan ned
| d1smally. conscious that the fire in his
air tight stove was nearly out at a
time when he needed heat. There was
no mlnlstering hand TO apply hot tian-
nels to his swollen joints and muscles
or TO allay his torture with soothing.
| liniments.
it was then that the ghost came
| again-this time with cropping fingers
upon the sealed door. 1t knocked zen
tly and spoke to him in faint, fright
ened whispers.
! 60 away" shouted Ebenezer wrath
| ruby Go away. ma'am. 1t amt
proper that you should be loitring
around here: 60 away. say.
There was silence. and presently
Ebenezer's thick. grizzled hair stood
almost upright on his head. Ghostly
footsteps sounded in the rooms over
his head and softly. tap. tap. tap. down
the narrow staircase that opened into
his bedroom.
The lamp beside his bed gave fort b
a cheering light. and Ebenezer Pollock.
thoroughly frightened for the first
time in his life. watched with fasci-
mated eyes the slowly opening door at
the foot of his couch.
Tall and slender and pale. she stood
before him at last her tender blue
eyes filled with plying tears. Per
haps she was forty years old. but the
hair framing her delicate face made
her appear much younger
L could not bear to hear you moan
ing with pain all alone. Ny husband
used to have rheumatism before he
died. and | know just what to do
she said in a low tone
'Ma'am." gasped EbeneZer "Ma'am"
He watched her slender figure as ii
fitted to and fro about his rooms
She mended the fire. and soon its
cheering warmth brought relief to his
aching limbs. She heated water and
flannel cloths and applied soothing lin.
iments With very human fingers.
When the lines of suffering had re-
Taxed and Ebenezer's face still sought
hers questioningly she sat down in q
low chair and spoke somewhat sadly.
I'm Mrs. Stone-Corneia Elmsbury
that was. I've been living here four
years
Herein this house? How de
handed Ebenezer doubtfully.
1 Isn
| with a little smile 1T looks out or
the tall chestnut woods, you know
aud the short chimney comes on
there. Grandfather left the cellar full
of coal and wood. I've got it rea
comfortable up there. and on stormy
! nights Id come down in the dark ant
play on my piano till you drove m'
away. | used to walk over to Beltol
on dark evenings and get all my gro
ceries and things. 1t was hard work
but it was heaven to me to get home
again after all l went through" Sh
broke into SobS.
What made you hide? What di
you do it for:" asked Ebenezer eXcii
eddy
My husband was poor. He died an
left a little insurance money-jus
enough to buy my food aud not enouS
to pay rent. My eyesight is 50 poor
cannot work, and SO | thought / woul
come back here. l heard the place wa
shut up. and it was my own by right
l knew Id be driven out if any or
knew | was here
You poor little thing" blurted Eb'
nezer pityingly. Stay here just a
long as you like" There was Ion
silence after that, while the little wiz
ow cried happily before the fire, Eb'
nezer was thinking rapidly. If 20
ever go away, MAJ am" he said. wit
a great blush, III 60 after you an
bring YOU back here and He pause'
1t happened that one day the gho
deserted the Elmsbury house, ana I'D
nezer kept his word and went aft'
her-and brought her back bride
her old home.