The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-01-28

and a mere thread Of melody in Il
woman's voice; then the rain on
tinued its monotonous beat, and he
heard the music no more.
Ebenczer Pollock was angry. lie
resolved to lay the intruding ghost
if possible, and so the next dav when
Il watery sun rendered the house Il
little less dreary he lighted a lam
tern and unsealed the door that led
into the other side of the house.
The house was quite as dusty and
f%orlorn as or the day he had bought
it. Strangely enough, Ebenezcr did
not look at the little piano which
stood open just as Cornelia Ems
bury had left it so many years AGO.
He scurried through the rooms with
a half realization that some slender
spirit was fitting through the rooms
away from his communicating pres
encc.
"A few weeks afterward there came
another storm of wind and rain. and
Ebcnezer awoke from his first sleep
with every muscle aching and draw
ing with pain. Rheumatism held
him a captive. For hours he groan-
ed dismally, conscious that the fire
III his air tight stove was nearly out
at Il time when he needed heat.
There was no ministering hand to
apply hot fannels to his swollen
joints and muscles or to allay his
torture with soothing liniments.
1t was then that the ghost came
again, this time with cropping fingers
upon the sealed door. It Knocked
gently and spoke to him in faint,
frightened whispers.
$50 away" shouted Ebcnczer
wrathfully.
There was a silence, and present
" 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
forth a cheering light, and Ebenczer
Pollock, thoroughly frightened for
the first time in his life, watched
with fascinated eyes the slowly open
ing door at the foot Of his cO11ch.
Tall and slender and pale, she
stood before him at last, her tender
blue eyes filled with plying tears.
Perhaps she was forty years old, but
the hair framing her delicate face
made her appear much younger.
Il could not bear to hear YOU
moaning with pain all alone. Ny
husband used to have rheumatism
before he died, and l know just what
to DO" she said in a low tone.
"Ma'am!" gasped Ebenezer.
'Ma'am."
He watched her slender figure as
it fitted to and fro about his rooms.
She mended the fire, and soon it's
cheering warmth brought relief to
his aching limbs. She heated wa
ter and flannel cloths and applied
soothing llniments with very human
fingers.
When the lines of suffering had
relaxed and Ebenezer's face still
hers questioningly she sat
down in a low chair and spoke some
what sadly.
I'm Mrs. Stone-Cornclia Elms-
bury that was. I've been living here
four years."
"Here-in this house? How"
demanded Ebenezer doubtfully.
"ln the big back attic" said Cor
nclia, with a little smile. 1T looks
out on the tall chestnut woods, you
know, and the short chimney comes
out there. Grandfather left the eel
full Of coal and wood. I've got
real comfortable up there, and on
stormy nights I'd come down in the
dark and play on my piano till you
drove me away. used to walk over
to Bolton on dark evenings and get
all my groceries and things. 1t was
hard work, but it was heaven to me
to get home again after all I went
tIlrougho She broke into sobs.
"What made you hide? What
dld- .von do it for:" asked Ebenezer