Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-05-04
CHAPTER l.
The Visitor.

raising his head.
The sound of his door opening and
closing had aroused him from sleep.
He awoke with feeling that there
was something wrong. His remark
able hearing told him that some one
was standing just inside his door. He
could not make out what it meant.
He lived alone in dingy room on
the top floor of a cheap lodging
in London, and most of the other ten
ants were engaged in occupations in
| which the fear of the police loomed
large. But Evan Bryant nt's~talent for
music, his education, his superiority,
had won the respect of these gutter
men, and his terrible affliction called
out in them all the tender sympathy
| and consideration of which they were
capable. None of these, Evan knew
would enter his room in that way,
because they were all aware that it
would annoy him.
Listening wonderingly, Evan heard
the unknown step softly forward.
Could it be possible that any one
had come to rob him?
| There was only one thing of value
in his poor room, and it would have to
be sentimental thief indeed who
would prize that. This was an auto
graphed photograph of the great Rus
sian pianist-Trelowsky.
One of Evans acquaintances among
the Submerged Tenth had presented it
to him as something he had "found."
But Evan knew well enough that the
man must have found it in some place
where he was going to look for other
booty, and remembered Evans wor-
ship of the musician had brought it to
him.
There were more footsteps, neither
loud nor soft-they proceeded slowly
around the room.
Evans only way of recognizing his
friends before they spoke was by the
sound their feet made in falling upon
the ground. His extraordinary gift of
hearing enabled him to find differ
ence in footsteps, as seeing men be-
hold it in facial peculiarities.
He made sure that the person in the
room was an entire stranger to him.
Once the unknown paused; Evan
heard light touch on his poor old
piano. lie had paid two guineas for
it at a secondhand place, and had
starved to do that.
Over the piano hung his treasured
photograph of the great Trelowsky
He liked to know that it was there
looking down at him as he interpreted
upon his worn instrument the sounds
of the city streets, the voices of his
friends, and other things that were to
him the music of life.
"You can hear? You are awake ~
The questions, spoken in deep, for
eign voice, were so unexpected that
Evan did not answer for minute.
"I"-the mellow voice went on
81 am Trelowsky.'
This was too much. Indignation
completely routed all other feelings
Some one, knowing his worship of the
pianist, had thought to play a jest on
him.
He jumped out of bed and moved
rapidly, as one who could see. He led
the way straight to the old piano.
"Come," he commanded, "you will
play a joke on me, will you. Well
then, show me how many jokes you
can play on my piano."
For moment there was kind OF
ominous silence in the room.
| Then the stranger crossed swiftly tc
the piano and seated himself.
81 am Trelowsky," he said quietly
"and l will play some jokes for you
There was something about this
quiet assent of the strangers that be-
gan to convince Evan-also to terrif!
him. For if this indeed were Trelow
sky, what had he done to merit cal
; from the great musician? And if i
were true, how he must have offended
him by this time!
Then Evan heard frightful dis
cord from the piano, and he laughed
"Yes!" he exclaimed, "you are in
deed Trelowsky! You do not know
one note from another"
The stranger made no reply; h
seemed suddenly interested in his tasl
of wringing horrible discords from tn
instrument which, in some marvelou
way, Evan had contrived to keep il
fairly good tune.
Presently Evan forgot to sneer; h
listened more attentively-at frs
much puzzled, then surprised, thel
terrified. What was this man doing
| What WAS this wild lauOhipp orin