The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-11-19

instinctively formed in my mind an expla-
nation, if such it can be called of the mys-
terious circumstances which had SO puzzled
and disturbed us. "They had all three
died." and my memory reverted with
shudder to the word "Poison ~ which l
had heard uttered by that mysterious voice.
Perhaps murder had been committed in
this house-even in that very office-room
which had appropriated; and this i'm
preston was deepened upon being informed
by MIR. Grover, in answer to my inquiries,
that room had in reality been DIR. Mather's
study or library, into which no one was
ever admitted; and that he would some-
times remain in it whole days and nights
together without being interrupted-hav-
ing his meals brought and deposited out.
side the door, in the adjoining gallery.
The Office and gallery were now carefully
Stunned by us all, with the exception of
Mr.. Walton, who haunted it with per-
sistency doubtless equal to that of the ghost
itself. He was determined, he said, to
learn all that could be learned of this mys-
terry, and if possible, to thoroughly un-
ravel it,
One evening after rain, heavy sea-fog
set in upon the coast, and the atmosphere
became all at once so damp and chilly as to
render a fire indispensable to comfort. The
two most comfortable apartments of the
house for cool weather were the nursery
and the office-room, which were situated at
opposite extremities of the long building.
So, leaving the former to the nurses ard
children, Mr.. Walton proposed that he and
Emma and / should make ourselves COM
Portable for the evening in the haunted
room, as he now called it, maugre the ghost;
and, as an inducement, promised us hot
oyster supper. The oysters were to be had
fresh out of the water, almost at our very
door, just for the trouble ofpicking them up
Certainly the room, as Emma and rath-
er hesitatingly entered it, looked pleasant
and cheerful enough, with its blazing wood
fire, and the tea-kettle steaming on the
hearth. No one made any allusion to the
ghost.
Supper over, Mr.. Walton who was fine
reader, entertained us with some chapters
from Dickens latest work, and we were
soon so much interested as to forget every
thing else. In the very midst of this, how
ever, / was startled by feeling faint breath
of cool air upon my neck, and at the same
instant saw my sisters eyes lifted with
frightened glance toward the corner closet
behind me.
instinctively started up and crossed
over to the opposite side of tho fireplace.
I" What is it Louisa ?. said Emma, ner-
vously, 81 saw the door of the closet
open
Mr.. Walton closed his book and sat look
ing attentively at the cupboard And it
was while we were all thus, perfectly silent
and motionless, that sound broke the
stillness-at first what seemed the iingling
of phials, and Iattling of chains and then
the faint, uncertain sound of muffled voices
which / had heard more than once before,
all coming Enthusiastically from the little
triangular closet in the corner
80 Richard, do you hear ?" gasped EN-
ma, seizing fast hold of her husbands arm.
For myself, came very near screaming
outright.
"Hush be quiet" said Mr.. Walton.
And taking the lamp, he advanced to the
cupboard, threw wide open the door, and
surveyed it minutely.
1t was simply closet built of deal
boards against the naked whitewashed
walls of the room. Three rickety ink
stained shelves were all it contained. Be
tween the lower and middle shelves was a
strip of wood nailed against the wall, as if
to cover place, where, as we could see, the
plaster had fallen away, and beneath this
strip could be discerned part OF what SEEM
ed to be rat hole. Besides these, not
thing was visible in the closet.
And yet as live, while We three stood
there gazing into the empty closet, from its
recesses came hollow laugh, and low,
childish voice said plaintively:
"Three-all dead--poisoned %
Emma sank down, half swooning
Even Mr. Walton's face as l fancied, be-
came shade pale and then we heard the
voice again:
Bury them-grave under the walnut"
] looked again at my brother-in-law, and
saw his lips compress and kind of des-
peration appear in his face. He advanced
close to the closet, put his head almost
within, and shouted loudly and distinctly:
---W Who are Won 2 Whn L. IL that snaaL soiI