Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-01
1ailr Atn1sbetv souraal,
THE HMyrxD CLOSET.
oNcIrprp FROM YrsrrKDAY.J

looking alf-fearfully around the room, and
as looked, my eyes fixed upon the hall
open door, I heard within jingle of glass
es and phials. 1t was sound not to be
mistaken, and almost at the same instant
a voice said near me, in hoarse whisper:
Bring light !"
started up trembling, and with a cold
perspiration breaking out on my forehead,
reached for a match and the lamp, and
tried to strike light, but in vain. had
but one or two matches left, and as |
dropped the last in despair, heard the
voice which had before spoken, say slow
" and distinctly: Poison y
Nv first impulse now was to fee from
this haunted room, but had my life de-
pended upon it, could not have passed
that closet and sped through the long de-
serted gallery alone. l sank back upon
my pillow and drew the sheets about my
head, and remained thus until daybreak.
1t was no longer a question with me rs
TO whether should or should not inform
my relatives of what had occurred l told
them the whole, and as / had expected,
was met with laughter and badinage.
TRY it yourself!" was all Iconld say
in answer; and ON that night my brother
in-law, Mr.. Walton, agreed to occupy the
office-room, remaining with my sister.
well, Richard, did you see or hear any
thing of Louisa's ghost" inquired my SIS
ter, playfully, on our meeting at the
breakfast table in the morning.
II saw nothing" he answered rather
thoughtfully. But really Emma, it did APP
pear as though, more than once during the
night, heard some unaccountable sounds
the turning of key in the lock, a sort
OF moaning and sobbing childs voice,
and very distinctly the shutting of a small
door. And this last sound, he added de-
cidedly, s'certainly came from closet or
cupboard in the corner of the ROOM
Emma opened her eyes and looked
frightened. "Oh, Richard You don't
really think that YOU heard these sounds
in that room, with no one there but your
selfr'
at is very unaccountable at present, /
admit; but you know that do not believe
in the supernatural. We must examine
more fully into this NATTER
For some days he kept sole possession
OF the room, reporting once or twice that
he had again heard the mysterious noises,
and especially the grazing of a rusty key,
as in the lock OF the corner cupboard, was
very distinctly audible. And yet, as we
all knew, there was neither lock nor key
TO the closet door, only-traces of one that
had been there. There was no room adj
joining, no cellar below or garnet above
and the whole thing was most singula,
and unaccountable; and once he ever
hesitatinglv suggested, Gould it be, af
ter all, spiritual manifestations ?" Ny
own mind echoed the inquiry.
Our nearest neighbor was a farmer
who lived about mile distant, and oil
himself and his wife we made inquiries in
regard to the former occupants of the
house.
1t had for twenty years within mis- mem
DRY. Mr.. Grover said, belonged to small
farmer, an illiterate but good sort OF man
who had fiually sold out and purchased a
better place farther south. The house,
with a part of the land adjoining, had been
taken by gentleman who was known as
Mather, and was understood to be very
learned man and a writer. Mr.. Grover
and the rest of the neighbors believed him
10 be ga little cracked"
He used to 60 about the country gather
ing sea-weeds, plants, and insects, but
would repel all approach to acquaintance
He had wife with whom it was said he
lived on bad terms, and three sickly child
rem whose presence he would scarcely
z tolerate. The wife and two OF the child
rem died, and then DR.. Mather went away
with the remaining child, leaving the
place to an agent for sale. 1t was then
rented for time by some people, who,
for reasons known only to themselves,
would not remain their terms out; and
finally we had taken it, furnished as it
was for the summer. This was all that
Mr.. Grover knew.
Upon hearing this simple account, there
instinctively formed in my mind an ex-
PLANTATION, II such it can be called, of my
mysterious circumstances which had so
puzzled and disturbed us. s.They had all
three died. and my memory reverted
with a shudder to the word "Poison y
which had heard uttered by that mystic
rious voice. Perhaps murder had been
committed in this house-even in that
very Office room which had appropriated !;
and this impression was deepened upon
being informed by Mr. Grover in answer
to my inquiries, that the room had in re-
atty been DIR. Maiher's study or library,
into which no one was ever admitted !;
that he would sometime remain in il
whole days and nights together without
being interrupted-having his meals
brought and deposited outside the door,
iu an adjoining gallery.
The office and gallery were now care
iully Stunned by us all, with the excep-
ton OF Mr.. Walton, who haunted it with a
persistency DOUBTLESS equal to that of the
ghost itself. He was determined, he said.
to learn all that could be learned of this
mystery, and, If possible, thoroughly UNI
ravel it.
One evening after rain, q heavy sea-
fog set in upon the coast, and the atmos-
phere became all at once SO damp and
chilly as to render fire indispensable to
comfort. The two most comfortable apart
ments 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 for
mer to the nurse and children, Mr.. Wal
ton proposed that he and Emma and
should make ourselves comfortable for the
evening in the haunted room, as he now
called it, maugre the ghost; and, as an
inducement, promised us hot oyster sup
,,ar Tho nCsfpra xvpra n he ha1 frasl