The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-11-05
AN UNSOLvED MYSTERY.

Woo Al ito Vic
were the resort of the heaux and bellies
of the day the Parliament was held in
College Green, and its members had
their town residences in Dublin, and
lived there for a considerable portion of
the year.
One of the members, an illustrious
Irish nobleman who had spent some por-
ton of his youth in Italy, was man OF
cultivated taste and refinement. Upon
his return TO Dublin he conceived the
idea of inviting over some Italian artists
to decorate the walls and ceilings OF his
residence after the Florentine manner.
He carried out his idea, and the orna-
mentations of Charlemont House bear
witness TO the taste and skill of the
decorators. Other noblemen employed
these artists the present Royal Irish
Academy House, then noble private
residence, is similarly decorated +; also
several other city mansions in several of
the leading streets and squares.
When Dublin decreased in impor-
lance after the Act of Union in 1901, and
was no longer the center of fashion for
the Irish nobility, its splendid private
residences gradually decayed and
wealthy burghers and Dublin's proven
bially professional aristocracy now in
habit them. Many of tho houses yet re-
tain their curious, rare old decorations,
and of one of these residences, situated
in leading square, we would more es-
.pecially speak.
A large, stately, gloomy looking house,
with a ponderous hall door, studded
with iron nails, like the door of the cath
edraI. High, narrow windows, with
Italian ialousies. The grass grows in
the interstices of the high, steep steps,
now fast falling away. The rusty iron
.raIlings have become loosened i'll their
stone settings, and seem as though
good push would hurl them into the
moldeIing, vaultlike area. Entering the
hall, damp, earthly smell greets the in
truder-for intruder must any one be con-
sidered who ventures into that region of
ghostliness. The wide, tagged, echoing
hall, the broad, dark, Oak-paneled stair
case, lead to chambers awful in their OPP
pressive sense of loneliness and utter
desolation. Cobwebs festoon the paint
ed walls; queer, crawling creatures hold
high holiday OH the once polished floors;
but not even the squeak of rat or
mouse breaks the solemn, death-like
stiffness which pervades this old, desert
ed mansion.
over all there hung a cloud of fear,
sense Of mystery the spirit darInted
And said. az plain whisper to the ear,
- The house Is haunted
Twenty-Five years ago TINS house was
tenanted by Miss Steele, an eccentric old
lady, who, dying suddenly at the adj
vanced age of 81, her property-includ-
ing this house and furniture-came into
the possession of a married grand. niece
living in Kildare, whom she had never
seen. The season in Dublin was Just
commencing about the time that all pre-
hminary law matters connected with the
property were being settled, and the
heiress, Miss Nugent, acting upon the
advice of her lawyer, resolved TO let the
heuse furnished. The furniture, al
though antique, was handsome espe-
ciallv that of the drawing room. The
ceilings Of this apartment were superbly
ornamented in the Florentine style.
Arabesques on alpale blue ground adorned
the ceilings the panels of the walls were
painted with groups of figures or rare
pieces of still life while from the mold
ings which separated these panels sprang
figures which, bending downward, held
she candelabra lighting the apartment.
The furniture was III keeping with the
architecture inlaid wood, heavy
with gliding and upholstered i'll amber
satin it was of that stately and old
world type which suggested the days of
minuets, apple-blossom sacques, cherry.
eolored satin petticoats, and high-heeled
8aoes. \ spindle-legged spinnet stood
sear the fireplace, wherein was no CRATE,
NJnt great brass dogs. The fireplace was
tiled with the queer little Dutch tiles
that came over with the tulips in the
DAYS of William and Mary. These tiles
bore a succession of Adams and Ewes,
of Gains and Abels, and other Scriptural
characters, who looked sadly out of
place among the nymphs satyrs, and
similar profanities which surrounded the
chamber.
The house was no sooner advertised
than it was Immediately taken by an
officer then quartered in Dublin. Being
e man of taste, Col. Comyers would not
ag1W the house to be remodeled in any
way. Mrs. Comyers, too, was woman |
who liked novelty, and she triumpbantly |
.pictEred TO herself what "A delightful |
sensation her antique looking drawing
room w3nId create when well lighted up |
and fled with fashionable mob. A
protty, piquante little woman, she was
enthusis sfIcalIy charmed, enchanted,
with her irish residence. One day,
shout the beginning of October, she
moved irso it, with her two infant chill
dren, and two servants that she had
brought from England--a cook and
nurse. For the first night she had no
other servants ia the house.
Upon the first evening of Mrs. Com
yers arrival, her husband vas obliged
to spend the day and night from home.
She amused herself by wandering about
the old housc, prying into musty cabinets
and cupboards, looking with wondering
and admiring eyes upon the rare old
Venetian glass and egg -shell china, which
seemed almost too fine and too delicate
FOR use. About half-past o'clock, as
she sat in the drawing-room, the nurse
entered, saying that it was necessary for
her TO go ont TO buy some things mr.
gently required. The woman respect
fully asked her mistress if she would go
IN fha 11uraotxy -, tla IL, l. ,o,, IL,