Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-09-18

river btuh, NdS IN' largest JIltJ ever US
semblel in FAYETTEVILLE.
Mr.. GRAY, the attorney WIS prominent in
attending to the details of the funeral. and
rode. dressed in deep black, by the house,
keepers side in the carriage provided for
the mourncrs.
Although hundrc Is sincerely regretted
the mans death. Mr. Amcs WIS probably
the only real mourner IN all the long pro
ccSSiOn. The rest would miss him, un-
doubtedly. but this ftithful womans grief
WAS far deeper than amy one clscs could
be. The others would 90 from the crave to
their unchanged houses. and find every
familiar face there For thcln thee would
be no sudden listening for step that
would never come, nor for n voice that
would never sound in their ears AGAIN no
putting out of sight of dozens of familiar
things, which hAl been sacred to the use
6 ony no wuu.i ury,-- "-cl them again.
no terrible feeling in the hetrt, that
something hnl dropped ont Of thor homes
and lives, which never could be rrplacel.
The old lady had grown gray in Mr.. Wall
iNgforls house. and for more than thirty
years she had known no other home. Tho
place. however, dill not seen lk,. home to
her now. She did not in fact. know
how long il woull be even hcr dwelling
place. When. aft'r the return from the
grave Mr.. Gray had siid. "of course you
will continue for the pres mt to net here "a
before. Mrs. Ames." she had assantcCl,
and that was the extent of her knowledge
regarding her future.
Tho attorney seemed ANXIOUS and uneasy
until the throng of sympat' ,izing visitors
had gone, and then, approaching Mrs.
AIMS, he said:
You will pardon my seeming haste,
Madame, but there is II large est ltc to set
tie here, and rs yet there has boon no
reference to will found among his pi prrs
The deceased oftcn expressed the wis,
that | should temporarily take charge of
his aifr rs if he should die iirst-thcrc was
little enough prospect Of it thrn--and
may rs we'll be at work. lol uu loubtcdly
know mogr al u tha:,rr;,n me u of his pri-
vatc papers than any els, III | would
like to have y"u assist m to day"
Tie houseEenp"r assHHtrd. and the two
procrc,'e to the former room # tie deceased
in the second story of TIE bu;Llng The
apr lncnt WIS llrg4 on, with windows
on tw" sidcs-onc row looking out upon
the village strcct-it was allHoSt Il country
roal herc--in front. and the other com
m%n linz n fine view of the village and
the mills lying in the valley below.
As future portions of the story will
render Il knoHle lgc of the house itself ne
cessnyy, we give Il Nri f description. 1t
WAS of stone, and had cen built by an
English officer. shortly after the close OF
tie Il, voluton, when all tn" country around
it was little better than II tangled Will
dcrn, s.. The Eng ISL ttstcs of the builder
were to be seen in almost every feature.
It's pltn had been SO extensive. that, save
for the first few years. only portion of
the rooms had been u,'cd, although all
We're open ROW and Ill fair repair.
1t WAS two stories in height, with a
square tuiret runnin; on" stony ligh-
cr over the entrance TO the large hall.
A wing of only one story projected
from the structure on the village side.
The Foundation walls OF this portion
of the house, cut across the bel OF what
had once been Il small creek, which ran
down from the higher land above. and
joincl the river in the rear. Tho stream
had undoubtedly run dry long before the
erection of the house, and in front, the
gully had been filled up to make u smooth
lawn. while behind it still remained open,
and was lined and almost oyrrgrown with
running vim and shruibrry. Very thick
walls separated this wing from the main
building
There was Il tradition among the vii.
layers, that II former owner had caused
secret passages to be cut through this
clumsy wall, and that there We're ways
frC III the house to the rive" aEl the village
which no one knew. 1t was to this ira
dItion that the man whose convcrsat ion
Mr.. Gray had overheard in the restaurant,
referred TO- Mr. WIIlinyfori had always
laughed at the idea of there being secret
passages in his house: hut many old resi-
den : Of the pt'c believed in them, never
t. 80.
Entering the room, the attorney pro-
Gee led at once to UNLOCK: II large oil
fashioned secretary which stood in the
front end, and began an inspection Of the
papers its various compartments contained.
The housekcepcr stood by, at times assist
ing in unlocking the drawers, but leaving
the handling of the papers entirely to hg
companion.
"Do you know Of any secret compart-
mcnts ?" asked the attorney after the sec
retary had been nearly cleared of papers
As he spoke, he looked sharply into the
woman's face.
"rhcrc were soma," she sail. trying
various portions of the interior Of the see
ratnrv with her fingers, " but have almost
forgotten how they are opened
The look of watchfulucss on the l1wyer's
face decpcned to one of fanxiety, as the wo-
mans hand pressed spring after spring,
without accomplishing the object sought.
Once wien her hand rested for Il second
on a paneled leaf, which dropped down
from before row of small pigeon holes,
he gave u suddcn start and made IL move
as though he would force her away from
the place, but he recovered himself and the
hand was at once withdrawn,
"Thc drawer you speak Of may open by
combinations" he said, " Show me where
the springs are located and let me try |
have had some experience in such matters
The woman did as requested, and three
small drawers were soon exposed to view.
They contained nothing important, how
ever, and were soon returned TO their places.
A likeness of Il midilc-agcl man drop
ped from one of the drawers, and the
housckccpcr clutchcd it eagerly. Gray
extended his hand for the picture. and she
reluctantly handed it To him.
1t was the portrait of Il strikingly hand
some man, richly dressed, and bearing up
on his bcarllcss face. unmistaknblc cvi-
dcnces of an aristorratic and naughty dis
position. The attorney held the picture in
his hand long time. and studied every
feature with great care.
"Where have | seen foe" like that ?''
he asked himself, as the familiarity of some
of the characteristics OF the face grew upon
him.