The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-01-31

der aud observation OF the public.
For one who can appreciate such
rec0ndite matter as family character
there are hundreds who are interest
ed iD a family secret, and this the
b use OF Randolph, possessed in per
fee'ion Ii was mystery .hlcn
piqu-d the ina sina'i aud excited
toe interest OF tbe entire country
TIE story went that mewhere, hid
amid the massive walls and tortuGus
passages. there was = secret cham Der
in Gowrie Castle. Everybody kne~
Of It's existence but save the Earl,
bis helr, aud one other person not OF
the FANNY, but filling a Confidential
post 10 their service, ~ mortal knew
here this mysterious hiding place
was. There had been countless guess
es made a, il, and expedienis of all
kinds invented to find 1t out Every
visitor who ever entered the old gate
way, nay, even passing travellers
who saw the turfets from the road.
searched keenly for some trace of
this mysterious chamber. But ell
g1esses and researches were equally
in vain.
( | was about tosay that 40 ghost
story ever heard of has ben so
steadily aud long believed But this
would be a mistake, for nobJdy knew
even with any certainty that there
was ghost connected with il A
secret chamber was nothing wonder
ful 10 so old house No doubt they
exist ia many such old houses, and
are always curious and interes ting
strange relics, more moving than any
history, of the time whan u man was
not safe 10 his own house, and wnen
it nigh; be necessary 70 secure q
refuge beyond the reach Of spies or
traitors at q moments notice. Such
a refuge was necessity Of lite 70 q
great mediaval noble. The peculiar
itv about this secret chamber. how
ever was that some secret connected
wiki the very existence OF the family
was always understood to be invoiF-
ed 10 it. Ii wasinot only the secret
hiding place for an emergency, kind
of historical possession pre-supPos'
ing tie Importance ot bis race, ol
which man might be honestly
prou1; but there was something hid
den ia II Of which assuredlg the race
conI3 he proud Il is wonderful bow
easily a family learns % pique ltsei
upon anv distinctive possession y
ghost is Q sign of Importance not te
be despised; q haucted room Is worth
as much a. q small farm 20 the com
placency Of the fsmily that owns 1t
And 40 doubf the younger brsncne;
of The G iwrIe familv-the ligbt
minded portion sf the raee---felr Ehls
and were proudiof their untaih"ma
ble secret. end fei . brill Of agrees
he ave aud piquant s1gges ian q
I through them when t0ey remembered
ltbe my-reriols something wb1et
thew did not know 10 their familiar
home Thar thrill ran through 'h'
entire circle of visitors and childrel
and .e-rants when the Earl peremp
tnrilv f,riado projected improve
me,t. ~ sro,s2ed a reckless expiora
itian. they ionked az each othe'
wi;b q Measurable shiver. Did ynI
hear - thew said. He will not le
LADY Gogrie have that closet sb'
wants - much 10 that bit Of wall
\ He sent The vorkmeG about tbei
business before they could touch II
ltbargh the wall l. twenty feet thiei
lif il i an inch: ah - said the visi
tors booking a. each other an'
this lively suggesti0" sent tI1giIng
Of excitement 70 their very finger
points: but even 70 his wife. mourn
ing the cnmmodious closet she 10
tended the Earl made 20 explana
tons. For everything she knew,
migbt be there. next u Der room
This mysterious lurking place an
!. might be supposed that this sug
ces,iou conreved 10 Lady Gowrie'
vein. \ thrill more keen and strange
perhaps TOO vivid to be pleasant
Bur she was not in the favored o
unfortunate number Of those t
whom the truth could be revealed
need not saw what the diTeren
theories ou the suhiect were. Som
thought there he'd been treaeherOu
massacre there. and that the secre
chamber was blocked by the skeleton
iof murdered guests-a trescberv q
doub, covering the family for sham
in It's dav. hut so condoned by lon
s,fre9i1r Of wears a. 70 have ali b
shame taken out of IT, The RsI
dolnbs could not have felt their chal
acter affected By anv such interestio
historical record Thew were not :
morbidIv sensitive Some said. o
the other hand. that Earl Robert. 70
wicked Earl. was shut Up there in eV
erlssting pena7ce. playing cards wit
the devil for nis soul Bot II 1oul
have been 700 great q feather in th
family cap % have thus got TO th
devil. o. even one of his angels. bo
tied up. as it were, sod safely !
hand. 20 mske it possible that 81
lasting stigma cauld be conneete
with such a fact as this What
thing II would he to know where :
llav ones hand upoB the prince Z
darkness. and prove him once for q
elAren foot and everything else :
the confusion Of gai1save-
So this was rot n be received as
.. satisfactory solution. nor coBld so
iorher be suggested which was nor
4 70 the purpose. The pnppHlar min
:, gave il nD. and vet never gave II NJ
, and still erervbodv wbo visiie
Gowrie. he i a. gues
be IL a. q tourist. he il oalv az gai
er fronm a passing carriage. or froI
the living rsilwsv train which ju'
glimpses It's turrcts in the distaue'
! dailv and yearly spends = eertsi
amount # curiosity. wooiermen
, and conjecture about the Secre
Chamber-,he mast piquant and Or
di-coverable wonder which has -
du-ef nnguessed and unGeciphsred
. modern times
: THIS was how the matter st0o