The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-03-26
THE SECRET OF THE WHITE
CHEST.

1t was Just the house l wanted. ll
size and situation it suited me exact
ly, as the phrase goes, literally do = 0
TO the ground Facing Hyde Park,
and placed back from the high road,
With nothing in front of it but the
broad strip Of garden belonging to
the terrace in which it stood, and the
open stretch of turf aud trees, it was
the very abode for a London season.
Its rent, too, was extremely moder-
ate /; il was in sound repair drainage
without flaw fixtures, furniture and
decorations in the best taste; the
owner only desiring to let it occasion
ally, because be went away from
town each spring Why then did
hesitate to take il? Why did every
body hesitate to take it? For the
last seven years or more 1t bad never
been let All the bouse-sgents at the
West end bad had il in hand one af,
ter another. The terms had been re.
duced each season that it came into
ussket, and still there was no finding
a tenant for it. Everybody who
went over the house was charmed
with it. The entrance being in the
rear, all the best rooms bad a delight
ful southern aspect: and going up
from floor to floor on their first visi,
Of inspection, every body grew more
delighted the higher they got. The
apartments increased in cbeerfulness
if not in size, the outlook from the
windows became more extensive apd
airy, while, when one reached the
top story, and ascended by a narrow
stair on to loaded fat roof, with q
high balustrade running around it.
the view was, as the house-agent ex
pressed it. quite unique
Nevertheless, every body having
reached the roof, and having looked
around for minute or two, descend
ed with Grm determination not to
take the house. Now what was the
reason? 1t was not haunted, DO
ghosts had ever been seen, or myste-
rious noises heard-sIch things were
never binted at. There was nothing
about it in appearance like the
gloomy forbidden mansion iD Seven
Squares, concerning which so many
qneer stories aru told, and which,
like the house in question, no one
will take No, it was the very re-
verse, in all respects, of that long
(and siill) un,enanted abode / bad
heard the runners about the Hyd
Park house often when | had been in
London, aud ny curiosity had al
ways been piqued, so that now, when
| wanted just such house for the
season, determined to go and look
at it for myself
Finding all satisfactory, and just as
| expected from bottom to top, l was
stepping out on the roof with Mr..
Crumble, the agent, aud was saying
to him:
We'll, | can't conceive why peo-
pie won't live here" when my eye
fell upon curious object erected up
on The leads a., the rear and surround
ed by high railing. 1t looked ike
a apgs ssyiight or glass lantern,
about ten feet long, thrsa high aud
three broad But instead of for ming
light for staircase or room be-
meath, it seemed to have beea bpiit
for the purpose OF covering another
curious object, which, occupying near
Iy the whole of the space under the
glass, was plainly visible through 1t.
This wss . long white box, resem-
bling a seamsn's chest more than
anything. only much larger. 1t rest
ed upon four legs or feet, which rails
ed it about foot from the aat sur
face of the roof. 1t was painted q
creamy white and vanished, and,
apparently not being intended to
open, any more than its glass cover
ing. mad no hinges or loek to its top
or lid.
w nat the deuce IS that 2" said 1
to Mr.. Crumble.
"Ab y replied the fune.iopsry.
with an odd expression in bis face,
that's it, sir !"
What's it, pray 2"
why, the secret. sir"
"The secret? how is it secret !
what do you mean 2"
well, sir, what it is, what it's
meant for, what's inside of it."
Don't you know ?"
mo, SIR"
Doesn't any one know ~
Il suppose somebody does, sir, bat
we don't We are forbidden to en-.
quire, or to attempt to 6nd out if we
knew we should be able to let the
house perhaps"
How long has it been there ~
"A long while / believe, sir-ten
or twelve years. Before my time"
But who put it up?"
"WelI, Mr. Gsylipg, we suppose;
nobody seems to know exactly when