Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-08-15
THE SECRET OF THE WHITE CHEST.
London All the Year Round.

SlHS anu SllldllOu IL Sull6u HE eNHClIy,
as the phrase goes, literally down to the
ground. Facing Hyde Park, and placed
back from the high road, with nothing
in front of it nut the broad strip of gar
den belonging to the terrace i'll which
it stood, and the open stretch of turf
and trees, it was the very abode for a
London season. Its rent, too, was eX-
tremely moderate; twas in sound re-
pair; drainage without flaw; fixtures,
furniture and decorations in the best
taste; the owner only desiring to let it
occasionally, because he went away
from town each spring. Why then did
hesitate to take it2 Why did every
body hesitate to take it? For the last
seven years or more it had never been
let. All the house agents Mt the West
End had it in hand one after another.
The terms had been reduced each sea-
son that it came iEto the market, and
still there was no finding tenant for
it. Everybody who went over the
house was charm, I'd with it. The
entrance being in the rear, all the best
rooms had delightful southern aspect;
and, going up from floor to floor on
their first visit of inspection, everybody
grew more delighted the higher they
got. The apartments increased in
cheerfulness, if not IN size, the outlook
from the windows became more extern
sive and airy, while; when one reached
the top story, and assembled by :. mar
row stair on to loaded flat roof, with a
high balustrade running round it, the
view was, as the house agent expressed
it, "quite unique"
Nevertheless, everybody haying
reached the roof, and having looked
round for minute or two, descended
with firm determination not to take
the house. Now what was the reason
1t was not haunted, no ghosts had ever
been seen or mysterious noises heard
such things we're never limited at
There was nothing about it in appear
ance like the gloomy, forbidding man.
sion in Seven Square, concerning which
so many queer stories are told, and
which, like the house in question, no
one will take. No, it was the very re-
verse, in all respects, that long land
Silly untenanted abode. | had heard
the rumors about the Hyde Park house
often when l had been IN London, and
my curiosity had always been piqued,
so that now, when ] wanted just such a
house for the season, | determined to
go and look at it for myself.
Finding all satisfactory, and just as
| expected from bottom to top, | was
stepping out on the roof with Mr..
Crumble, the agent and was saying 20
him.
"Well, l can conceive why people
won't live here, :" when my eye fell upon
curious object erected upon the leads
at the rear and surrounded by high
railing. 1t looked like huge skylight
or glass lantern, about ten feet long and
three broad. But instead of forming a
light for staircase or room beneath, it
seemed to have been built for the pur-
pose of covering another curious object,
which, occupying nearly the whole Of
the space under the glass, was plainly
visible through it. This was long
white box, resembling seaman's
chest more than anything, only much
larger. 1t rested upon four legs or feet,
which raised it about a foot from the
flat surface of the roof. 1t was painted
creamy white and vanished, and, APP
parently not being intended to open any
more than its glass covering, had no
hinges or lock to its top or lid.
"What the deuce is that p said to
Mr.. Crumble
"Ah!" replied that functlonary, with
an odd expression in his face. that's it,
SRI"
What's it, pray?'
why, the secret, sir.
The secret? How is it a secret
What do you mean2'
"Well, sir, what it is, what its meant
for, what's inside of it."
Don't you know
"No, sir"
Doesn't any one know ~
Il suppose somebody does, sir; but
We don't; we are forbidden to inquire,
or to attempt to find out if we knew
We should be able to let the house per-
maps"
"How long has it been there
"a long while, ] believe, sir-ten or
twelve years. Before my time"
"But who put it up?'
well, Mr.. Gayling, we suppose; mo-
body seems to know exactly when it
first appeared there"
"Bnt the servants" | protested;
they must know"
"0h. / have heard there were none
in the house at the time; they we're all
dismissed just before it was put up.
Mr.. Gayling never keeps many servants.
sometimes none. Nobody lives IN the
house when he's away, but he always
leaves the keys nth us. he is always
changing his servants, Mr.. Gayling -;
have often heard him say that ne
likes new brooms."
"What is he. or what was he r.
"a gentleman in the naval line, | be
lieve, sir; they are rather rum 'uns, I'm
fold."
"Humph!s / said, "yery odd. But
do You mean to tell me that nobody
will live here because they don't know
what's in that box -