The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1879-03-20
From all the Year Round.l
Secret of the White Chest.

From all the Year Round-l
Secret of the White Chest
It was lust the house | wanted. In
size and situation il suited me exact
ly. as the phraZe goes, literally 10
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 ter
race in which IL stood, and the open
stretch Of turf and trees, ii WAS the
very abode for London season. It's
rent. too, was extremely moderate; IL
was in sound repair; drainage with
out flaw; fixtures, furniture, and
decorations IN the best tasteI the OWL
er only desiring 20 let it occasionally,
because he went away from town
each spring. Why then did / hesitate
to take itg Why did everybody hssi-
tate toltake ity For the last seven
years or more it had never been let.
All the house agents at the West End
had it in hand one after another. The
terms had been reduced each season
that il came into the market, and still
there was no finding tenant for it.
EYerYLQdy NhO went 0Aer tha house
was charmed with 1t. The entrance
being i'm the rear, all the best rooms
had delightful southern aspect; and
going up from floor to floor on the first
visit of inspection. everybody grew
more delighted the higher they got.
The apartments increased in cheerful
ness, if not ii size, the outlook from
the Windows bec;ln.e moro extensive
and airy. while, when one reached the
top story. ard aScended by narrow
stair on to a loaded flat roof, with a
high balustrade running round it, the
view was, rs the house agent expressed
il, quite unique.
Nevertheless, everybody having
reaohsd the roof, AND having looking
round for Il minute OK tBo, qeScelsded
with firm determination not to take
the house. Now, what was the rea-
SOM 1t was not haunted, no ghosts
had eyer been seen or mysterious
noises heaTd-such things were never
limited at. There was nothing about
il in appearance like the gloomy, for
bidding mansion in Seven square, con-
cerning which so many strange stories
are told, and which, like the house in
question, no one will take. No, 1t was
fine very reverse, in all respects, of that
long (and stilD untenanted abode, /
had heard tho TNmOrs about the Hyde
Park house often when | had been in
London, and my curiosity had always
been piuued, SO that now, when /
wanted Just such a house for the
season, l determined to go and look at
it for myself.
Finding all satisfactory, and just as
| expected from bottom to top, L was
steDning out on tile roof with Mr..
Crumble, the agent, and was saying to
himj
@Well, l can't conceive why people
won't liyehere," when my eye fell up
on a curious object erected upon the
leads at the rear aud surrounded by Il
high railing. 1t looked like huge
sky-light OF glass lantern, about ten
feet long, three high and three broad.
But instead of forming a light for a
staircase or room beneath, it seemed
10 have been built for the purpose Of
covering another curious object, which,
occupying nearly the whole cf the
space under the glass, was plainly YIs-
lille through it. This was along white
box. resembling 4 a'seaman's chest more
than ANYTHING. only much larger. 1t
rested upOn four legs or feet, which
raised il about a foot from the fat sur
face Of the F0afr It was painted
creamy white, and Varnlshed, and, ap-
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?" said L to
Mr.. Crumble.
"Ah Treplied that functionary, with
an odd expression in his face, that's
it, sir y
WHATS il, ETay =
"Why, the SECRET, sir.
"The secret how is 1t a secret :
what do you mean
"Wen. 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 d0nit; We are forbidden to inquire,
or to attempt to find out, IL we knew
we should he able TO let the house.
perhaps.
4II0w long has it been there:
a long while, l believe, Slr-ten or
twelve years. Before my times
'sI}ut who put it Hps'
eWpll, Mr.. Gayling, we SuppaSei no
I,odv seems to know exactly when 1t
first appeared there
"But the servants" / protestedi they
must know
@OhI / have heard there were none
i'm the house at the timei they were all
dismissed lust before it was put up.
Mr.. Gayling never keeps many ser
wants. sometimes none. Nobody lives
in the house when he's away, but he
ALWAYS leaves the KEYS with us, lie
is ALWAYS changing his servants, Mr..
Gayling is; have often heard him
say that he likes new hFOOmS,
"What Is he, or what was heS7'
"a gentleman III the naval line.
believe, sir; they are rather rum 'unS,
I'm told"
"HumphT l said, very odd. But do
Won mean to tell me that nobody viii
live here because they don't knOt,
what's in that b0Ng'
.sThat is PARTLY tie reason, sir.
@Absurd!" ] was going on, when
the man continued:
@Rut there is a cause in the agree
ment about 1t; that's what does 1t,
sir"
Explain" / sale:
~WeII. sir, here is the clause and he
nrOduced the document; perhaps you
would like to read it yourself.
Thus it ran:
and in taking the house ut the
rental and for the terms specified as
above. | hereby s0lemnly pledge my
oath never, directly or indirectly,
through my own agency or tlat Oh
others or ATTEMPT to meddle with or
disturb the white chest under the glass
case of the roof, or to seek in any way
to discover for what purpose it was
placed there or what it contains; and /
further guarantee that no person IN
nv employ, nor anyone entering the