Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-08-15
What is partly the reason. sir. .


continued:
bat there is clause in the agree
ment about 1t; that's what does it, sir
Explain" l said.
well, sir, here is the clause, and he
produced the document; perhaps you
would like to read it yourself@"
Thus it ran
And in taking the house nj the rent
al and for the terms specified above, l
hereby solemuly pledge my oath never
directly or indirectly through my own
agency or that of others, to attempt to
NEEDLE with or disturb the white chest
under the glaSS.eaSe Of the roof, or to
seek in any way to discover for what
purpose it has been placed there and
what it contains; and / further guaran-
tee that no person in my employ, nor
any one entering the house during my
tenancy thereof shall make any such
attempt, and l hereby undertake that
in the event of their being detected i'll
doing so to forfeit the sum of $1,000,
and in accordance with this agreement.
have, in proper legal form, lodged the
said sum with the bankers of Thomas
Gayling, the lessor, as guarantee OF
my good faith.
But for that clause" went OH the
agent, AS finished reading, with some
surprise, I'VE should have no difficulty
in letting the house"
Pray, is the owner out ofhis mind?''
! asked ind minute.
Not that | am aware OF, sir; he is a
very pleasant, aiiable gentleman, Mr..
Gayling is, only rs say little rum on
some points; nothing will induce him
to strike out that clause, for instance.
Lor' bless YOU, sir, parties never enter
tain it for moment when they come
to that part of the business, they drop
it like not potato"
Humph !" said again, "it's queer.
certainly, but | don't see why |
shouldn't acQuiesce, itdoesn't matter
rap to me what's inside the chest;
should never want to NEEDLE with or
disturb it, and I'd take very good care
no one else did; | would paddock the
trap-doo- on to the roof, and that would
settle that. All l continued after
walking round the structure and look
ing about me bit" All | see; pre-
cautions have been taken to prevent
any access to this roof from others on
either side, by this iron chepdux de frise;
yes, no one can get over this. Well, it's
an odd freak, but ain not sure that
am going to be baked by it; I'll think
about it, Mr.. Crumble."
And the result of NV thinking was,
that l signed the agreement two days
afterwards, having concerned to this
peculiar stipulation regarding the de-
post. | had no fear of losing the fl,-
600; the interest on it was a mere add
dition to the rent, and the house was so
exactly what l wanted that it would
even then be cheap to me, with my
large family of motherless children.
Nevertheless, | 40 not deny that
after all was signed, scaled and settled
was conscious of a lurking curiosity
and suspicion regarding that mysterious
erection. What could it be? What
could it contain? ! was constantly say
ing it to myself, what strange freak could
possess the man to take such strong
measures to guard aga INST any pene-
tration into the secret-measures, 10y
the by, which in themselves were rath-
er calculated to provoke investigation,
to draw attention to the very thing he
wished one to overlook? Was Mr.. Gay
ling miser, boarding up some unknown
treasures i'll this strange fashion? Prob
ably that was it. Well, if 1T was, it was
no business of mine after all. My Par
liamentary duties would be too urgent. |
hoped, to let me dwell upon much else,
so would dismiss it, and, beyond put
ting paddock on the trap-door of the
roof. as threatened, / took no measure
to prevent any of my houoehold indulg-
ing in sreculations. at least would
not direct attention to the matter as Mr..
Gayling did, and contented my family
and domestics by saving that didn't
consider it safe for people to go on the
roof.
Now in spite of my resolution, |
found myself perpetually recurring to
the strange chest. For the sake oil
quiet and air, had appropriated the
two large back and front rooms at the
top of the house for my bedroom and
study, and thus slept every night just
beneath the white chest.
Before | had been in the house a
month it began to act as nightmare
on me, an incubus | could not shake off.
| was oppressed and depressed by it in
way quite unaccountable. was
puzzled at myself. could not have
believed four weeks before that could
ever have become so affected by such
contemplate restlessness, dispute and
distrust. These feelings at last reached
such pitch that finally changed my
bedroom. Iwould not sleep any longer
directly underneath this accused mys-
terious fabric.
Another month passed, during which
more than once | was tempted to go
secretly on the roof and look at the
thing again; there was no harm in
that, that was not forbidden in the
bond and | need hardly say, it was
nothing to provoke any new comment.
About week after my last visit TO
the roof lengthy debate kept me late
at the house Of commons, and walking
home for the sake of fresh air, found
the midsummer dawn breaking as
struck into Park lane. Reaching