The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-09-09
covered that it was secured by couple

covered JnaJ IL was secured. Dy couple
of nails.
Here was aheightening of the mystery.
Not satisfied with locking the closet, he
had actually nailed it up! There must
be something there of more Importance
than old letters and papers-something
which her son-in-law was particularly
anxious to conceal, and which he bad
never limited of even to his wife.
Who knew but that something dread
full had been done in that house by that
strange old man, who had lived alone
and led such a secluded sort Of life
And Mrs. Palfrey firmly made up her
mind to discover the whole mystery be-
fore she was many days older. There
should be no secrets in her daughters
house kept from her knowledge; and as
it was, the whole thing was a wrong and
an insult to Matilda and herself.
So on Sunday evening Mrs. Palfrey
complained of a "dreadml headache, ;
which would prevent her accompanying
Mr.. and Mrs. Melton to evening service.
She would be better for being left
alone an hour or two.
And when they were gone, she gave
Jane permission to 90 out if she liked,
as she herself intended to remain at
home. And having secretly watched her
off in company with a nice-looking
young man, Mrs. Palfrey took a lamp
and a hammer, and Herewith repaired
to the store-room on the ground floor.
With some difficulty she extracted the
nails, and then inserting the key, again
heard the bolt shoot back.
The sound sent triumphant thrill
through her veins.
She was about to see for herself what
was the mystery which her son-in. law
had been so careful to hide from herself
and his wifel
Holding the lamp above her head,
Mrs. Palfrey slowly opened the door.
Merciful heavensl What was that
grim aud ghastly figure which, grin
ming in her face, slowly stretched forth
its skeleton fingers to embrace herl
With one fearful shrek she started
back, letting the lamp fall from her
hand, and the next moment was lying
senseless upon the floor in profound
darkness.
81 suppose she has gone to bed, said
Matilda, when, returning from church,
they found the parlor deserted and the
gas turned down. ~ will go up and
see how she is feeling"
In few moments she returned.
Mamma is nowhere up stairs, and
neither she nor Jane are in the kitchen.
! Where can they have gone tol'
| At this moment a strange, sepulchral
sound was heard to issue from beneath
the floor-a sort of weak but shrill
scream.
"Good gracious! What can that be2"
exclaimed Matilda, turning pale.
Mr.. Melton's eyes suddenly lighted
alarmed, crossed his face.
81 think your mother must have gone
to the store room for something, and
perhaps some little accident occurred
No! stay here, dear, while l 60 and
see"
She followed him to the head of the
stairs, but obeyed his request to come
no further.
In a moment or two he emerged, sup
porting the limp form of his mother-in-
law, with white face and wild eyes, to
whom, after placing her on a sofa, they
proceeded to administer restoratives.
Dear mammal" said Matilda, anx-
iously, "what has Eappenedl What has
frightened or hurt your
"The-the horrid skeleton" gasped
Mrs. Palfrey, Historically, and turning a
look of concentrated indignation upon
her son.in-law.
skeleton !" repeated Matilda. ooh,
Horace. she must be out of her mind !"
''Out of my mind !" snorted Mrs. Pal
nd
ness. "How dare you say that, Matilda2
If were not possessed of more than or
dinary sense, l should have been
frightened to death at sight of that
that dreadful object!"
And here she commenced to gasp and
tap her heels convulsively on the sofa.
81 am very sorry," Mr.. Melton said,
with difficulty repressing the smile that
Quivered about the corners of his mouth.
"The skeleton-ahem lis only an in
genious and harmless contrivance of my
late uncle's, with which he amused his
leisure hours. There is not the slightest
cause for being frightened"
Then he added, in whisper, to his
wife:
1T is not real skeleton, dear; only
an imitation in wood sort of scientific
work of art, which it would amuse you
to see. But you may as well not explain
/ this to your mother, Just now"
Next day, Mrs. Palfrey, having entire
/ ly recovered from her unwonted nervous
attack, appeared in mood of intense,
suppressed indignation against her SON
/ in-law.
As regarded her own part, she ex-
planned that, fancying her headache
to have been caused by the mephitic air
of the locked closet penetrating through
the floor of the room, she had gone down
TO open the closet and let it out never
dreaming of such an outrageous thing as
the skeleton of dead man being kept
in respectable family dwelling house.
And if that disgusting and ghastly OBJ
ject was still to remain there, she would
no longer stay beneath that roof ;and she
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