Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-05-24
MisfellanenMs.
A GARRET MYSTERY.

1t was with strange feelings that
Arthur Haywood found himself in the
guest chamber Of his Aunt Maud's house.
He had never seen her before to-day,
when he had been summoned in haste
to her bedside. As it was her wish to
make him her heir, she wanted to zee
him once before she died.
1t was long time before he could
compose his mind to sleep in this gloomy
spare room, and when he did his dreams
were troubled. Toward morning he
awoke with SILVER, conscious that he
was not alone in the room. A woman
stood beside his bed, tall and gaunt,
with streaming hair.
"Hear me" she said solemnly. 40
night Maud Haywood will die natural
death. Go to her before it is too late
| wish to have her executed ~
Twice more through the night this
figure appeared and repeated these words
and when the morning came Haywood
learned his aunt had died in the night.
She left him all her fortune, with the
proyiso that he must keep the garnet
lacked as long as be lived in the house.
Otherwise some other disposition was to
be made of her fortune. II was small
thing to ask, and Haywood had no hest
fancy in accepting the terms. In time
he msrried and came with his wife to
live at Haywood Manor.
R-ars brought them family, and
still the garrett remained closed. A gar
ret is u great loss to housekeeper, but
whenever Mrs. Heyweod made this re-
mark, her husband would reply that
"the estate would be greater ONE
"Who will ever know ?" she would
urge. g'Who cares ?"
"a codicil which | have never seen
remains" Arthur would reply. who
knows what might happen 7"
And SO his Fatima did no more than
peep through the keyhole Of this Blue
Boards chamber.
The mystery was greater, however,
to the children; and when the eldest
boy was ten years old it had occurred
to him that nothing could be so delight
full as to peep into that garrett, in which
might be hidden all sorts OF wonderful
treasures. And so one day, by means
of ladder some fruit pickers had left
near the house, he gained the sloping
roof and reached the dormer window
Perched on the sill, he peeped in; but
at the moment the ladder slipped, He
remained on the window ledge, scream
ing for help, and the fruit pickers hear
ing him ran to his assistance. How
ever, though the child had crept up the
sloping roof the man could not reach
him, and knowing nothing Of the taboo
which forbade the opening of the garnet
door, one of them babe the child remain
where he was until he came, and rushed
up the staircase, followed by oil the
household. The door was soon broken
in, the window opened, the child rescued.
And then the woman, who until now
had forgotten all but her boys danger,
took breath and looked about her
The garrett was bare place, hung
with old garments and smelling hide
ously. In one dark corner lay what
looked like bed. Upon it, what? TO
approach, to gaze and and to rush wildly
from the room was the work Of n mo-
ment.
II was u skeleton dressed in gray
gown and with cap upon its head, still
covered with long, black hair, that lay
there.
Arthur Haywood was absent from
home at the time. When be returned
he found the long-sealed garrett door
opened, heard bis wife's story amid her
sobs Of terror, and proceeded to the
spot. There be stood, transfxed with
horror and astonishment The skele-
ton upon the bed wore the gray dress.
the white cap and had the straight black
hair Of the woman who had appeared to
him thrice in vision demanding the
execution of his aunt, Maud Haywood
Whatever this meant, the discovery
was public one, and so must the ex-
PLANTATION be. Arthur sent for the proper
authorities and also for the lawyer ia
| whose possessloh was couicit ot Tie
will that had given Arthur possession
of the estate. This codicil had been
enveloped and sealed by Miss Maud,
who alone knew the contents. 1t con
tanned these words
"This paper will only be opened i
the garnet is opened also. In that cas-
my secret will be known to those VIII
are Of my own age, for there was muc
excitement when Jane Jarvelle disaE
peared. She was well known in III
neighborhood, and but for letters whic