Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-06
SECRET OF MADDON.
tan tho Year Reund.l
CHAPTER l.

landmark in the scene own that moro
charming country seat than Madden
Court coula hardly be found among the
southern counties OF England.
IL was not 60 much the house rs It's
situation in fact, take away from 1t its
wooded background and surroundings OF
magnificent trees, or its position on the
green. sloping hillside, and you had
nothing bat long, low, irregular. white
building with many chimney-pots, in
which successive generations had added
a window here, thrown out wing there,
and committed the browning incongruity
OF erecting an Italian portico IN front OF
tse old Tudor mansion.
TrSIn the foreground green unduiatlng
Glade. marked here and there by few
scattered giants OF oak end elm, lett the
view OF the house open to the roadway,
which, on leaving its gates, wound on Tor
another half mile or so until 1T reached
the village OF Madden, which derived Its
name from the court, and in whose an
ciept church OF st. Mary the founders OF
the family. the knights and danes OF the
house of Halliwell, lay in sculptured
ttate. For the Halliwells had been lords
of Madden for centuries, and TO the bu-
cole mind tine possibility OF there ever
being time when there should cease to
DO Halliwell at the court was one OF
those things which 1t was impossible TO
conceive.
II was reported by those who pretend
cd 10 familiarity with the family archives
that once the family possessions had
been in imminent danger OF passing
away from them altogether in the time
Of Sir Jonas.
For the Halliwells were one OF those
fine old families who had been all things
10 all men. They had been TO the Cru
sades in the earlier portion Of their his
tory had been burned at Smithtield as
heretics, later on under Mary the san
puineous had melted their plate TO the
last mustard pot for King and country
dnring the civil war. and had gambled
recklessly with what remained Of their
property under the Restoration.
Sir Jonas Halliwell had been ono OF
tho widest and wickedsst spirits Of the
Second Charles's Court-a boon com
panion of Rochester and De Gramont--
and it was said that. having lost all bis
available possessions at the gaming-ta-
bic. he had been abou. to stake his IN
beritance on the fortunes OF the d1ce-
box, when, as he raised bis hand TO make
the cast, he was stricken by the plague
in its most malignant form, and died
hIdeously IN less than two hours, Tor
ssken bv all, alternately cursing his luck
and ntterlng horrible blasphemies among
the ruins OF overturned card-tables and
broken wine-hasks, with the smoky light
of entering tallow candles to illumine
his death agony.
His picture, painted by Sir Peter
Lely, hangs among the rest OF the fami-
" portraits in the picture-gallery Of
Madden Court, and shows q dark, hand
some, but sinister-lOoking individual Of
elegant figure, arTayod with ell the costly
magnificence of the time IL suit of
carnation-colored velvet, with a cloak OF
the same embroidered in gold and lined
with white satin hanging from one shout
der. rutlIes of the finest Mechlin, and q
plumed hat Topped with an emerald
clasp upon his head.
This portrait, which WAS completed
but q short time before his death, and
bears the date "lGGj," represents him
ms wearing an villooking smile on his
countenance, and standing lat negligent
attitude. with one hand on his silver
hilted sword, and it is reported that it
WAS thus attlrcd in this identical costume
that he met his DEATH and was overtaken
by his awful end.
There is no tomb or tablet to his mem
ory in the church at Madden. for his
body. denuded Of its rich trappings, was
cast into the great pit at tlnsbury flelds.
The ruthless and inhuman robbers, who
were one of the most terrible pests of that
dreadful time, had not feared TO strip the
scarcely cold corpse of Its bravery OF
apparel; but being disturbed in
their impious task by the watch they
fled, leaving their booty behind them.
What became of the gold-embroidered
suit of carnation-colored velvet, the
satin-lined lace cloak, and the
jewel-clasped feathered bat was not
known-whether 1t was taken possession
of 10y the myrmidons of the law, or be-
came the property Of the dead mans ser
want but there was certain heavily
carved, iron bound chest in dusty, dis
used upper chamber IN the oldest por-
ton Of Madden Court, the secret Of
whose spring WAS unknown, and which
had never been opened since it bad been
brought there by Sir Reginald Halll-
well, brother and successor of Sir Jonas.
What it contained no one knew per
haps the evidences of some hidden
crime-some horrible, grisly tokens of
a cruel understanding which, had
il been known, would have blasted tho
fair fame of Madden, and perhaps-for
there were many surmises-nothing at
oil but on the lid was carved, in old
English characters, the following dis
Itch
"Who opes this cheste
Shall curse hys queste."'
The door OF the chamber was always
locked, and the heavy, rusty old key bore
IA parchment liable, on which was inscribed
1.-The Closed Room Strange to say, no
Halliwoll had ever been found sufficiently
curious TO brave the curse and raise the
lid, One reason was that they were a
superstitious race and guarded jealously
all their family traditions another that,
hidden away in an otherwise empty cob
web. hung and seldom-entered chamber 1t
proved the truth Of the old adage "Out
of sight is out OF mind, and probably
from one years epd to another Its mys-
terious presence WAS scarcely remem-
bered: but no doubt its chief safeguard
Law in the secret OF its lock, which was
sufficient Of itself without the aid OF SUI
perstition to battle all would-be sacri-
iegous hands, the boldest OF which
would have shrunken from the employ
ment of force in such q case. And so
the old oak chest kept its secret--if 1t
had one--well!
Ii was universally admitted that, to
view Madden at its best, you must visit
it in the autumn when the September
sun was setting behind its background
of hills. and the first finger of decay was
passing over its woods and copses, touch
ing them lightly and painting them
crimson and brown and golden, with the
inimitable tints taken from natures own
palette. II ever Madden Court was
haaDtif,,l-and all allowed that IL was