The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-08
The Mystery Explained.
AN UNNATURAL STORY.

4 mystery hung over the Travers
mansion. This was the finest resi-
dence in one OF our seaport towns,
and was the property of Mrs Harriet
NJ Travers aud her only child, Mary
Travers- Her husband, Charles G.
Travers, who had been a wealthy mer-
chant, died when Mary was quite
young. In the mansion there was a
room where old books, newspapers,
broken furniture, and things of that
sort were kept. One one side of the
apartment was large closet, in which
something mysterious was hidden
away, but no one, except Mrs. Tray
ers, knew what it was. Mary often
questioned her mother in regard to
the object, but the invariable reply to
these questions was:
"Wait till I'm on my death bed.
I'll tell you all about it then, but not
before"
This answer, unsatisfactory as 1t
was, had to sppease Mary. She knew
that her mother was a Miss Nelson
before her marriage, that she came
from England, and was once engaged
to an English gentleman, Cecil Ell
lingham, who had died without mar
rying. Mary had been told by her
mother that she bought her house,
since known as Travers mansion"
shortly after coming to America, and
that she had then married Mr.. Tray
ers. Mary also heard from some of
her friends that her mother had the
closet made as soon as she boughtthe
house, and scarcely was it finished be-
fore long box was brought to the
place and carried into this room. Mrs.
Trayers herself emptied it, and no.
body knew what it contained, but 1t
was supposed to have some connec-
ton with the closet. No one except
Mrs. Travers had seen inside of this
secret spot after it was completed.
Such were the strange reports which
Mary heard. She knew that her moth
er sometimes visited tie room with
the closet, and whenever she did so
she locked the door on the inside and
never allowed Mary to look in the
enclosure.
Mary developed into a charming
young lady and married Owen Grlf-
.fith, aeentleman of Welsh extraction,
who, under the name of "Glendower,"
Mas prominent in the Journalistic
world as newspaper writer. Mr.. AID
ifrs. Griffith became in a few years
the happy pare1ts of !: pretty little
daughter, whom they named Mary
Travers Griffith. They called her slit
tie Mary" When she was a rosy
11aaeksd, ~. l;ss gomping, merry girl of eight
i'll The doctor was called in, ana ne
said the indisposition was more the
result of old age than anything else.
lirs. Griffith hoped that her mother
would say something about the clos
ct, but she felt reluctant to mention
the subject, as the old lady was very
i'll.
One evening Mrs. Griffith was seat
ed by her mothers bed, when the oil;
lady excitedly exclaimed in a loud
voice, aThe closet" As she said this
Sshe usher hand on q curiously shaped
bras key which was fastened to a
string around her neck. She died
the day following.
Mrs. Griffith understood by her
mothers action that this key was the
one to unlock the closet. She could
now unrayel the mystery which had
excited her curiosity so long. She
could see what was in that prohibited
place. But now that she had the
key in her possession she dreaded to
open the door, and felt as if there was
something inside which she had better
tknoW. therefore she did not look
in. Mr. Griffith was not an inquisi-
tive man, and expressed no desire to
learn what we're the contents of the
closet, so Mrs. Griffith placed the key
on her mantelpiece, where it would
have remained indefinitely had it not
been for little Mary.
This mischievous girl, prompted by
the curiosity OF a child, determined
to find out what was inside the locked
door. One evening, just at dusk, she
softly took the key from the mantel,
and, going to the room, quietly open
ed the door and walked in. The
apartment was dark, and she began
to feel alarmed, but. being resolute
girl she did not give way to her fears.
Walking to, the closet she unlocked
the deorsapd pulled it open. Owing
to the darkness she could not see
what was inside, SO she stepped in.
Instantly she heard ghostly sound
over her head, as if some one was
gnashing his teeth together. She put
oat her lands, and her fingers touch
ed a hard, cold something which felt
as if it was bone. She sprang out of
the closet as her fears oYermastered
her and screamed aloud.
Mr.. Griffith hearing his pets cries,
seized a lamp and hurried to the
room. When he reached the door he
saw sight which, for few minutes,
rooted him to the floor in amaze
msnt. The closet door was wide
open, and standing in it was a human
skeleton. Going to an old table, he
put the lamp down and walked inside
the closet. The jaws of the skeleton
began to strike together in a rapid
manner, and its bony arms quickly
rose and embraced Mr.. Griffith, who
moved one foot. The skeleton then