The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-11-03


: the house. Turning. l fled, the same
: cold wind about me still, lifting my hair
J Entering one of the rooms opening
from the hall, 1 had just reason left tt
) place my lamp on table.
Then forgot everything.
On awakening l found the sun was
shining through the opening in the
shutter.
When could sufficiently recover my
senses-no longer dsbeliever in the
supernatural assembled to the bed
chamber and dressed
l was grave, reflective, but strangely
devoid of fear.
Scarcely had l donned my clothes
than saw little crowd approaching
the house, and fastened to meet them
They listened in amaze, and 1 believe
incredulously to my story.
led them to the basement story and
said: Here is where the man vanished
l swear saw him; and if money were
really hidden, it is here
AS spoke, | struck the wall, which
gave forth a hollow sound, My asser>
ton was received with some laughter.
Il have undergone night of HORROR
said, seriously; II hold that have
| right to demand that this place should
be examined"
Curiosity made them all hold with me
there.
!. While the owner, who had been watch
m ttnp
| had done, did l want half the house
pulled down, had u right to have my
desire fulfilled.
He told me, later, that he had not
been averse to the idea, believing it
would be the best thing to disabuse peo-
pies minds of the place being haunted.
SO implements were speedily obtained,
and we set to work. A thin coat of plas-
ter, covered by modern paper, was re-
moved, when, to our surprise, we came
upon paneling. Examining this found
small sunk brass knob. Upon pressing
it portion of the panel quivered. 1t
was evidently door.
In few minutes we had battered it
down. 1t fell with hollow sound into
space. The man who struck the final
blow would certainly have followed it
had l not clutched his arm and drawn
him back.
Where had the small, shattered door
fallen? Into dark, well-shaped open
ing in the ground
Holding lights over it we perceived
some fifteen feet below a heap of appar-
ent rubbish, and the broken door.
Our curiosity now trebly excited,
man was paid to be lowered down after
the door had been dragged up by the
hooks.
And what did he find there? OF what
did that strange heap consist?
First, a human skeleton, the rags and
shreds of an embroidered coat, some
metal buttons and shoe buckles, and un-
der that-what?
Some six or seven worn leather bags,
filled with coin of the reign OF George
III and preceding it.
Altogether the property discovered
amounted in value to five thousand
pounds.
By right, of course, this was mine, but
| desired only to take half The owner
however, who was very wealthy man,
would not hear of it. He gave me a
check on his bankers for four thousand
pounds modern money and declared by
laying the spirits had bestowed ON him
twice that sum. Indeed, he sold the es-
tate later for nine thousand.
The fate of the man was evident He
knew OF the secret door, but not of the
we'll inside. He had fallen-the door
had shut with spring-and he had per-
ished .
That was how | managed to start my
brougham, buy an excellent practice and
marry Gertie.
am d fashionable physician now, and
l need scarcely add, firm believer in
dreams and the supernatural, though
my wife and l never speak of my strange
experience, as it always has the effect of
exciting risibles, not the horrifc muscles
of our hearers.
Therefore, let people believe or disbe>
lieve as they choose; but this / know,
that there are more things in heaven
and earth than are dreamed of in our
philosophy.