Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-09-23
BEHIND A SECRET PANEL
1T OPENED INTO A FINE Sill
VERWARE SAFE.
A Discovery by the Nervous Wife-The
Neighbours Loss and Its solution
The Strange Robbery In
an Old House.

=
OF old country places and ancestral
manor houses within it's precincts
places whose broad acres have been
divided up into building lots on which
the modern villa nourlshes rampantly.
The old houses are either torn down
or remodeled into two or more smaller
dwellings under the same roof. Such
an old mansion which had been sub
divided into couple OF houses each
roomy and ample enough for any
! good sized family quite TOOK the fancy
OF little Mrs. A.. romantic young
woman. who found no difficulty in
persuading her husband who was a
bit OF an antiquarian that such de-
| lightful old house was much 10 be
preferred to the 'spic-and span" hab-
itations around it,
why we might even have a
ghost" said tho vivacious little lady
looking about her with great satisfac-
ton the first night they dined in their
new house
Just look at that paneling Henry.
1t is fairly black with age. | am sure
that there are secret passages and all
sorts OF delightful hiding places in
these walls"
Perhaps we shall discover hidden
treasures said her husband. humor-
ing her fancy. and half laughingly
and hall seriously they examined the
curiously carved recesses. Suddenly
Mrs A. gave a little cry. Henry
this panel is certainly loose and it
| l1xt 81 in,
its place than the others rafting
family when tapped upon. Il am
convinced that there is something be-
hind il said Mrs. Eve. relnquishing
reluctantly her search for clew
which had proved quite unavailing,
and going oil to bed. That night she
was disturbed with strange dreams
which were probably the re-
suit OF her excitement the eve
ming before, but which she chose
to interpret as an augury. She
thought that little motherly looking
dame with "a huge bunch OF keys
hanging from her waist by a chain
and dressed in tho fashion OF a by
gone time stood by her bed with u
kindly smile on her face and holding
lighted candle. With little gest-
ure OF recognition the figure turned
! and left the room. Mrs. A. in her
dream rising and quickly following it
The old housekeeper. for such she
seemed went slowly down the broad
staircase and crossed the hall TO the
dining-roQm then tlrne smiled
again and disappeared. whereupon
Mrs. A. walked up and found herself
in her own comfortable bed.
LAT all events she was dear de-
nghtful ghost" said Mrs A., relating
her dream TO her husband the next
morning. and | think she means me
to find something's" and that evening
she again began her experiments on
the obdurate panel poking into every
chink and worm hole with a hat pin.
All at once she hardly knew
how. the wooden slab slid
slowly TO one side. disclosing
dark space beyond that seemed
OF considerable size Cutie as ex-
cited now as his wife, Mr.. A. struck
fusee, and there ranged on a tier OF
shelves on either SIDE was exposed to
their delighted gaze goodly guam
THY of silver plate. all evidently of
ancient date and of the most charm
ing shapes To say that the worthy
couple were delighted is TO express
the situation very mildly indeed. AS
they had bought and paid for the
property they had no difficulty in per-
suading themselves that they were
the legitimate proprietorJ OF tn
treasure trove. the original owners OF
which had been dead for many q
year.. Besides. the old lady gave it
10 me. said Mrs. A.. referring TO her
dream. which she now regarded with
greater faith than ever. TO disinter
their treasures TO examine each
piece verifying their dates studying
their marks and finding them to be
{ OF the very best period o. Queen
! Anne took our antiquarians until late
in the night when they finally re-
I tired almost too happy and .ubilant
to sleep Early the ncvt morning
. however they were aroused by a
! great commotion in the house and
hastily donnlng his dressing gown
Mr.. A. went out into the hall TO
q find a bevy OF weeping servants n
stout policemen and butler from next
door. i regret to say that there has
been a burglary committed in the
night from your house sir, said the
g man respectfully. Some OF your
= people have opened the wall into the
n safe next door and have taken all the
7 silver"
The feelings OF Mr. A. and OF his
t wife who looking down over tho
balusters. had heard the accusation.
beggar description. That they should
have deliberately effected an entrance
to their neighbours plate closet, alb
d stracted all the silver and concealed
IL in a safe place seemed too dreadful
to be true. With noticeable agitation
Mr. A. invited the policeman into hi
y dressing-room. and thrusting on hi
garments whilo he told his stor!
8 (Which was received with obvious ant
embarrassing incredulity) he accom-
panied him into tho house next doc
and explained matters. His neighbo
ID enjoyed the situation too much to fee
"a vaved ovnr his fright when he dis