The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-06-02
culiar-terrestrial and celestial globes.

culiar-terfeStflal and celeStlal SlODes,
telescopes, retorts, crucibles, and
strange instruments of which l did
not know the names, doubtless the
whole of them long ago rendered
worthless by modern and improved
means of scientific investigation. Not
withstanding my extreme eagerness
to accomplish the object Of my visit
to this place, 1 preceded but slowly
on my way, looking into each recess,
first on the right and then on the left,
resolving to thoroughly examine every
object in it after l had informed my
father of my magnificent discovery.
My spirits were greatly elated; for
indeed it was scarcely possible that
should now be disappointed, my great
est fear-that the workmen employed
about the house had been into the
crypt to use it as store for their tools
and materials-being dispelled, for no
sign of them OF their belongings was
anywhere to be seen.
In this mood 1 reached the Abbot's
Cell, and, having turned up the WICK
of my lantern, stood before 1t and
considered it. Yes, there it was; and
it's aspect was the same as when my
attention was first called to it by aunt
Gertrude. And now, how was l to re-
move so much of this brick screen as
would enable me to get through to
where the treasure chests were con.
cealed? l observed with joy that the
mortar between the bricks, from age
and want of timely repair, was nearly
all crumbled and gone; but though
could have drawn few Of the bricks
out of their places with the aid of
my hammer, refrained from doing so
for fear of the upper bricks falling up
on me, which from their loose appear
ance seemed more than probable.
TO get couple of boxes, stand them
on end one upon the other and mount
TO the top. was the work only Of a
few minutes. l then applied my ham,
mer as a lever to force up one Of the
topmost bricks, and was surprised to
find that it was merely laid in its place
and not attached in any way to it's
fellows. This was the case with an
other, and yet another. Why, all the
bricks were perfectly loose-merely
piled one upon another as q child
builds houses with wooden blocks.
I removed more than a hundred
bricks which formed the upper rows
by simply lifting them one by one and
laying them aside upon the floor.
When sufficient number had been re-
moved to enable ME to see what was
within, l stood my lantern on what
was now the top Of the wall and, with
feelings of intense satisfaction and
delight, beheld several square black
chests at the end of the recess. For
getting in the excitement Of the mo-
ment that the wall with which l was
dealing was only such in appearance,
1 leaped on to the top Of ii, and by
aid of my hands dropped down on the
inside, pulling large part of the
structure inwards with me and dash
ing my lantern to the ground with so
much force that the glass was broken
and the light eXtinguished.
Fortunately I was not unprovided
for such an emergency, as, being a
smoker, it was my custom to carry
matches. I soon extricated my Ian
tern from among the bricks which
had fallen with it, and having relit it,
proceeded to examine my surround
ings. At the end of the recess stood
the black chests which l had noticed
from the outside, orderly disposed IN
three rows. three chests in a row-One
chest less than l had expected to find.
Looking about me more particularly.
l beheld with diSmay the tenth chest
nearly in the middle of the apartment,
with a half-burned candle protruding
from the neck Of bottle and an oro
dinary up-to-date box of matches
standing upon it; at sight OF which my
burning hope fell to zero. Having re-
moved the candle and matches,
tapped the chest with my hammer; it
was resonant / lifted it; it weighed
scarce ten pounds, and the lid fell on
on to the floor. l held my lantern
close and scrutiniZed it eagerly, and
Oh, cruel fate!-it bore every sign of
having been recently opened; the thick
black paint was grazed in way that
denoted the action of deuble-pointed
crowbar as freshly as if the chest had
been forced open an hour ago. 1 stood
it down, ran to the other chests, and
quickly moved them from where they
stood. Not one of them contained any
thing, but each Of them bore the same
unihistakable traces of recent viola
rion as l had observed upon the first.
Mad with rage and disappointment,
I Quilted the recess in the manner I
had entered it. pushing outward a lot
Of loose bricks in the act, and was
striding rapidly along the mainway
with intent to so at once to my father
and tell him all, when an object met
my gaze which arrested my progress
and almost sfupefied mo with terror o.,