Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-05-03

| WnOlo OF lucII AOuS d6o ASAuSA>~
worthless by modern and improved
means of scientific investigation. Not
withstanding my extreme eagerness
to accomplish the object Of my visit
to this place, l proceeded but slowly
on my way, looking into each recess.
first on the right and then on the LETT.
resolving to thoroughly examine every
object in It after l had Informed my
father of my magnificent discovery.
NV spirits were greatly elated; Tor
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 n store for their tools
and notwithstanding dispelled. for no
sign of them or their belongings was
anywhere to be seen.
In this mood l reached the Abbots
Cell. and. having turned up the wick
OF my lantern, stood before 1t and
considered it. Yes. there it was; and
its aspect was the same as when my
attention was first called to 1t by aunt
Gertrude. And now, how was I 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 or
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
few minutes. then applied my ham
mcr as a lever to force up one of the
toplnost bricks, and was surprised to
| find that it was merely laid in its place
and not attached in any way to its
| fellows. This was the case with an
other, and yet another Why, all the
bricks were perfectly loose-merely
|
builds houses with wooden blocks.
| removed more than hundred
bricks which formed the upper rows
| by simply lifting them one by one and
| laying them aside upon the floor.
When a 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.
leaped on to the top of Il, 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 | was not unproyided
for such an emergency, as. being
| smoker, it was my custom to carry
matches. l soon extricated my Ian
| tern from among the bricks which
| had fallen with it, and having relit 1t,
| 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 rOw-one
chest less than had expected to find.
Looking about me more particularly.
| beheld with dismay the tenth chest
nearly in the middle of the apartment.
with half burned candle protruding
from the neck of bottle and an Or
binary 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; 1t
was resonant. lifted it; 1t weighed
scarce ten pounds, and the lid fell Off
on to the floor. | held my lantern
close and scrutiniZed 1t 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 doubIe-pointed
crowbar as freshly as If the chest had
been forced open an hour ago. 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
unmistakable traces of recent viola
,lon as l had observed upon the first
Mad with rage and disappointment,
| | Quilted the recess in the manner
had entered 1t, pushing outward a lot
Of loose bricks in the act, and was
striding rapidly along the mainway
with intent to 60 at once to my rather
and tell him all, when an object met
| my gaze which arrested my progress
| and almost stupefied me with terror.
In a recess near to the door by which
| had entered the crypt crouched the
figure of man, his back towards me
the better to conceal small lamp
which he carried.
| was never robust and my break
down at this critical juncture must
in justice be ascribed to natural weak
ness rather than to cOwardice. MY
first impulse was to rush at the In
! truder and strike him down with my
hammer, but all power Of locomotion
had deserted me. tried to shout for
help, but my tongue refused its office,
and. involuntarily relaxing my grasp
of my lantern and weapon, l sank in
sensible to the ground.
To be continued.