A GHASTLY COLLECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2322, 28 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A GHASTLY COLLECTION.

•'Baron Hknickstein was a banker in Vienna, to whom 1 had a letter of introduction,' said a lady to a correspondent of the Clevelaurl Leader. ' With some frien-ls I called upon him. He received ns cordially. When our business was completed the Baron invited us to visit his private museum, which filled an upper floor of the bank building. It had taken the noble banker some 50 years to form this collection of rare and valuable antiquities. After making the tour of the loiiu hall,the Baron drew from his pocknr a missive iron key, and, unlocking a door sit. one end, beckoned us to follow him into a dimly-lighted room. Ou entering we saw ranged about it a seriws of tall and narrow mahogany wardrobes, the doors of which our host rapidly threw open, disclosing, to our astonished gaze, a grim and ghastly human skeleton in each. 'ladies,' s;iid this extraordinary man, 'let me introduce you to this select circle of my intimate' friends—friends, ladies, in whom I confide all, and who reveal nothing. Here is my beautiful Etalka, the love of my youth, who cast aside her flush half a century ago, and is still true to me. This is all that remains to me of old Heinrich, the faithful cashier of 40 years of my father aiid myself. Enter and fear nothing !' and as much afraid of refusing as to obey we passed the box and found ourselves standing in a close, cell-like apartment, hung with heavy black draperies, and lavishly ornamented with armorial bearings and numerous death's heads and cross bones. Nearly filling the place was a huge casket or coffin of ebony, lined with black velvet, and arranged to receive a body ; and on the silver plate attached to the lid was inscribed the Baron's name and title with a blank space left for his age and date of death. To the foot of the coffin was attached a parchment scroll, containing instructions for the Baron's funeral, in which, among other stipulations, he directed that the horses attached to the hearse should be driven on a fast trot to a tune which he had his music-box play for ns."