discovered that the apparition was composed of a mighty pile of family
portraits. I had the story, the better part of a hundred years
afterwards, from the very school-boy who pried open the closet door.

After standing many years at the foot of the hill, the house was again
removed in three portions, and was fashioned into three separate
dwellings, which, for aught I know, are yet extant in Danvers.

The ancient site of this proud mansion may still be traced (or could
have been ten years ago) upon the summit of the hill. It consisted of
two spacious wings, connected by an intermediate hall of entrance, which
fronted lengthwise upon the ridge. Two shallow and grass-grown cavities
remain, of what were once the deep and richly stored cellars under the
two wings; and between them is the outline of the connecting hall, about
as deep as a plough furrow, and somewhat greener than the surrounding
sod. The two cellars are still deep enough to shelter a visitor from
the fresh breezes that haunt the summit of the hill; and barberry-hushes
clustering within them offer the harsh acidity of their fruits, instead
of the rich wines which the colonial magnate was wont to store there for
his guests. There I have sometimes sat and tried to rebuild, in my
imagination, the stately house, or to fancy what a splendid show it must
have made even so far off as in the streets of Salem, when the old
proprietor illuminated his many windows to celebrate the King's
birthday.

I have quite forgotten what story I once purposed writing about "Brown's
Folly," and I freely offer the theme and site to any of my young
townsmen, who may be addicted with the same tendency towards fanciful
narratives which haunted me in my youth and long afterwards.