Jones's humble dwelling, which
lay quite upon the outskirts of our town. To reach my destination, I
had to pass the Old Allen House, which stood within a high stone
enclosure, surrounded by stately elms a century old, which spread
their great arms above and around the decaying mansion, as if to
ward off the encroachments of time. As I came opposite the gate
opening upon the carriage way, I stopped suddenly in surprise, for
light streamed out from both windows of the north-west chamber,
which I knew had been closed ever since the death of Captain Allen,
who passed to his account several years before.
This Allen House was one of the notable places in our town; and the
stories in circulation touching the Allen family, now almost
extinct, were so strongly tinctured with romance, that sober-minded
people generally received them with a large measure of incredulity.
The spacious old two-story mansion, with its high-pitched roof and
rows of dormer windows, was built by the father of Captain Allen,
who had also followed the sea, and, it was said, obtained his large
wealth through means not sanctioned by laws human or divine.
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