Show SECRET CLOSET OF ST STORY FE FAME MAY BE DISCLOSED house where herman melville wrote moby dick may be restored pittsfield mass arrowhead the old mansion in which herman niel melville lived 13 years and where he wrote ills his famed whaling story molly moby dick may yield the truth about its secret closet the old house on holmes road now near dilapidation has passed from the hands ot of the authors kindred the new owners and their plans have not been disclosed but there la Is a possibility that the old structure may be restored and preserved it la Is said it li ig in the mammoth old chimney of tile the house that the secret closet may be found the chimney Is 12 feet at its base and dominates MIP he house boure I 1 melville IiI elville himself mentions the mysterious closet in hla his 1 I and sly my chin ahlm ney he speaks of the chimney ind himself as two gray haired old smokers 1 both old settlers lie ilef termed the chimney the bully of the establishment it was built of brick and stone and was placed in the very center of the house on nil all four sides are hearths heart hs built into it are arc numerous small closets and cupboards melville colors the suggestion of a hidden closet and possibly hidden bidden treasure with a reference to a possibly fictitious merchant in the indian trade once making hla his abode within its walls on the stones and panels of the chimney lie had these words inscribed it Is regol resolved ved between me and my chimney that eliat I 1 and my chimney will never surrender tn in writing of the closet melville said at the second landing midway up lip the chimney Is a mysterious lops door en ea cering into a mysterious closet and here I 1 keep mysterious cordials cordiali cor dials of a choice mysterious flavor made by the constant maturing and subtle ripening of the chimneys gentle heat distilled through that mass of masonry better tor for wines Is it than voyages to the indies my chimney itself a tropic local historians say the house was built in 1780 by capt david bush who made a famous inn of it for years melville acquired the mansion and began living there in 1851 william B morewood who married a niece of the tha author lust last occupied the old house it was put up for sale gale several ago |