The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-01 00:00:00

TEE GHOST OP BOLSOVER CASTLE,
DISBEYSEiRE,

lo.Macotilian's Magazine for February, Print* Frederick
of Schleswig-Hohtein gives the following account of en in-
cident whicu happened, he says, in Bolsorer Castle, Derby-
shire, some 30 years ago :—" With the extrptioo of two of
the (nests, the other inmates of Bobover Castle seem
during that eight to have enjoyed their usual amount of
undisturbed slumber. whether them two had been
more excited than the °thins by the subjects of their
oonvenation, or whether the droopiness of the build-
log, which must Mike every new comer, had affected
their imagioatioo mole forcibly than that of the re-
mainder of the visitors, cannot now be ascertained ; at all
events, they did not relive to bed at once. Mrs. S., an
elderly Scotch lady, after having extiognished her bed-
room candle in order W enjoy the view more fully, took op
a position in her bedroom close to a small winuow, from
wraith she continued to look out upon the beautifully moon-
lighted landscape. This dormer-window is ripen the
second floor, under the high tower, but at no great eleva-
tion, and just above the broad walk, which new replaces
the old breastwork upon the top of the Sailey-wall. It
looks towards the Borth, so that Mrs. S. no doubt enjoyed
the full view of this walk during her midnight meditation,
as well is the more distast prospect over the picturesque
valley of Scarsdale which extends below. Miss AL, a
young lady who seems to have felt equally disinclined to
rest, but who was evidently more entaiprising than the
calm and contemplative-minded S., after having
changed her evening dress for a comfortable sort of attire,
determined to sally faith upon a reconsoitriog expedition,
to which she was tempted by the delightful weather and
the bright moonlight. Alter some little trouble she
managed to get out of the house through • little door
which leads out upon the booed walk upon the Bailey-wall
from the first floor, but at the opposite end to that where
Mrs. S.'. room was situated, towards which she was comm.
quently walking after having left the keep. At first the
whole of her attention was absorbed by toe adjoining ruins
of the palatial part of 8010 iver, as well as by the strange
summer-house cut in stone and the old fountain which
still serve to ornament the garden within the semicircle of
the walL But, having gradually approached the northern
end, and being now about fifty yards distant from the
northern tower, she was very mock startled, on looting
op, to perceive, right in trout of her, what she could not
deem to be anything else than • spectral apparition. She
saw the alarmingly distorted features of • womaa, fedoonad
by an ample and old-fashioned nightcap, glaring at her as
she fancied with a pair of fierce eyes from close behind the
aforesaid former window. tier emotion io consequence of
this utterly unexpected surprise was so strong, that,
though of • stout hear', she could not help standing still,
at the same time throwing back her head and extending
her arms. In consequence of this movement, her light-
coloured hair, the lung tresses of which she had allowed to
fall loosely over her neck sad shoulders, as well as her
loog white mantle spread out to both sides, gave her an
attitude and look strongly resembling those of Lady Ara-
bella Stuart, as represented upon the picture which hung
in the pusage. Although the' hideous vision which so
much disturbed her bad vanished even more suddenly than
she had perceived it, Mss M. did not tarry long upon the
Bailey-wall after this adventure. but turned back as best
she could to her chamber, there to await the retort
of daylight, and the solution of this mysteniou incident.
When the company reassembled the following moraiog at
breakfast, everybody perceived that Mies AL could not have
slept very well, sod what seemed Moaner was that Mrs.
B.'s manner, who looked still more fatigued, had under-
gone totally en inoomprebensible change. She who bad
bees so agreeable by her cheerful cordiality, and had said
Dilly the evening before that it was her lineation to stay
for some days longer in this charming cad interesting place,
was now so cold and reserved that it almost auooyed the
host and bootee', who were among her oldest and her best
friends. From this it became evident to everyone that
something strange must have taken place during night,
but el what nature nobody could as yet dissever. As,
amass the arrivals of the previous day, there was only one
party of guest, who intended proceeding en their journey
in the afternoon, all the post-horses (for it was before the
axioms*e of railways in Dorbysiiirs), excepting one pair,
had been dismissed either to SWlllekl or to Chesterfield.
These horses Mrs. S. seat for from the village, sod, with-
out giving any previous intimation, ordered them to be pat
to her carriage ; whereupon She took an abrupt leave,
without will or asking for is r exploitation, and hu-
toned on her departure, never again to revisit the dreaded
regions of Saloom.. The poor lady, died about ten years
after this, without ever, as far as is known, having re-
calved a clue to the curious, and is itself harmless inci-
dent, which must have tasked her nerves sod temper
such a severe manner. When the sensation caused by
such at the time, strangely nascoouatable, and, to the
rest of the party, sadly pusthug, behaviour, had subsided,
and the confusion arising out of the misappropriation of
post-horses had boss obviated, the real truth began to
braaspire little by little from what Mies M. chose to tiosu-
ties ; bat it took years before the whets matter came oat,
and could be thoroughly sifted. It weed hardly be said
that the two ladies had mutually mistaken each other for
Ike wasderieg spirit of Lady Arabella Stuart."