Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-14
A VISION OF THE NIGHT.
How Doctor Of Divinity Saw Ghost by
His Side.

published in the London Athen @ua re.
markable account of an apparition OF
which he was the witness in Lord OK
ford's library at Warrington hall, Nor
folk, in October, 1879. After dinner the
party having broken up at 1880 o'clock
DR.. Jessop retired to the library to take
notes of some Of the rare books which il
contains. What befell him there he thus
narriates:
BY eleven o'clock was the only per-
son down stairs, and I was very soon
busily at work and absorbed In my occu-
patton. The room in which / was writ
ing is large one. with huge fireplace
and grand old chimney, and 1t is need
less to say that it Is furnished with every
comtort.and luxury. The library opens
into this room, and I had to pass out
from where was sitting into this library
and get upon chair to reach the vel
umes l wanted to examine. There were
six small volumes in all. took them
down and placed them at my right hand
in little pile, and set to work-some-
times reading. sometimes writing. AS
finished with book placed it IN front
of me. There were four silver candle
sticks upon the table, the candles all
burning, and, as I am chilly person, 1
set myself at one corner of the table with
the fire at my left, and at intervals, as I
had finished with book, rose, knocked
the fire together, and stood up to warm
nv feet. / continued in this way at my
task till nearly one o'clock. had got
on better than I expected, and had
only one more book to occupy me. I
rose, wound up my watch and opened
bottle of seltZer water, and remember
thinking to myself should get to bed
by two o'clock after all. set TO work at
the last little book. I had been engaged
upon it about half an hour, and was just
beginning to think that my work was
drawing to close, when, as | was actu-
ally writing, saw large white hand
within a foot of my elbow. Turning my
head, there sat figure of a somewhat
large man, with his back to the fire,
bending slightly over the table, and APP
parently examining the pile OF books
that had been at work upon. The mans
face was turned away from me, but l saw
close-cut reddish brown hair, his ear
and shaved cheek, the corner of the right
eye, the side OF the forehead, and the
large high cheekbOne. He was dressed In
what, can only describe as kind Of &C.
clesiastical habit Of thick corded silk, or
some such material, close up to the
throat, and narrow rim or edging, OF
about an inch broad, of satin or velvet,
serving as stand up collar, and fitting
close to the chin. The right hand,
which had at first attracted my
attention, was clasping, with great
pressure, the left hand, both hands we're
in perfect repose, and the large blue
veins.ot the right hand we're consp1su-
Gus. I remember thinking that the hand
was like the hand of Velasquez's mag
nifcent dead Knight in the national
gallery. looked at my visitor for some
seconds, and was perfectly sure that he
was not reality. A thousand thoughts
came crowding upon me, but not the
least feeling OF alarm, or even uneasiness;
curiosity and a strong interest were up
permost. For an instant I felt eager to
make sketch CT my friend, and look
ed at tray on my rightfor pencil then
l thought, Cup stairs I have sketch
box; shall l fetch 1t9' There he sat and
1 was fascinated; afraid, not of his stay
ing, but lest he should 60. Stopping in
my writing, I lifted my hand from the
paper, stretched it out to the pile of
books, and moved the top one. cannot
explain why did this-my arm passed
in front OF the fignre and it vanished. /
was simply disappointed and nothing
more. went on with my writing as it
nothing had happened, perhaps for an
other five minutes, and | had actually
got to the last of the few words of what I
had determined to extract. when the fig
ure appeared again, exactly in the same
place and attitude as before. l saw the
hand close to my own;I turned my head
again to examine him more closely, and
l was framing sentence to address to
him, when discovered that I did not
dare speak.
I was afraid of the sound of my own
voice. There he sat, and there sat I. ]
turned my head again to my work, and
finished writing the two Or three words
still HAD to write. The paper and my
notes are at this moment before me, and
exhibit not the slightest tremor or nerv-
business. could point out the words l
was writing when the phantom came and
when he disappeared. Having finished
my task, shut the book and three it
On the table; it made slight noise as it
fell-the figure vanished. Throwing my
self back in my chair, sat for some sec
onds looking at the fire with curious
mixture of feeling, and l remember
wondering whether my friend would
come again and. if he did, whether he
would hide the fire from me- Then there
stole upon me dread and suspicion
that was beginning to lose my nerve.
I remember yawning; then / rose, lit my
bedroom candle, took my books into the
inner library, mounted the chairs as
before, and replaced five of the volumes;
the sixth 1 brought back and laid upon
the table where had been writing when
the phantom did me the honor to ap
pear to me. By this time had lost all
sense of uneasiness. blew out the four
candles and marched off to bed where /
slept the sleep of the just or the guilty
1 know mot which-but I slept very
soundly This iss simple and I'm
yarnished parratiye of facts. Reclamation