The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-28
A STRANGE VISION.
How u Doctor of Divinity Saw Ghost
BY His Side.

by His Side.
The Rev. Augustus Jessopp, D. D., ha
published in the London Athngum q re
markable account Of an apparition Q
which he was the witness in Lord Or
rord's library, at Warrington Hall, Nor
folk, in October last. After dinner, thu
party having broken up at 1920, DR.. Jcs
sopp retired to the library to take notes o
some OF the rare books which 1t contains
What befel him there he thus narrates:
"By II o'clock | was the only person
down stairs, and was very soon busily
at work and absorbed in my occupation
The room in which was writing is large
one, with huge fireplace and grand old
chimney, and it is needless to say that il
is furnished with every comfort and lux.
ury. The library opens into this room,
and had to pass out from where l was
sitting into this library and get upon q
chair to reach The volumes ] wanted TO ex-
anime. There were six small volumes in
all. took them down and placed them
at my right hand in little pile, and set TO
work-sOmetimes reading, sometimes
writing. AS I finished with a book |
placed in front of me. There were four
silver candlesticks upon the table, the can
dies burning, and, as am chilly person,
sat myself at one corner OF the table, with
the fire at my left, and at intervals, as
| had finished with book, rose, knocked
the fire together, and stood up TO warm
my feet. continued in this way at my
task till nearly O'Clock. ! had got on
better than expected, and had only one
more book to occupy me. ] rose, wound
up my watch, and opened bottle OF seltz-
er water, and remember thinking to my
self that I should get TO bed by 2 after all
set to work at the last little book.
had been engaged upon it about bali an
hour, and was Just beginning to think that
my work was drawing TO a close, when, as
! was actually writing, saw large white
hand within a foot OF my elbow. Turning
my head, there sat a figure OF somewhat
large man, with his back TO the fire, bend
ing slightly over the table, and apparently
examining the pile OF books that l had
been ut work upon. The mans face was
turned away from me, but l saw closely
cut reddish brown hair, his ear and shaved
cheek, the eyebrow, 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 a
kind OF ecclesiastical habit OF thick corded
silk, or some such material, close up 10
the throat and narrow rim or edging, OF
about an inch broad, OF satin or velvet,
serving as a stand.up collar, and fitting
close to the chin. The right hand, which
first attracted my attention, was clasping,
without any great pressure, The left hand ;
both hands were in perfect repose, and
the large blue veins OF the right were con-
spicuous. I remember thinking that the
hand was like the hand OF Velasquez'
magnificent dead Knight" in the Nation
al gallery. Hooked 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; curl,
osity and strong interest were upper
most. For an instant felt eager to make
a sketch OF my friend, and ] looked at a
tray on my right for q pencil; then I
thought, 'Up stairs l have q sketch
book. Shall l fetch itY There he
sat, and 1 was fascinated; afraid,
not OF his staying, but lest
he should go. Stopping in my writing, l
lifted my left hand from the paper,
stretched it out 10 the pile OF books, and
moved the top one. | cannot explain
why did this-my arm passed in front
OF the figure, and it vanished. 1 went on
with my writing as II nothing had hap
pened,. perhaps for another five minutes,
and l had actually got to the last few
words Of what l had determined to ex-
tract, when the figure appeared again,
exactly in the same place and attitude as
before. saw the hands close to my own;
turned my head again, to examine him
more closely, and l was framing q sem
tepce to address to him, when l discov-
cred that did not dare to speak. was
afraid OF the sound Of my own voice.
There he sat, and there sat !. l 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 nervousness. |
could point out the words was
writing when the phantom came
and when he disappeared. Having fin.
ished my task, shut the book and
threw 1t on the table; it made slight
noise rs it. fell-the figure vanished.
Throwing myself back in my chair, | sal
for some seconds looking at the fire with O
curious mixture OF feeling, and remember
wondering whether my friend would come
again, and, II he did, whether he would
hide the fire from me. Then first there
stole upon me a dread and suspicion that
| was beginning 10 lose my nerve. re-
member ynwning; then rose, lit my bed
room candle, took my books into the inner
library, mounted the chair rs before, ant
replaced five OF the volumes; the sixth
brought back and laid upon the table
where had been writing when the phan
tom did me the honor to appear to me
By this time had lost all sense Of uueasi
ness. ! blew out the four candles ant
marched of to bed, where slept the sleel
Of the Just or the guilty. know no
which-6ut l slept very soundly. This i
u simple and unvarnished narrative o
-. E-,ianatinn thanFv Or tnfaranRp