Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-28
THE MYSTERY OF CLAIMS CASTLE.
A Secret That Is Jealously Guarded and
Dciies Conjecture.


Tho. approaching marriage Of Mr..
Augustus Jessup,. of Philadelphia, to Lazy
Mildred LYON, the sister of the present
Earl of Strathmore. says Lucy Harper's
Paris letter in Chicago Tribune. has
called forth in many of the American
papers long dissertations on the Strath-
more mystery, or, as II y errOneouSlS
called. the Ghost of Glamis Castle. Not
that the old historic stronghold does not
boast of innumerable spectres, but
ghosts are common enough in the legends
0f the ancient castles Of Europe. Not so
the mystery of the Stmthmores. That ~
sui qfne,5s: it Is iucomprehensible and
weird and strange to the last degree. 1t
dofes conjecture. and rs the secret ~
iealously guarded 10y the family, it natu-
rally is beyond investigation. The story,
as related to me by a Scottish gentleman
the other day (ny informant IS well &C
qusinted with the Lyon family, Is tho
roughly well known that Is, 80 much OF n
az has ever leaked out. 1t IS simply as fol-
lows.
The day that Lord Glamis. the heir to tho
earidom of ~trafhm0re. attalns bis MAORI
~. he is initiateh by the Earl himself into
p knOwledgeOf the secret. This knowledge
IS shared oy one other person only, and
that person. strange to say, Is the factor or
agent who has charge or the estate. J ms
stated that the mOmentOus revela-
tion Is made in n certain walied-up
room IN the most ancient part OF the
castle, the door of which IL broken open
ON the occasion and then instantly closed
MP again. And whatever the secret may
be- il IS too terrible and important ever 10
be revealed More than once the young
neir. on the eve of his initiation. has
solemnlv sworn 10 HIS youthful friends to
q stfit, for
to scorn the idea Il family mysteries IN
the uiueteepth century. But the promise
has invariably been broken. On one Ocra-
sion the Lord Glainis of tho day, shcptl-
cal. strOng-minded young man, declared 90
Gentleman who was his intimate friend.
that hc would. after coming Of age, reveal
to him thc secret. pIcdging himself TO coW-
NIT suicide IT be broke hls word. The
twentv-hrst birthday Of Lord CLAIMS
came and passed. and his friend met hlm
~ London irW months later
"Nnat about the family secret sad
bis friend hail, icstlugiy. But 10 was with
tine utmost gravity that Lord Glams re-
piled: IF vDu exact the penalty VIII
kan myself. bat cannot reveal the secret
OF course the penalty was not eNacted. hu'
nav iuiprman. declared that the future
Earl of Srrathmore would certainly hay"
shot himself rather than toll the
story Of which before he knew II he
had spoken OF so lightly. "A tO the
whereabouts of the secret room that,
too. Is q profound mystery. On one Oc-
ca.ion party 0f Young people who We're
visiting al tine castle attempted 10 find ont
It's position bv hanging towel from every
window 10 which they had access. prohtlug
bv the absence for the day ot their host,
the Earl, 10 try their experiment. donot
know # thev succeeded IN discovering any
hut 40 q n - r
turn of Lord StratnmOre. and on his learn
inc what his guests had been doing, ho
gaye out that important business would
prevent hun from having the pleasure of
entertaining them any longer and dismissed
thorn oncaud all cOurteOusly but firmly 70
their homes.
But. apart from the family mystery.
the ghosts of tilauis are as numerous as
they are celebrated. The most noted,
and also the most unpleasant of them all,
i- the spectre Of q bearded man IN armor,
who il visible 20 the dead OF the night
in certain of the bed-chamh hers m the Older
part of the castle. Sometimes httle
children who have come with their pa
rents 10 VISIT the master and mistress IT
the castle are wa6eucd up by this war-like
figure. which comes and bends over their
couchoq 70. they lio asleep and which, on
fhcir being aroused, instantly yanisheS.
Then there j. noise OF pounding and
hammcrine which goes on at times all
night nm the ancient square tower OF tn"
castle. % the Inhsite discomfort OF tho'e
who happen TO be within elrshot Of IL.
once too. according to my informant, 0
gentleman guest was awakened from p
sound sleep toy a strange h"nt that per
yalnd his bedroom. lie looked around
and saw % h,s horror two spiral flames
motutiu, toward the ceiling from q spot
I'm thc centre of the floor ic imagined
that the castle was on fire. and. Selling hls
Water-pitcher. he dashed its contents al
once over the flames. but without the
slightest effect. Then opening his door,
hc called Justify for assistance. The only
person who heard his shout for help was
lord Strathmore himself lie glanced at
the strange lights with perfect composure.
aud. merely rouaTking, The housckecper
gave yOu this room by mistake con-
Quoted his guest 10 another bed
chamber end lett him TO resume his
interrupted slumbers. But perhaps tho
strange.t Of an these appartionS Is that
of the elegant gentleman IN leces and vel
vets of the last century, who Is sometimes
seen playing at cards IN a certain upstairs
room with an invisible antagonist, and Who
Us reported 20 be- the spectre Of q gay gal
lnt of thc family, who stabbed his 'ppo-
uent over the card table aud who i- forced
fo continue his gnastly game till dOoms-