The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-02-10

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~ 1ppepntar Of 1iahsp Wilhaff1rce
With en- Apparitoa.
The New York Times relates IN extra
ordinary iooidsat in the life Of the lsts
Bishop Samuel Wilberforse, the noted Eo-
elisb clergyman. and leader Of the high
church party. The remarkable occurrence
was often rehearsed BY Bishop WILDER
force to his friends:
On certain occasion the worthy bish-
op had accepted An Invitation to stay 1t
= country house not far from London.
Entering the drawing room previous to
dinner on the evening of his arrival, he
pot,ced priest evidently Of the Roman
COMMUNICATING by the open fre and
taking no part in the conversation The
Bishop was somewhat surprised at not
being presented to the priest. and bis aston
ishment was great when, few moments
later, dinner being announced, the guests
retired leaving the priest at bis place BY
the fire. The hostess having assigned
Bishop Wilberforce the seat of honor 1t
her right hand, As soon as an opportunity
offered he remarked:
~ beg your pardon, madam, but may
inquire who was the priest We left sit
ting apart in the drawing room7"
"Ah, you have seen him, theni" re-
piled the lady. ut is not every one who
has that privilege. l cannot tell you who
he il or whence he comes. Fog many
years this specter has haunted the house
and grounds-it has, in fact, been ira
dition in the family. He seems to do no
harm, and although he appears only &C.
casionally We have become quite accus-
toned to our friendly ghost"
"How very singuluar!" remarked his
lordship. "But have your never addressed
your priest spectera"
"Indeed, have had no opportunity,
nor the desire for that matter, responded
the hostess, growing pale.
"May l take the liberty uow7" inquired
the diSu;tary.
"With all my heart, your lordship, re.
piled the lady. The bishop arose. and re.
turning to the drawing room found the
priest where he had left him few min
utes before. Having no fear, the bishop
said kindly:
.Who are you, my friead, and why are
You here"
The specter seemed to sigh deeply and
cay, Is though to itself, "At lastl"
Then, in hollew voice addressing the
bishop, 1t continued: II am the spirit
OF q priest who Left this world some 80
years ago, and am here to impart to
anyone who will receive it secret which
died with me. could not rest in my
grave while great wrong was being done,
which it was in my power to right. l
have been returning all these years in the
hope some one would address me, for it
was not given to me to be the first to
speak. All men have stunned me until
now, and it is your mission to do my bid
ding. was priest Of the church Of
Rome and was called to this house 80
years. ago to receive the confession Of 4
dying man. he was the sole pAssessor
of secret, the knowledge Of which would
alter materially the entail Of this vast es-
tate. In his death this mau wished to re.
PAIR the terrible wrong be had brought
upon his kin.
AT this request ! wrote down the I'm
fcssion word for word, a. he gave it to
me, and when he finished had barely
time to administer the final sacrament of
the church when he expired in my arms.
1t was very important that should return
to London that night, and in passing
through the library to leave tho house
concluded it would 10 safer not to carry
the paper on which was written the con.
fession away with me, but to place it in
some secure unseen spot, where could
obtain it the following day and deliver
the document to the person for whom it
was intended. Mounting the steps to the
book shelves, ! took out copy of Young's
Night Thought which was the first book
upon the uppermost shelf nearest to the
last window, and inserting the paper care
fully between its leaves replaced the
book and departed. A horse was await
ing me at the door, but ere We reached
the entrance of the grounds he took fright.
! was thrown and instantly killed. Thus
died the secret Of my confessor with me.
No one has disturbed that book in oil
these years. and no ono has had tho cour-
age to adde's the messenger from the
unknown. The paper will will be found
- have stated, and now remains for you
to correct the injustice which has so long
been upon this noble family. Ny mission
ie over, and / can rest in peace"
At the close of this remarkable speech
the specter faded gradually from sight,
and the bishop was left gazing into space.
Recovering from his astonishment, Bish-
op Wherefore went at once to the
library and found the hool avactlv a. in