The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-01-26
A TRUE GHOST STORY.
AREMAEKAele EXPERIENCE OF siSH-
oP wiLseRFoRCE.

The Quiet Guest at the Country House and
the singular and Important Disclosure
He Made " hen Addressed by the Bishop.
The Estate Changed Owners.
The following remarkable in,ldent
in the life of the late Samuel Wilber-
force, bishop Of Oxford and af-erwsrd
OF Winchester. ia related as absolutely
authentic, and the good bishop himself
is said to have many times rs'learsed
the story to his friends Bishop Viii
berforce was most prominent ;.nscug his
contemporaries of the English clergy
and WAS once n leader of the high
church party. He. however. frequent
" found time to devote to the o9cial
side of life and was sometimes styled
the bishop OF society.
On "A certain occasion the worthy
bishop had accepted an invitation 20
stay at d country house not far tr.;5n
London. Entering the drawing ron
previous ts dinner on the evening OF "a"
arrival, he noticed (; priest-cyiden.i.'
of the Roman com iuniOn sitting by
the open Ere and t king no part in the
general c,nyaTsati, \. The bishop was
somewhat surpris 4 at not being pre-
scented tosthe pr 81. and his astonish-
ment was great Ian. a few moments
later. dinner ing announced. til"
guests retired. = avlug the priest M his
place by 5he tn The hostess having
assigned Bishor Wherefore the seat of
hondr at her night hand. "a soon ~ an
opportunity offered M remarked:
Il be- your pardon, madam. hut
may ] inquire vino WAS the priest We
left sitting aI,nrt in the drawing room?'
"Ah. Won have seen him. them re-
Piled the lady. 1T is not every one
who has that privilege. cannot tell
vou vino he i az whence he comes.
For many years this specter has haunted
the house and grounds-it has. in fact.
oeen il tradition In the family. lie
seems t. do no harm. and although h.
appears only occasionally we hay' be
come quite accustomed To- our friendly
ghost.
How Wy singular" remarked hi-
lori,hip. But hav. ynu meyer adj
dressed your prio>tly >p"ctag:
Indeed. { have bad 400 opportunity,
nor Aif' ftf~a'fs H'. #.tf. fAI....is H.
spondcI the hostess. rga" = pale.
May gts. tur ila:.y lpv IL
quired the di-,i1ary.
With all my hrl.t. -,#r had ship.
replied tn lady. Tho bishop aIt'-.
and returning t. The drawing ru.ll
found the priest where he had left him
a few miuuts before. Having no / 81.
the bishop said kindly;
Who are you. my Giiend. and why
are you here
The specter seemed IL sigh deeply a4,I
say. as thpugh t. itself. Nj Last
Then. in a hollow voice, ADDE'S ing
the bishop. it continued: Il am the
spirit IF "a priest who left thi, world
SOM" - y7r- ago. and | am here To
impart to amy one who will receive it
a secret which died with me. ! could
not rest In my grave while a great
wrong WA being dome which il WIS III
my power t. right. | have been ~
ruruiu. sd, -h.-s yrHr- il tn hope some
one would aIIrr-- me. for il was not
given t. me o. t" IN" first Jp~Ieak. Al!
men have Summed mr until now, and
Il is your mission 10 30 my bidding. |
vas "A priest of the church 81 Rome
ana was called Ia this house 20 years
aga ~ receive the confession of a dying
man. He was the sole po>ses,or Of II
secret. the knowledge Of which would
alter materially the entail Of this vast
stat. and in his denim this man wished
TO repair the terrible wrong he had
brought upon hi kin.
AT hi request | wrote down the
confession word for word, as he gave
il To me. and when he finished had
barely time To- administer the final sac
rament of the church before he expired
in my arms. II was very important
that | should return TO London that
night, and III passing through the libra
ny to leave the house | concluded it
would he safer moi 10 carry the paper
on which was written the confession
away with me, bat TO place IL in -orne
secure, unseen spot. where | could OBJ
tain it the following day and deliver
the document to the person for whom
il was intended. Mounting the steps
70 the book shelves, / took out "A copy
Of Young's Might Thoughts which
was the first book upon the uppermost
shelf nearest the last window, n in
serting the paper carefully between Its
leaves | replaced the book and depart
ed. A horse was awaiting me at the
door. hut ere we reached b entrance
Of the grounds he took fright. | was
thrown and instantly killed. Thus died
the secret of my confessor with me. NJ
one has disturbed that book j N all these
wears. and no one mas had the courage
70 address this messenger from the IN
known. The paper will be found as ]
have stated. and now remains for you
to correct the injustice which has 50
long been upon this noble family. Ny
mission is over. and ! a rest in
peace"