Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-02-09
A TRUE GHOST STORY
REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE OF
BISHOP WIlBERFORCE.
Disclosure He Made to the
bishop.

| duIhtutiC, anu tiS Soou oiohoP hih
self is said to have many times re-
hearsed the story to his friends.
Bishop Wilberforce was most prom
inent among his contemporaries of the
English clergy and was once leader
of the high church party. He, how
ever, frequently found time to devote
to the social side of life and was some
times styled the " bishop of society"
On a certain occasion the worthy
bishop had accepted an invitation to
stay at country house not far from
London. Entering the drawing room
previous to dinner on the evening OF
his arrival, he noticed a priest
evidently OF the Roman communion
sitting by the open fire and taking no
part in the general conversation.
The bishop was somewhat surprised at
not being presented to the priest, and
his astonishment was great when, a
few moments later, dinner being an
nounced, the guests retired, leaving
the priest at his place by the fire.
The hostess having assigned Bishop
WilberfOrce the seat Of honor at her
right hand, as soon as an opportunity
offered he remarked:
al beg your pardon, madam, but
may inquire who was the priest we
left sitting apart in the drawing roomT
"Ah, you have seen him, thenY re-
piled the lady. ct is not every one
who has that privilege. l cannot tell
you who he il or wherce he comes.
For many years this specter has
haunted the house and grounds-it
has, in fact, been a tradition in the
family. He seems to do no harm, and
although he appears only occasionally
we have become quite accustomed to
our friendly ghost"
How very singular" remarked his
lordship. But have you never ad-
dressed your priestly specter?"
"Indeed, l have had no opportunity,
nor the desire, for that matter" re-
sponded the hostess, growing pale.
"May 1 take the liberty nowi" in
quired the dignitary.
"With all my heart, your lordship,"
replied the lady. The bishop arose,
and returning to the drawing room
found the priest where he had left him
. few minutes before. Having no
fear, the bishop said kindly:
"Who are you, my friend, and why
are you here?"
The specter seemed to sigh deeply
and say, as though to itself, "At last"
Then, in hollow voice, addressing
the bishop, it continued: Il am the
spirit of priest who left this world
some 80 years ago. and am here to
impart to any one who will receive it
secret which died with me. l could
not rest in my grave while great
wrong was being done which it was in
my power to right. have been re.
turning all these years in the hope that
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 bidding. 1 was q priest OF the
Church of Rome and was called to this
house 80 years ago to receive the con-
fession of dying man. He was the
cole possessor OF secret, the knowl.
edge OF which would alter materially
the entail OF this vast estate, and in
his death this man wished to repair
the terrible wrong he had brought
upon his kin.
"At his request 1 wrote down the
confession word for word, as he gave it
to me, and when he finished had bare
ly time to administer the anal sac
rament OF the church before he ex-
pired in my arms. 1t was very i'm.
portant that / should return to
London that night, and in passing
through the library to leave the house
I concluded it would be safer not 70
carry the paper on which was written
the confession away with me, but to
place it in some secure, unseen spot,
where could obtain it the folio wing
day and deliver the document to the
person for whom it was intended.
Mounting the steps to the book shelves
1 took out copy of Young's Night
Thoughts which was the first book
upon the uppermost shelf nearest the
last window, and inserting the paper
carefully between its leaves replaced
the book and departed. A horse was
awaiting me at the door, but ere we
reached the entrance of the grounds
he took fright. I was thrown and
instantly killed. Thus died the secret
of nv confessor with me. No one has
disturbed that book in all these years,
and no one has had the courage to ad-
dress this messenger from the un-
known. The paper will be found as l
have stated, aud now remains for you
to correct the injustice which has 80
long been upon this noble family.
MY mission is over, and l can rest in
peace"
At the close of this remarkable
speech the specter faded gradually
from sight, and the bishop was lett
gazing into space. Recovering from
his astonishment, Bishop Wilbefforce
went at once to the library and found
the book exactly as indicated by the
specter. In its secluded corner, upon
the top shell, thick with the dust OF