The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-18
THE GHOSTS OF A PALACE.
UNCANNY STORIES THAT ARE TOLD
OF HAMPTON COURT.
Oner of IA south African Diamond
King 10 Purchase the Magnificent
Property Recalls Romantic Incl
dents in Its History.

London was set ast.r when Il was whis-
pered that the lord chamberlain had re-
ceived an offer for the purchase Of Hamp-
ton Court palace from one of the South
African diamond kings that London has
been seeing a good deal Of recently. The
| diamond king evidently desired TO eclipse
Mr. Astor, who not so long ago became
the possessor Of "CNevedon," that noble
seat on the Thames formerly in the oc-
cupancy OF the Duke Of Westminster.
The South African man wished to buy
the palace as 81 stood, with all It's pic
lures and relics. at any price and he
stated that 81 was his desire TO give there
a series OF fetes on a scale which this
country has hitherto been a stranger.
The queen. 1t Is said, was very much
amused at the offer. but the royal palace
will still remain under royal control. and
will continue to afford an asylum for her
maiestys impecunious proteges
The American visitor to London never
falls to visit Hampton Court. Westmins-
ter Abbey he may overlook. the Tower Of
London he may forget, but Hampton
Court-never! There are so many objects
Of interest in the place, even apart from
Its historical associations. In the splen-
did picture galleries are a series of por-
traits by Sir =. LEY including one OF
Marie DEste who was m.snamed Nell
GWynne. and one Of the Duchess of Rich
mond ia Belle StuarO, at one sitting for
which Il would seem the quaint Pepys
assisted for he says in his diary: "To
whitehall. where In one OF the galleries
there comes out OF the chayre-rOOne Mrs
Stewart IN a most lovely form. with her
hair all about her ears, having her picture
taken there. There was the king ard
twenty more, / think, standing by all the
while and lovely creature she an the
dress seemed to be-"
This lady 81 was who, by express royal
direction, sat for the emblematic figure
Of Britannia on the bronze pennies.
Among other artists represented IN INC
galleries are Rubens, Salvador Rosa, tt
tan Carnegie, etc. one whole room IS
devoted TO the works Of Sir Benjamin
West, the best painting in this collection
being The Death OF Gen. West"
The collection Of pictures dates from the
time Of Wolsey. who founded Hampton
Court palace. In the records of that time
the pictures are referred to either as TIA
bl~s' or painting on wood, or as painted
cloths" by which was meant works on
canvas. But at that early period the prin-
cipal decorations were arras and tapes
try. In the reign of Charles | 1872 pictures,
valued at $23,400 and collected by that art
loving monarch, existed at Hamilton
Court but these were scattered abroad by
the commonwealth, sharing the fate ~
his majestys other collections.
The manor of Hampton was granted ur-
to Wolsey by the Knight Hospi.aIe rs Of
l.
cardinal commenced to build. Ten years
later King Henry VII laid greedy han Is
upon the place. The king added very
largely to the palace not only building
the present great hall, but also raising
the whole roof of the palace as well.
1t was in 1910, while Henry VIII was
hving at Hampton Court with his queen,
Catherine Howard that he caused to be
placed over the gateway In the second
quadrangle the famous Astronomical
clock. The original clock which had been
removed in 1895, was put back in Its place
ded
II was from Hampton Court that Anne
Boleyn went TO be beheaded. and here
also it was that Jane Seymour gave birth
TO Edward vi and died. Philip and Mary
passed their honeymoon In the palace and
James l held in 1904 his conference with
the bishops and puritan leaders. Charles
l escaped from Hampton Court in 1917 and
a little Oliver Cromwell made the place
his residence. After the restoration of
Charles II gave the palace TO the Duke
of Albemarle, but repenting afterward, he
redeemed 1t and lived there himself
Later on William and Mary occupied
Hampton Court, and 1t was they who were
responsible for the modern improvements
The gardens and the maze at Hampton
Court are of course. features which add
to the pleasure of holiday visitors, but a
deeper and very different interest at
taches TO the ghosts, OF course 1t is an
old story about the HAMPTON Court
wraiths, but no definite information as to
the identity of the disembodied spirits
was forthcoming until the Mail and Ex-
press correspondent made personal inqui-
ries
A paragraph which has recently been
going the rounds of the papers announced
that the ghost had broken loose again
and this il was which aroused my curl
osity. / went to Hampton Court a few
days ago, in the afternoon 1t had been a
day of heavy rains, dull and exceedingly
oppressive, with thunder in the air When
1 reached the village the rain was over
and past, but heavy leaden clouds hung
over the palace, almost resting upon its
turrets and battlements. There was moth
ing glad or bright in the universal green
ness. The moss-covered powders by the
bridge spoke only of decay. Rivers or rain
ran over the red sandy pathways. looking
like pale blood in the uncertain light. as
1 passed through the lions gate into the
palace grounds.
1t was time for spooks. but. although
have liking for those things which are
only family known to our philosophy, I
felt unwontedly depressed. To fortifv nv
self dropped in a bakery in the village
but the pretty girl who served me with
tea and buns RECALLED me also with stories
of blood-curdling "appearances"-sto
she had heard from the palace servants
and which she now retold with awe and
round-eyed wonder. For the most mart
these stories were incoherent and discon-
nected l learned, however, that there
was not one ghost, but three, and out of
the confusion these three figures stood
forth with tolerable distnctness.
In the first place, there is q lady-Anne
of Cleves she is supposed to be-who. ig-
noring the conventions of the spirit world
walks abroad a. night clothed in gar.
ments of black, instead of the snowy ap-
parel which we have been taught TO look
for. Then there lis another visitant whose
sex is unknown. as its presence is made
manifest only through the sense of hear
| ing; and, lastly, there is the soldier. But.
having inwardly digested both the buns
and the stories, I proceeded TO the palace
to make inquiries on my own account. Il
was after 6 o'clock. The picture galleries
were closed and visitors had departed.
The night guard had come on duty. and to
one of these wardens, grim and gray. l
addressed myself
Imparting what degree Of levity I could
summon into my speech I said. NV
/ friend, have you ever seen any Of these
spooks the silly serving wenches AK 40
much about?' But had made a mistake
/ To couple the cherished traditions of me
place with the irresponsible bqbh}a OF
| servant girls was objectionable The
medals shook on the veterans ches. with
the force Of his suppressed indignation.