The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-11-11
The Beresford Ghost.

| the month OF OCTOBER, l6So,
Tr:stram and Lady Beresford went on
visit TO her sister, Lady Macgill, at GIL
| Hall, now the seat of Lord Clanw.iEan
whose grandmother was eventually the
heiress of Sir j. Macgilrs property. One
| morning SIR Tristram rose early, leaving
| Lady Beresford asleep, and went out Tor
| a walk before breakfast. When his Wl1e
| Joined the table very late, her appearance
and the embarrassment of her manner,
| attracted general attention, especially
| that CT her husband. He made anxious
| inquiries as TO her health, and asked ner
apart what mad occurred 10 her wrist,
| which was ted up with black ribbon tight
| iy Bound round 1t. Sne earnestly entreated
him not to inquire more then, or hereafter,
as to the cause of her wearing or continu-
irg afterwards to wear that ribbon; for,
she added YOU VIII never see me without
it He replied: Since you urge it so We
hemently, / promise you not to inquire
more about it..
after completing her hurried break
fast, she made anxious inquiries as 10
whether the post had yet arrived. 1t had
noteyet come in, and Sir Tristram asked:
Why are you SO particularly eager about
letters today% Because l expect to hear
of Lord Tyrone's death, which took place
ON Tuesday Well, remarked Sir IRIS
tram, I never should have put you down
for a superstititious person; but I sup
pose that some idle dream has disturbed
YOU Shortly after, the servant brought
in the letters; one was sealed with black
wax 1T is as 1 expected she cried; he
is deadn The letter was from Lord Ty-
rone's steward, to inform them that his
master had died in Dublin, on Tuesday,
October IA, al p. m Sir Tristram endeav-
ored 10 console her, and begged her to re-
strain her grief, when she assured him
that she felt relieved and easier now that
she knew the actual fact. She added: L
can now give you a most satisfactory
piece of intelligence, viz, that I am with
child, and that il will be a boy A son
was born in the following July. Sir Iris
tram survived its birth little more than
six years.
After his death Lady Beresford contin-
ued to reside with her young family at his
place in the county of Derry, and seldom
went from home. She hardly mingled with
any neighbors or friends. excepting with
Mr. and Mrs. Jackson of Coleraine. He
was the principal parsonage in that town,
and was, by his mother. near relative
of Sir Tr:stram. His wife was the daugh-
ter of Robert Gorges, LID, Ia gentleman
of good old English family, and possessed
of a considerable estate in the county Of
Meath. by Jane LOTUS, daughter of Sir
Adam Lotus of Rathfarnham, and sister
of Lord Lisburne. They had an only son,
Richard GorgeS, who was in the army,
and became a general officer very early
in life. With the Jacksons Lady Beresford
maintained a constant communication, and
lived on the most intimate terms, while
she seemed determined to eschew all other
society and TO remain in her chosen re-
trement.
AT the conclusion of three years thus
passed, one luckless day Young Gorges'
most vehemently professed his passion for
her, and solicited her hand, urging his suit
in a most passionate appeal, which was
evidently not displeas:ng to the fair widow
and which, unfortunately for her, was sue
cesSful. They were married in 110i One
son and two daughters were born to them,
when his abandoned and dissolute conduct
forced her TO seek and to obtain separa-
ton. After this had continued for four
years, Gen. Gorges pretended extreme PEN
itence for has past misdeeds, and with the
most solemn promises of amendment in
duced his wife to live with him again,
and she became the mother of a second
son. The day month after her confine-
ment happened to be her birthday, and
having recovered, and feeling herself equal
to some exertion, she sent for her son,
Sir Marcus Beresford, then twenty years
old, and her married daughter, Lady Riv
erstone. She also invited DR.. King, the
Archbishop of Dublin (who was an init
mate friend, and an old clergyman who
had chr.stened her, and who had always
kept up most kindly intercourse with
her during her whole life, to make up a
small party to celebrate the day. In the
early part of 1t Lady Beresford was en-
gagged in kindly conversation with her
old friend the clergyman, and in the course
of it said: You know that 1 am forty
eight this day?' No. indeed he replied.
you are only forty-seven, for your mother
had a dispute with me once on the very
subject of your age, and l in consequence
sent and consulted the registry, and can
most confidently assert that you are only
forty-seven this day You have signed
my death-warrant, then.' she cried; leave
me- pray, for I have not much longer TO
Hve but have many things of grave i'm
portance to settle before / die. Send my
son and my daughter 10 me Immediately
The clergyman did as he was bidden. He
directed Sir Marcus and his sister to go
instantly to their mother; and he sent to
the Archbishop and a few other friends
to put them off from joining the birthday
party.
When her two children repaired TO Lady
Beresford she thus addressed them: II
have something of deep Importance TO COM
municate to you, my dear children, before
l die. You are no strangers TO the init
macy and the affection which subs.sted
in early life between Lord Tyrone and my
self We were educated together when
young under the same roof, in the perni-
c!ous principles OF Deisn. Our real friends
afterwards took every opportunity TO con-
vince us of our error, but their arguments
1
our infidelity, though they had the effect
of shaking our confidence in ii, and leav-
ing US wavering between the two opinions
In this perpleXing state Of doubt we made
a solemn promise one to the other, that
whichever died first should, IL permitted,
appear TO the other for the purpose of de-
claring what religion was the one accept
able TO the Almighty. One night, years af-
| ter this interchange OF promises, l was
sleeping with your father al Gil Hall.
| when 1 suddenly awOke and discovered
Lord Tyrone sitting visibly by the side OF
the bed. 1 screamed out, and vainly en-
| deavored TO arouse Sir Tristram. Tell
me-" I said, Lord Tyrone, why and
wherefore are you here at this time Of the
nght?'' Have you, then, forgotten our
promise TO each other, pledged in early
| life2 l died on Tuesday, al O'Clock
/ have been permitted thus to appear n or
| der 10 assure you that the revealed re-
! Hgion is the true and only one by when
! We can be saved. am also suffered TO
| inform you that you are with child. and
/ viii produce a son. who viii marry the
/ heress; that Sir Tristram Will not live
| long, when you will marry again, and you
| VIII die in your forty-seventh year.
| II begged OF him some convincing sign
| or proof. so that when the morning came
| -atv frnnr ard feel saciS1le ]
| that his appearance had been real and
| that It was not The phantom OF my inag-n-
| alton He caused the haagings OF the bed
- ,r-rrSnr al ~