The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-03
A GHOST STORY.
The Death of the Dissipated Lord
LyttIetOn Century Ago.
From House hold NNnrds


From Household Words.
Lord Lyttleton, in the winter of the year
ITS, had retired from the metropolis, with
a party of his dissipated companions, to
profane the Christmas at his country
house, Pit Place, near EPSON, in Surrey.
They had not long abandoned themselves
to the indulgence of their disolute orgies,
when a sudden and unexpected gloom was
cast over the party by the extraordinary
depression of spirits and detection of coun-
tenapce which were observed to take pos
session of their host 1t was in vain that
he attempted to Silence the inquiries of
the guests on the subject of his detection
They were convinced that he was i'll, or
had met with loss at play, or was crossed
in love; and his denial of all these impu-
tations only excited a more eager curiosity
to be informed of the origin of his depres-
sion. Thus urged, he at last determined
to reveal the secret that SO painfully de-
pressed him.
The night before, on his retiring to bed
after his servant was dismissed and his
light eXtinguished, he had heard noise
resembling the flutIering of a dove at his
chamber window. This attracted his at
tenton to the spot, when, looking in the
direction Of the sound, he saw the figure
of an unhappy female, whom he had Sc
duced ana deserted, ana who, when de-
serted had put violent end to her own
existence; she was standing in the apper-
ture of the window from which the nut
tering sound had proceeded. The form
approached the foot of the bed-the room
was supernaturally light, the objects of
the chamber were distinctly visible. Rails
ing her hand and pointing to a dial which
stood on the mantelpiece of the chimney
the figure with a severe solemnty of voice
and manner, announced to the appalled,
and conscience-stricken man that at that
very hour on the third day after the Wis
itation his life and his sins would be con-
Guided, and nothing but their punishment
remain, if he awaited himself not Of The
warning to repentance which he had re-
ceived
The eye Of his lordship glanced on the
dial the hand was on the stroke Of T.
Again the apartment was involved in to-
tai darkness, the warning spirit disappear
ed, and bore away al its departure all the
lightness of heart and buoyaucy Of spirit
which had formerly distinguished the un-
happy being of whom the tremendous
summons had been delivered.
On the succeeding day his lordshlp's
guests, with the connivance Of his at
tendants, had provided that the clocks
throughout the house should be ad-
Vanced an hour, without the impOsture
being discovered. Ten o'clock struck
the nobleman was silent and depressed
Eleven struck-the depression deepened
and now not even smile indicated him
to be conscious Of the efforts Of his
associates, as they attempted to dispal
his gloom. Twelve struck. He returned
20 his chamber convinced of his securi
~, and believing that the hour of peril
was now past.
Lord Lytteton's guests remained to-
gether to await the completion of the
time SO ominously designated by the
vision. a quarter Of an hour had elapsed
-'hey heard the valet descend from his
master 5 room; 1t was just T. His lord