The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-05-19
4 TRUE Gnvs oIVhl
RES REM4AskAeLE ExP6RssrSs r.
slssop wlLseRFoRcE

etsAop WHEREFORE.
Singular sid Tnsp~ srtsHt Di.cI".u,
Made by the quiet n'-ricai 1a~at !
an Engif~h c~ountSy H"n-~ Whe
Addressed ny the BIshA..
The following reTi,arkabIe fHrx lent |
the life of tie Iafe Samuel WiIberfofct
bishop Of Oxford aud afterward o
Wineflester. is related as aBso4utcf.
authentic. and the good bishop lBitnsel
is said TO hay. many tunes rel,ea rset
the story 10 his friends:
On a certain occasion the worthy
bishop had accepted an invitation t.
stay at a country house not far from
London Entering the drawing roolu
previous TO dinner on the evening oil
his arrival. he noticed b priest, evident.
~ of tlts Roman communion, sitting by
the open fire aud taking no part In the
general conversation. Tie bishop was
somewhat surprised at not being pre-
sented to the priest, and Ills astonish
ment was great when Il sfew moments
later dinner being announced tht. guests
retired, leaving the priest at his place
by the ire The hostess having AZ
signed I:iSI,0p Wherefore the seat OF
honor ut her right hand. as 500 rs an
opportunity offered he remarked.
II beg your pa raion. madam. but may
| inquire who was thu. priest We left
sitting apart in the drawing ROOM"
"Ah. YOU have seen him. them re-
nIiQd tho lady ssIt 10 mat avnrx ono
who has that privilege. | canuot tell
y0n who he is or whence he comes
For NAM years this specter has haunt
ed the house and grounds. 1t has, in
fact, been II tradition in the family. He
seenIs to do no harm. and. although he
appears only occasionally. we have be
come quite accustomed 10 ON friendly
ghost
How very Singular remarked his
lOrdship. But have 0 never all
dressed your priestly sp~ertery"
Indeed. | have had no opportunity.
nor the desire. for thai natter re
spOnded the hostess. growing pale.
May | take the liberty now" in
4uired the dignitary.
with all my heart. your lOr,lship."
replied the lady. The bishop arose
and. returning 10 the drawing room
found the priest where he ll:ri left him
a few minutes before. Having no fear
the bishop said kindly:
Who are you. my friend, and why
are o herey"
The specter seemed to sigh deeply
and say as though to itself. "At laStr"
Then in a hollow voice, addressing
the bishop. it continued: II am the
spirit OF 4 priest WHO left this world
sOme eighty years ago. and ] AM here
to impart to any one who will receive
it q secret which dice with me. ]
could not rest in my grave while q
great wrong was being done which il
was in my power ia right. have been
returning all these years in the hope
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 you mission to do my bid
ding. | was a priest Of the church Of
Rome and was called to this house
eighty years ago to receive the con
fessjon OF a dying man. He was the
sole possessor Of \ secret the knOwi-
edge OF which would alter materially
the entail of this vast estate, d in his
death he wished to repair the terrible
wrong he had brought upon his kin
"At his request I wrote down the
confession word for word as he gave it
to me and when he finished had barely
time to administer the hnal
- lac aIrr,.t, l..f0rc ho avDfpo1 in mn
arms. 1t was very important that I
should return to london that night.
and in passing through the library to
leave the hOus,, | concluded ii would
be safer not to carry the paper on
which was written the confession away
with me. but to place it in some secure.
unseen spot. where | could obtain il
the following day and deliver the docu
ment to the person for whom it was in
tended. Mounting the steps to the
b~ookshelves. | took out a copy OF
Young's Night Thoughts which was
the first book upon the nppermnst shelf
nearest the last window. and. insert
ing the paper carefully between It's
l replaced the boo and depart
ed. A horse was awaiting ME ut the
door. but ere we reached the entrance
Of the grounds he took fright. | was
thrown and instantly killed. Thus died
the secret of my confeSsor with ne. 40
one has disturbed that book in all these
years. and no one has had the courage
to address this messenger from the I'M
The paper will be found as !
have stated. and it remains for you
to correct the injustice which has so
long been upon this noble family. My
is W. and ] IA rest i'll
peace"
AT the close OF this remarkable speech
the specter fad ed gradually from sight. |
and the bishop was left gazing into
space. Recovering from his aStonish-
Bishop WHEREFORE went at once
to The lihrHry and found the book ex
actly as indicated by the specter. In
its secluded corner upon tile top shelf
thick with The dust Of ages. evidently
the book had remainsd nnniolested |
many years. There was the document |