The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-31
GHOSTS DOOMED BY
BRIDGE IN Britt
People Are Too Busy at Cards to
Bother About Christmas i
Wraiths.
New York Herald Special Gable Service. Copy
right, 1905, by the New York Herald.

New York Herald Special Gable Service. Copy
right, 1905, by the New York Herald.
London, Dec 3O.-Among the de-
structive effects of bridge is the total
discontinue of ghost and ghost stories,
without which, in the good old-fash-
toned days, no Christmas annual could
be complete 1t has no place in this
and current fiction is equally silent on
the subject of the ghostly visitant, who
contributed to the Christmas festivi-
ties of decade ago.
White ladies, headless monks, gray
friars, wicked lords and all the vast
army of spooks who were obstreperous
on Christmas eve, are no longer part
of the novelist s stock in trade.
Women who anxiously inquire for a
really good ghost story at the shops,
meet with blank stare of surprise.
Not single ghost story has emanated
from the publishers this Christmas
tide.
"Out of date,'' was the terse ex-
PLANTATION of the publisher Of light lit
erature when asked why the Christmas
ghost had been exercised. There is no
demand for bloodcurdling stories Of
clanking chains, rafting bones and
dismal shrieks.
The Haunts of Ghosts.
Dreary tumble down houses, ancient
= feudal castles and melan choly mosted
oranges, as will be seen from the fol.
lowing list of Christmas pictures, are
their favorite haunts. All Of them are
pedigree ghosts with officially re-
corded appearances.
At Dilston Castle, Lady Westmore
LAM; Cullaly Castle, the wicked priest
Beddiscombe Manor, the screaming
= skull; Calverley Hall, Sir Hugh Cal
verify; Pradenham House, Izaac Dis
raeli; Rainhamhall, the gray lady;
Corby Castle, the radiant boy; New
stead Abbey, the black friar; Brook
house, the headless woman; Copley
House, the two heads; Pomeroy Castle
the lady; Churton Hall, the lady ani
dog; Lyme Valley, the white horse OF
-- Llangynwyd; Holland House, Lore
, Holland; Bispham Abbey, the wrath
of Lady Hobby; Rufford Abbey, tn,
. Cistercian father; Cheedle Rectory, thu
abbess of Godstown; Hampton Court
Catherine Howard and Jane Seymour
The spooks' Delight.
A fine ghostly company these. Lad,
80 Derfentwater, so goes the tale, ha
been wont at Christmas tide to revisi
this earth to expiate the crime Of rest
less ambition which impelled her t
drive the Earl of Derwentwater to tn
scaffold.
Isaac Disraeli, father Of the lat
Lord Beaconsfeld, is said to drive
ghostly coach and pair. The beheade
:. form of Lord Holland used to walk i
II the grillroom, carrying his head in hi
. hands, The wrath Of Lady Hobb
carried a spectral basin, wringing he
hands and vainly trying to wash on
the stain Of guilt, for, according to til
{ legend, she murdered her boy becaus
he blotted his copybook.
The Cistercian father, dressed i
- white, always appeared to women only
/ but this Christmas none of thes
ghosts are reported to have manifesto
themselves.
What is the use Of their troubling
when everybody is too deep in bridg
all night thru to watch for theme
Bridge Is Supreme.
: If a census was to be taken of tn
amusements which occupied the guest
at the country houses during tn
Christmas holidays, it would probabl
be found that in sixty per cent Of til
cases bridge had ousted all the game
associated with the old-fashione
Christmas festivities. If there wei
one or two children in the house the
were bundled off to bed as early as pc
sble and the house party settled dow
in religious silence to bridge.
In many houses the game was playe
for four successive afternoons an
nights without a thought of turke
plum pudding or crackers. The OF
anxiety was to rush thru short me
4 as quickly as possible. Bridge, in fac
: killed in certain circles the old-fas
/ toned Christmas In London. Sever
i .waif -and-stray parties were given {
Christmas day, the idea being to gat
er together the lonesome souls wi
dislike noisy festivities, to pull dow
the blinds and play bridge from lunc
! con until the small hours of the NOR
ing. Tea and the short dinner were T
garded as Interruptions and small ia
4 as superfuous.