The San Francisco call., 1910-11-20

In mr.. FAvERsHAM was born IN =
iVl fine old house in London at No.
Benttc terrace. overlooking Re-
gent park. His fathers estate left his
mother with insufficient funds to carry
on such pretentious establishment.
The family moved into less expensive
quarters and the old house passed into
other hands
Young Favershsm. after attending
| Hillmartin college. went on the stage.
and, after two years experience with a
provincial stock company. came to
| America in 1887. He has visited Eng
land number OF times since: but four
years ago, thinking he would like to
show his boy. William. his old home.
he one day wandered in the direction
Of Regent park and stood before No.
Bentic terrace.
Judge OF his surprise and disappoint-
ment when he discovered that the
place was fast approaching ruin. The
windows were boarded up and the
glass incased conservatory, which had
been his fathers delight. was smashed
beyond recognition The house. a de-
sirabIe establishment. was situated in
a much favored neighborhood, and why
1t should have thus gone to rack and
ruin was a question OF lively interest
to the actor.
While looking at the old place. a
49,
Mr.. Faversham questioned him The
old man said the house was reputed
to be haunted and that nobody could
be found who would live in it. Asked
why the once beautiful conservatory
had been destroyed. the old keeper re-
/ piled that it was the legend of the
neighborhood that the ghost walked
at midnight along its glass roof. and
| that the boys thereabouts had been
busy shying stones at ina ginary
spooks.
| Mr. Faversham told the old man his
| name. when that parsonage. with
amazement. informed him that the
| house was discovered to have been
haunted by his family, and that nobody
could be found who would risk living
there since they had departed. This
was all very curious news to the
actor, for as boy he had never heard
of any such visitations.
The same summer Mr.. Faversham
purchased a home at ChiddingfoId.
Surrey. Bridge. the hamlet where he
resided with his mother subsequently
| terrace. A yearning came over the actor
| to see, this old home where he lived
so happily with his mother, brothers
and sisters Here it was. with a pill
low fastened to his breast, mounted on
| a pony and with broomstick in lieu
of the lance of the medieval knight.
he played at tourney and got many a
whack from companions similarly ac-
coutered.
He must show this old home and
joust field to his boy. So one day they
pointed the auto for Cart Bridge to visit
the ancestral CASTLE The old place
was happily discovered to be fairly
presentab1e. This was a comfort
AIighting from the motor, Faversham
approached the house and found it oc-
cupied by an old and worthy couple.
miserably poor in circumstances. Upon
being questioned. the old people in
formed their visitor. that they were al
lowed to live there and till the soil at
a trifing rental for the reason that the
former tenants, a Mrs. Faversham and
her children, had discovered that the
house was haunted by mischievous
spooks. Nobody since then could be
found who would live in the place at
any price.
Mildly amazed that 1 Bentic place
was Haunted, the actor was now thors
oughly startled to find that his late
home was likewise the stopping place
of meddIesome wraiths. He returned to
his home at Chiddingford worried and
amazed individual His old aunt was
to visit him the next day. and he would
relate his discoveries to her. With
merry twinkle in her eye the old Lady
heard the story and then remarked:
.WillIam. 1t is evident that you were
never fully acquainted with your moth
| er. She had a sense of humor. When
she left 1 Bentic place she was too
proud to tell her friends that her
worldly circumstances compelled her TO
give up the old place so dear to her
| heart. so she whispered to them that
the house was haunted and that she
could live there no longer. This idea
evidently had it's allurements. for 1t
was the same excuse that she gave her
friends at Cart Bridge for leaving
pretty home that she had come to love.
But her sense Of humor was overpower-
| ing, and it always amused her nightly
that people believed in ghosts"
No. Bentic place. London, is now as
it was in it's prime. and occupied BY
family who are informed OF the sort
of ghost which once walked the con-
servatory roof; but the pretty cottage
at Cart Bridge is still in the possession
of the old folks who are allowed a
cozy home. rent a triie. because 'the
house is haunted