The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-17
SPOKE TOA GHOST
Queer incident In Which Bishop
WilberforCe Figured.
THE STORY THE SPIRIT TOLD.

cal Speeter That Had Long Haunted
an English Country House.
The following remarkable incident in
the life Of the late Samuel Wherefore.
bishop OF oxford and afterward OF
Winchester, is related as absolutely au-
thentic and the good bishop himself is
said to have many times rehearsed the
story to his friends:
On a certain OCCASION the worthy
bishop had accepted an invitation to
stay at country house not far from
London Entering the drawing room
previous to dinner on the evening Of
his arrival. he noticed a clergyman sit
ting by the open fire and takins no
part in the general conversation. The
bishop was somewhat surprised at not
being presented to the clergyman, and
his astonishment was great when
few moments later. dinner being an
nounced, the guests retired, leaving the
clergyman at his place by the fire. The
hostess having assigned Bishop VIII
berforce the seat of honor at her right
hand, as soon as an opportunity offer
ed he remarked:
Il beg your pardon. madam, but may
inquire who was the clergyman we
left sitting in the drawing room"
"Ah, you have seen him, them re-
piled the lady. 1T is not every one
who has that privilege cannot tell
you who he is or whence he comes
For many years this specter has haunt
ed the house and grounds. 1t has, In,
fact, been a tradition in the family. He
seems to do no harm, and, although he
appears only occasionally, we have be
come quite accustomed to our friendly
ghost"
How very singularw remarked his
lordship. But have you never ad-
dressed your specter?'
Indeed, | have had no opportunity
nor the desire, for that matter" re
sponded the hostess. growing pale.
MAY | take the liberty now?" in
qulred the dignitary.
with all my heart your lordshlp,"
replied the lady. The bishop arose
and. returning to the drawing ROOM
found the clergyman where he had
left him n few minutes before. Hav-
ing no fear, the bishop said kindly:
"Who are you, my friend, and why
are you hereT
The specter seemed to sigh deeply
and say as though to itself, "At lastw
Then in a hollow voice, addressing
the bishop, it continued: 81 am the
spirit OF a clergyman who left this
world some eighty years ago. and l
am here to impart to any one who will
receive It a secret which died with
me. l could not rest in my grave
while great wrong was being done
which it was in my power to right. /
have been returning all these years in
the hope some one would address me.
for II was not given to me to be the
first to speak. All men have Stunned
me until now. and it is your mission
to do my bidding was called to this
house eighty years ago to receive a
confession from dying man. He
was the sole possessor Of n secret the
knowledge Of which would alter ma
terally the entail Of this vast estate,
and 10 his death he wished TO repair
the terrible wrong upon his kin.
AT his request | wrote down the
confession word for word as he gave
II to me. and when he finished he ex.
pired in my arms 1t was very impor-
tant that ! should return to London
that night, and in passing through the
library TO leave the house concluded
II would be safer not to carry the pa
per on which was written the confess
sion away with me, but TO place Il In
some secure, unseen spot, where
could obtain It the following day and
deliver the document to the person for
whom Il was intended Mounting the
steps to the bookshelvcs. took out a
copy OF Youngs Night Thoughts
which was the first book upon the up
permost shelf nearest the last win
dow, and. inserting the paper careful
ly between its leaves, replaced the
book and departed. A horse was
awaiting me at the door. but ere we
reached the entrance Of the grounds
he took fright was thrown and In
stantly killed Thus died the secret
with me. No one has disturbed that
book in all these years, and no one
has had the courage to address this
messenger from the unknown The
paper will be found as have stated
and 1t remains for you to correct tho
injustice which has so long been upor
this noble family. My mission is over
and can rest in peace"
! At the close OF this remarkable
speech the specter faded gradually
from sight. and the bishop was lef
gazing into space. Recovering iron
his establishment, Bishop Wherefore
went at once TO the library and founi
the book exactly as Indicated by th
specter. In its secluded corner upol
the top shelf, thick with the dust o
ages. evidently the book had RENAME,
unmolested many years. There wa
the document Just as described, bu
now faded and yellow. The secret o
the confession never became known /
the world The good bishop regards
It as n confidence from the splritua