Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-18
SPOKE To A GHOST
Queer Incident In Which Bishop
Wilberforce Figured.

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 q clergyman sit
ting by the open fire and taking no
part in the general conversation. The
bishop was somewhat surprised at not
being presented to the clergyman. and
his establishment was great when q
few moments later, dinner being an
nounced. the guests retired, leaving the
clergyman at his place by the fire. The
hostess having assigned Bishop Will
berforce the seat Of honor at her right
hand, as soon as an opportunity offer
| ed he remarked:
|
inquire who was the clergyman we
left sitting in the drawing room?'
"Ah, you have seen him, thenT' re-
piled the lady. at 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 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 singular" remarked his
lordship. But have you never ad-
dressed your specter?"
Indeed. l have had no opportunity,
nor the desire, for that. matter" re-
sponded the hostess. growing pale.
May I take the liberty now" in
quired the dignitary.
with all my heart, your lordship."
replied the lady. The bishop arose
and. returning to the drawing room,
found the clergyman where he had
left him a few minutes before. Hav-
ing no fear, the bishop said kindly:
who are you. my friend. and why
are you here?'
The specter seemed to sigh deeply
and say as though to itself, 'At last"
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 I
am here to impart to any one who will
receive 1t 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 1t 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. 1 was called to this
house eighty years ago to receive a
confe~-'on from a dying man. BE
was the sole possessor Of a secret the
knowledge of which would alter ma
teriaIly the entail of this vast estate
and in bis death he wished to repair
the terrible wrong upon his kin.
''At his request 1 wrote down the
confession word for word as he gave
It to me. and when he finished he ex
pired in my arms. 1t was very impor
tant that 1 should return to London
that night. and in passing through the
library to leave the house I concluded
1t would be safer not to carry the pa
per on which was written the confes
sion away with me, but to place 1t II
some secure. unseen spot, where
could obtain it the following day ant
deliver the document to the person fol
whom it was intended. Mounting the
steps to the bookshelves. took out {
copy of Young's 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 TIT
book and departed. A horse wa
awaiting me at the door. but ere W,
reached the entrance of the ground
he took fright. / was thrown and in
stantly killed. Thus died the secre
with me. No one has disturbed tina
book In all these years. and no on
has had the courage to address thi
messenger from the unknown. Tn
| paper Oc 1OuDu nave otdlCb
e and it remains for you to correct tn
injustice which has so long been upol
: this noble family. My mission is over
d and can rest in peace"
: At the close of this remarkabl
; speech the specter faded gradual!
e from sight. and the bishop was lef
gazing into space Recovering fror
? his establishment. Bishop Wherefore
went at once to the library and foun
{ the book exactly as indicated by tn
|. specter. In its secluded corner upo
3 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 Q
. the confession never became known
3 the world. The good bishop regarde
4 1t as a confidence from the spiritus
world and always ended the story wit
. the assurance that the priestly specie
was never again seen
II is a fact. however. that about tn
time of this extraordinary occurrence
2 the magnificent estate IN question pas
Z ed into possession OF a remote membe
lI of the family WIN until then had live