The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-06-21
SPOKE TO 4 Ghost
Queer incident In Which Bishop
WiIberfOrCe Figured.
THE STORY TIE SPIRIT TOLD.
singular Disclosure That Mas Said to
Have Been Made by the Quiet Cleri-
cal Spsctsr That Had Long Haunted
an English Country House.

the lie OF the late Salnuel NllDerIOrce,
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 a country house not far from
London. Entering the drawing room
previous TO dinner on the evening Of
his arrival, he noticed n 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 a
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 500 as an opportunity offer
ed he remarked:
Il beg your pardon. madam. but may
I 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 be is or whence he ONE
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 dc 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. | have had no opportunity,
nor the desire. for that matter" re-
sponded the hostess. growing pale.
May | take the liberty now?" in
CURED 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: Il 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 n great wrong was being done
which it was in my power to right. l
have been returning all these years in
the hope some n would address me.
for it was not given to me to be the
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 a dying man. He
was the sole possessor of a secret the
knowledge of which would alter ma
terially the entail of this vast estate.
and in 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
1t to me, and when he finished be ex-
pired III my arms. 1t was very impor-
tant that l should return to London
that night, and in passing through the
library to leave the house l concluded
1t would be safer not to carry the pa
per on which was written the confess
sion away with me, but to place it in
some secure, unseen spot. where /
could obtain it the following day and
deliver the document to the person for
whom it was intended. Mounting the
steps to the bo~okshelves, l took out a
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. l replaced the
book and departed. A horse vas
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 I have stated.
and it remains for you to correct the
injustice which has so long been upon
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 vas left
gazing into space. Recovering from
his establishment. Bishop Wherefore
went at once to the library and found
the book exactly as indicated by the
specter. In it's secluded corner upon
the top shelf. thick with the dust Of
ages, evidently the book had remained
unmolested many years. There was
Ihe document just as described, but
now faded and yellow. The secret Of
the confession never became known to
the world. The good bishop regarded
it as a confidence from the spiritual
world and always ended the story with
the assurance that the priestly specter
/! was never again Scen.