Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28


this night every year until the day of Judgment.
If there is anything In the story which exc
cited the Village of CLAIMS, the spectral Earl
Beardie has either mixed up his dates got tired
of the crypt and started fitting about otheH
parts of the castle or Is working overtime with
the cards.
The tales that came into the London news
paper Offices over the wires from Scotland were
closely followed by news which took reporters
and a couple of psychic experts up to the
Elizabethan mansion Of the old Boynton fans
lily in Yorkshire-Somewhat to the annoyance
Of the Boyntons, it appears since these old
families do not like exposing their private
ghosts to the public gaze. The Boyntons, how
ever, have only themselves to blame. So PROUD
are they CT the family ghost that they keep
the gruesome relic which perpetuates its legend
under a securely fastened glass case right in
the entrance hall.
The relic is skull, and the skull is SUM
posed to be that of a former female member OF
the family. The lady suffered terrible wrong
which has never been avenged-it is not likely
to be avenged now, the perpetrator having died
In his bed 300 years ago. and acts Of vengeance
against his neutrality-suspicious.
more grandson being prohibited in this effete
age.
However, the lady insisted that until she was
avenged her skull should adorn the entrance
hall to remind those who should have avenged
her and did not of their everlasting shame.
Passions have died down and the original cause
of the trouble being almost forgotten skeptt-
cal Boynton said in effect that he was tired Of
seeing the old lady'S head lying about, and di-
rected that it should be buried in the garden
That night, screams from the hall! The house,
hold rushed down. There lay the skull in the
middle of the floor. 1t was silent now and
there was doubt that it had worked itself
out of its grave and rolled from the garden to
the hall; it had been screaming to be restored
to It's proper place, and would go on screaming
hUmOre0 frightened han
of the house humored it.
Subsequent Boyntons said that an old family
retainer, Scandalized by his masters contempt
for the legend and the curse, had dug up the
skull himself and done the screaming; but that
is by the way. The present story Is that the
skull has been screaming again, but why, no
one seems to know-and any one calling at the
Boynton mansion norder to put the ques-
ton now is likely to meet with a hostile recep-
ton.
Two of Henry Wits six wives. Catherine
Howard and Jane Seymour, regularly haunt
Hampton Court, the magnificent palace on
ThameS-side between London and Windsor
which Cardinal Wolsey built for himself, but
tactfuily presented to Henry when he found
that King thought him too grand and intended
to grab it anyway Both ghosts have appeared
again this month.
Catherine has been seen fitting down one
of the painted corridors, although she is WIu-
posed always to re-enact at midnight. the
life, when she unsuccessfully appealed to King
Henry that she should not share the fate OF
Anne Boleyn, who was beheaded.
Anne herself has been seen no less than four
times this season. The last person who claims
to have seen her was gentleman who was dis
covered in the Haunted Gallery at 10 O'Clock at
night and handed over to the police. His story
was that he was -spiritualist who had secreted
himself in the palace to test the truth of the
ghost legend. AS he had no HOUSEKEEPING
tools and nothing was known against him. the
magistrate fined him and let him CO. He told
reporters he had seen Anne, but had been in.
terrupted just as he was going to talk to her.
She is Londons most tragic khost On All
Saints day in 1541 Henry VIII and his Queen,
Hampton Court wien Archbishop Cranmer
slipped in silently and placed in the hand of
the praying King the paper the latter was
expecting-the document containing evidence
OF adultery and incest by Anne, the evidence
that was going to condemn her and clear
Hepry'S path to his next marriage.
The Queen was led away at once and locked
up but day or two later, on November g. she
eluded her jailers and ran down TIE gallery.
where the King was again at mass Just as
she reached the door of the chapel tic soldie-s
caught her and dragged her, screaming, down
the long gallery back to her prison. So every
November her deSpairing wrath returns to the
scene of her agony and goes wailling along the
old gallery. its hinlsy white garments fluttering
in the night air.
DESCENDING to spooks of the lower social
strata, we may note that the restless spirit
Of Jean Donbleau is walking again this year,
Jean is the French sailor who was murdered by
south coast Smugglers in the days Of George III
He IS an cratic viSitant and until this visM
had been quiet for Is yearA News q hia