Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1883-08-25 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DORSETSHIRE GHOSTS. In Dorsetshire little if any saperstition attaches to HaHow-e'en, the night still sacred to the departed in Scotland and the North of England. Old Christmas-eve is regarded as a dog favoured by connection with the supernatural; and it is said that the cows and sheep, whether in the field or shed, go on their knees and low gently at • the sound of the stroke of twelve o'clock. This idea is common to many countries, and has its origin, of course, in the traditional • presence of cattle in the Bethlehem stable.  The night to be really dreaded, a Dorset rustic thinks, is Midsummer night. Anyone who is anxious to see spirits in a visible form can do so then, provided he will conform to one or two conditions. He should •go shout 't eleven o'clock to the nearest church porch. It is not a sine qua noa that he goes alone; but if be is in company, he must observe the strictest silence, and it is desirable that he should not even look at his companion. As midnight approaches he will find himself gradually deprived of all power to rise or move When twelve o'clock strikes the churchyard will suddenly become filled with spirits, including those of everyone he ever knew, whether alive or dead. They will pass him in a long slow pro. cession into the church, where they will remain for some time ; but as the door will be closed, and himself unable to stir, he must be satisfied without knowing what their sacred rites may be., As they leave the building, the spirits Of the dead will come first, while the spirits of those who are destined to die in the course of the year will not quit the church at all. Those to whom any illness or great trouble is going fie happen during the next twelve months will come very slowly at the last; and the worse the calamity to fall upon them, the slower they will come. This legendary awe of the shortest and most beautiful night in the year Coates to England from that North where thimysterious sun blazes at midnight. There is little poetry and little superstition about the Midsummer's night of the South.  Bagley House, nearßridport, has very gloomy legends attaching to it. Tradition (for the stories are traced back to the last century) gays that Squire Lighte, who then owned, the place, had been hunting one day, and after reaching home had gone away again and drowned him, self. His groom had followed him with a presentiment that something was wrong, and arrived at the pond in time to see the end of the tragedy. As he returned he was accosted by the spirit of his drowned master, which unhorsed him. He soon fell violently ill, and never recovered, one of the consequences of this illness being that his skin entirely peeled off! Shortly after Squire Lighte's suicide his old house was troubled by noisy disturbances, which were at once associated with the evil deed of self-destruction. ,t It was sug_ gested that the spirit should be formally and duly "laid" or exorcised. A number of the clergy went,. therefore, for that purpose, and succeeded in inducing the ghost to confine itself to a chimney in the house for a certain number of years, it is not known exactly how long. For many years after this, "'however, the place remained at peace; but on the expiration of the . power of the charm very much worse disturbances broke out again. Rape would be heard at the front door; steps in tho passages and on the stairs ; doors opening and closing. The rustle of ladies dressed in silk was ttudible in the drawinglroom, and from that room the sound was traced to a summer-house in the garden. The crockery would be all violently moved, and at certain rare intervals a male:figure, dressed in old-fashioned costume, is said to have made itself visible, and walked about the house. The neighbours say that these extraordinary occur_ rences continued for many yealgs. They believe in them most firmly, and are of opinion that as long as the house stands it will be thus troubled. An element worthy of notice in this story is the time-honoured faith in the power of the clergy over evil spirits. The high road front Wimborno to Cratiborne passes through one of the woods on the St G ilea's estate. By the roadside are four or five mapuificent fir ttees, which give the spot a g.ooaty, shadowy appearance, making it in all rear, fit resort for ghosts. There is a form wi haunts this place. They say it is that of a male figure dressed in white, and wearim hood which covers her face. She paces too fro. but as soon as anyone succeeds in con near her, she makes a wild rash through hedge. After this there is a crashing so, like a waggon and horses going fast throuf wood, which continues for some minutes. ' popular belief is that a murder was commit there in bygone years. meeti:  ipects  sound