LOUD TYRONE'S GHOST.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2137, 20 March 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

LOUD TYRONE'S GHOST.

| Thk most famous ghost story connected \fith the Province of Ulster is the one of which the Ear} of Tyrone is the hero. This story has often been told, but some of those for whom we write may not have heard the 'tale, and therefore, for their sakes, we, may be allowed now to tell it again. John, second Earl of Tyrone, was born in the year 1665, and died unmarried in the year 1693, being then twenty-eight years of age. In his early youth his Lordship had been on terms of affectionate intimacy with a daughter of Lord Glenawly, who afterwards married Sir Tristram Beresford. When they were both grown up,' Lord! Tyrone and Lady Beresford entered into a solemn engagement with each other, that which ever of them should die first would (if permitted) appear after death to the survivor, so as to establish the certainty of a future state of existence beyond the grave Time passed on, and, Lord Tyrone and Lady Beresford being in excellent health, there was no apparent likelihood of this point being settled in the way proposed, that is, by ther e appearance after death of one of the contracting parties. But such a contingency was nearer than was supposed. One night, when Lady Beres fora was lying in bed beside her husband, she awoke suddenly out of her sleep, and to her great surprise saw Lord Tyrone (as she thought) standing at her bedside She immediately asked his Lordship what brought him there. The reply was, "Do you' not remember the promise that we made to each other 1 ' Lady Beresford was very unwilling to believe what these words implied, viz., that her friend the Earl of Tyrone was dead, and that it was his disembodied spirit which was standing at her bedside. She thought she was labouring under self-delusion. She, therefore, required the apparition to prove to her by some physical act that the vision apparently befoie her was real, and not a phantom of her brain. In compliance with this request, the figure drew aside the curtains of her bed, and also wrote a few words in her pocketbook which was lying on the table. Even this did not satisfy Lady Beresford. She still imagined the whole affair was a fancy of her own, or a dream. In order, therefore, that the matter might be put beyond the possibility of doubt, her nocturnal visitor asked Lady Beresford to hold out one of her arms, and when that lady had done so, he clasped her by the wrist, and immediately the sinews shrank up, aud every nerve was withered. Thus convinced that it was indeed the spirit of her dep irted friend which stood beside her, Lady Beresford listened with breathless iuteiest whilst that spirit proceeded to intorin her of various events which were to happen to her during the course of her future life, and especially of the day of her death, which was to be on her forty-seventh birthday, shortly after she had brought forth a son. These startlingly revelations greatly terrified Lady Bere?ford, who, however, told her husband nothing .about them, but, composing herself as best she could, aud tying a black ribbon round her bnrned wrist she joined the family at the breakfast table. On her appearance there, her pale features and haggard looks evidently showed that something serious had happened to her during the course of the night, whilst the black ribbon round her wrist also attracted particular notice. Her husband asked her. what was wrong, but she refused to give him an explanation, and, moreover, made him promise that he would never again speak to her on the subject. There was, however, one thing which she did tell her friepds. She tolfl them that Lord Tyrone had died on the previous Tuesday at four o'clock. This they would noj; believe. They told her she was mistaking a dream for a reality, but, just as they were reasoning with her in this \yay, a servant entered the room with a letter, which, when opened, was found to be from Lord Tyrone's steward, announcing the fact of his master's death, and also that he died on the very day and at the vary hour which had been specified by Lady Beresford. Time again passed on, and Lady Beresford, remembering what tho apparation had told her, looking forward with the glortniest apprehension to the approach of her forty-seventh birthday, on which she had been warned that she was to die This day (according to her calculation of her age) came, but to her infinite relief she survived it. She thought, therefore, that when they had passed that day she was safe. Some mouths afterwards she gave birth to a son, and, as her own forty-eighth birthday (as she believed) .was then approaching, she invited some friends to rejoice with her on that occasion. During the course of the evening ■he' told her friends with great glee that on that day ahe was forty-eight years of age. "Not so" (said the clergyman of the parish, whp was present), "your Ladyship is making yourself a year older then you really are. On this day you are only forty-seven years of age," "Then" said Lady Beresford, "on this day I shall die." She then retired immediately to her private apartment and, sending for her eldest son and a belpved female relative, she there for the first time told the story of Lord Tyrone's ghost having appeared at her bedside and warned her on the day on which she was to die. That was. to be on her fortyseventh birthday, and as (contrary to her calculation) it appeared that that was the day on which she was then speaking to them, she J;old them that ou that day she should die. And on that day she did die. The forgoing story before it appeared ,in print, was handed down by tradition 'for many a year the "'family principally concerned, and in the neighbourhood where they lived. It was also said that the pocket-book in which the apparation wrote some words, and the black ribbon which Lady Beresford, during the latter part of her life, always wore round her wrist, were preserved 'by the relatives of the lady to whom they had been given, and who was' closely connected with the noble family of whom we have been speaking. The title Earl of Tyrone is now merged in the higher title of Marquis of Waterford. — Banbridge Almanac.

MASTEBVJobn, how is this? This letter must have arrived a week ago, and you have only just given it to me ?" Valet — "But, monsieur, it only makes an appointment for to-morrow, and I did not think it necessary to hand it to yon before. 1 ' Bishop Jexxkr met with a rather serious accident recently at Stonrmouth. He was .taking exercise on a tricycle, when the machine ran backwards down a hill, and turned over. The Bishop was precipitated to the ground, and sustained a fracture of the left arm, besides other injuries.