Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-04-25


"a long interval lapsed before again yisi.
ted Ashly. Miss Mannering, my Kind and
warm-hearted friend, had sunk into an early
grave; and had had in the interim to stem
the torrent Of affection, and buffet with its
waves. At length most pressing and person.
al invitation brought me under Mrs. Manner
ing's roof. There found her sister, who, with
her three young children, were laughing and
revealing away their Christmas. Lady Pierre
point was one Of those fortunate women, who,
by dint, as poor Sir Richard informed his
friends, 'an objectionable tongue had contri.
buted to have .Gr own way through life. Her
first export, on coming to Ashley, was to fix up
the cedar room for Der children. In vain poor
Mrs. Mannering pehted out its fault. She
was afraid they would find it cold Her lady.
ship wished them to be hardy 1T was out of
the way'-'So much the better; their noise
would not be Troublesome 4 fear,' went on
Mrs. Mannerihg - on't know what il is
said Lady Pierrepoint. Sin Short she conlin,
ued, with her imperturbabe face, 'ths room or
none:' and Mrs. Mannering, not daring to
avow the real cause Of her fears, yet feeling
that further contest was useless, saw with feel.
ings of horror the little cribs and rocking hor.
SEES, nurses and nlnepins, formally established
in the dreaded apartment.
fittings went on very smoothly for fort
night; no complaints of The cedar room trans
pired; and Mrs. Mannering was congra,ulatin5
herself on the happy turn affairs had taken,
when one day, on her going into the nursery,
she saw her little nephews busy engaged 10
packing up their pIaylhings What! are you
tired of Ashley and going to leave meT 'Oh,
no, aunt they shouted, one and all 'oh, no, but
we're going to hide away our toys from the
White Lady; she came last night, and Sunday
night, and she'd such large black eyes--and she
stood close by our cribS--just here. aunt. Who
is she, do you know?--lor Fred says she never
speaks. What does she do here and what does
she want?
"'What wretched, miserable woman ami
cried the panic-struck Mrs. Mannering. 'Eve-
ry hope had entertained of this abominable
by any chance, Lady Pierrepoint should dis
IcoVer--Oh, they must be moved Directly
Ring the bell. Where's the housekeeper? I'll
give no reason--1'lI haze no reason. Oh, my
dear departed Mannering, to what sorrows
have you not exposed your disconsolate wild.
own In spite Of all inquiries, interrogatories,
and surmiscs,-moved the little Pierrepoints
we're tina, very evening, Oar precautions,
however, were all but defeated; for one Of the
little magpes began after dinner, Mamma
I've something to tell you about the White La.
dy.' He was instantly crammed almost to sur
location with sweetmeats The rest were
very shortly trundled out of the room, choking
with bon Jons. And shall never forget the
piteous expression Of Mrs. Mannerings coun-
tenancc, as she passed me with her party, or
| her declaration, God forgive me; but see
very clearly this White Lady will put NE in
my grave
The room was then shut up for some years;
and can give no account of what passed at
Ashly in the interim. The last time | was
there was the day on which young Manncring
came Of age. His mother had been receiving
the loud and rustic, but not on that account the
less sincere, congratulations Of the tenants on
the lawn, when she was told her more courlly
sviters were awaiting her in the drawing room.
On this occasion the sins Of the dedar-room
were forgiven, and it was once more used as
an anti-chamber. To enter it, throw off her
shawl and bonnet, and run to large swing
glass which stood near window, was the work
of an instant. She was hastily adjusting her
dress, when she startled, for she saw, reflected
at full length in the glass beside hcr-tte figure
Iof the White Lady!
1t was some days before the brain fever,
which her fright and her fall had brought on,
would allow her to give any connected account
ofwhat, till then, had appeared an inexpicabIe
occurrence. Her reason and recollection grad
ualy returned, but her health-never. A few
weeks afterwards, she quilted Ashy Park for
the grave!