Litchfield enquirer., 1842-02-17
LADY GRANGE.
INTERESTING TALE.

whose singular history accords better witI,j the dark ages of barbariSm, than with the general character of the times in which she lived. Some very romantic and fabulous accounts have been given of this Iahy's sui. ferlngs, but the minister gives, upon com- potent authority, an interesting narrative which we shall subjoin. Tie eAi,act is rather long, but the story is altogether so striking an instance of domestic tragedy, that 1t will be read with interest.
 Lady Grange was the daughter of Cheisley of Dairay, Man of vioIen, pass SIonS, whose temper she, unfortunately fo' herself, inherited. She became the wift' Ot Mr. Erskins of Grange, who was made . Lord of Sessions in l707, by the title of Lord Grange, and was Lord Justice Clerk during the latter years of Queen Anne's reign. He was brother to the Earl of Mar, who headed the ill-conductcd rebellion of l715, against the House of Hanover; and though he did not openly join the rebels, yet he aided them with his council and wealth. His house was frequent rendez- vous to tue disaffecled gentry aud nobility ; and his wife, who was not privy to the conspiracy, soon became suspicious of such frequent and numerous meetings under her root. With the curiosity natural to her sex, she resolved to possess herself of the sc- eret of their proceedings, aud accomplish cd her object by hiding herself under al sofa during one of tho conferences.
 "She was warmly attached to the reign ing family. Her love to Lord Grange, who treated her with much harshness and unkindness, was by no means deep or cor dial. A quarrel-no rare occurrence took place between them, when she threat ened to revenge herself by disclosing his traitorouS purpose to the government un- der which he lived. He knew her violence and her resolution too well to doubt of her fulfilling her promise. and seeing that his own safety and ;hat of his accomplices was at stake, ho instantly called meeting of them in order to devise remedy against the danger which surrounded them. l., was agreed at ;his conference that she should immediately be locked up; that a report of her death should be spread and that the Lairds of Macleod of Dungan, and Macdonald of Sleat, whose territories wete very remote, should remove her, in convenient time, to some secluded spot on their estates, where she might be no more heard of This barbarous plan was ac- cordingly acted upon. News of her death was spread abroad a mock funeral took place; while shortly afterwards she was| forced away from her home and family, aud, by devious routes, carried as far as! Skye. She manifested her characteresticI spirit in resisting those who were sent tot carry her of; and SO violent was the en. suing struggle that two of her teeth were knocked out before she was overpowered.E .E But sho was overpowered, aud so dex-I terously was her abduction managed tha, her friends knew nothing of her fate for several years, but believed that she was inI reality dead. She was at first confined inI the hut of poor retainer of Macleod inf Skye.
 When afraid that her residence might possibly become known, he sent her toy List among Macdonald's followers. From thence she was banished to the remotes island of St. Kilda, where she remained for seven years. She was again takenI back to List, and thence to Skye. While here second time. she fell on a very in- genious expedient for communicating wi,h| her friends. The poos people among whom she lived were accustomed to man ufacture their wool into yarn which they annually sent in large bundles to the In ! veness market. for sale. Lady Grange ac- quired the art of spinning, and having pos sessed herself of writing materials, she wrote letter to one of her relatives, which, she secretly enclosed in clue of her own| thread, that was sent to the market along with others. The purchaser of tho yarn| forwarded the letter to it's destination. Herr friends were filled with indignation, and in- stantiy applied to the Government for lhe| liberation ofthe unfortunate lady from her| captivity.
 "The Government sent sloop of war| to the coast of Skye, in order to make search for her; but her jailers were far tool well acquainted with tho many Businesses and hiding places of the country, to allow her to be thus taken. They immured her for some time iD the cave of Idrigil. All ter this she was transferred to List, the| person who had the management of the| boat having beside him rope, with run- ming moose at one end, and heavy stone at the other, intending, according to his' orders. to fix the moose round the prisoners 's| aeck, and to consign her immediately tol the deep. should the sloop of war come in| sight during the passage. The passage was accomplished without such tragicall catastrophe. as was contemplated. Lady Grange was confined for some time longer in List; and again brought back to the dis trict of WaternisI, in this parish, where she ended her days.
 "H Her prosecutors showed throug hou,| she utmost anxiety to conceal her place oil