Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-01-21
The Lady Free NIaso,

''o'' H1HA"oeIn oU' LeseT, was the onIv -,
who was ever initiated into the ancient anJ i'mals
able mystery of Free Masonry How s hnu hOnor.
this honor, we shall lay before our Readers O"sane
ing that our information is derived from, pioMl
sources. Lord Doneraile. Miss St. Ieger,s t OeN
very Jealous Mason, held q warrant and oooaa
y opened lodge at Doneraile House bS 'S"S'oOa
some intimate friends assisting; and it is sd ana
never were Masonic duties more rigidlv norr .n'i
than by the brethren of No. $50, the numhon nvl "a
their warrant 1t appears that previously r. ~
itiaton of gentleman to the first stems Of Moa ne H.
Miss st. Leger. who was young girl. bannonoI!!
be in an apartment adjoining the room ron"Sun
used as lodge room but whether the yonnr I'4
was there by design accident. we cannot o iII
IDENTIFY state The at the time was unda,naa
some alteration; among other things the wall nS
considerably reduced in part for the nprros""
making saloon. The young lady heard the yo;.o,
OF the free masons and being prompted bv tbo os
riosity natural to all, to see the mystery so oe,
so secretly locked up from public view had the eon,
age to pick brick from the wall with her Sc;sSo,
and thus witnessed the first steps of the ceremonv
Curiosity gratifed, fear at once took nosspss;n =
her mind, and those who understand this nosS,.a
we'll know what the feelings of any must bu wi
could unawfully behold that ceremony: Loft tbau,
then judge what were the feelings of a yornc ,SI
under such extraordinary circumstances. IT,.
was no mode of escape, except through the var
room where the concluding part of the second Stem
was still being solemnized, at the far end. and ,G
room a very large one. Miss St. Leger had rpxoIu
ton sufficient to attempt her escape that wav and
with light but trembling steps glded along unob.
served, laid her hand the handle of the door, and
opening it, before her stood, to her dismav a grim
and surly I3ler, with his long sword unsieatbed
shrek that pierced through the apartment a.
harmed the members of the lodge. who all rushing
to the door, and finding that Miss St. Leger had
been in the room during the ceremony resolved it's
said in the paroxysm Of their rage to put the fair
spectatress to death but at the moving and earnest
supplication of her youngest brother her life was
SPARED on condition of her going through the txO
remaining steps of the solemn ceremony she had IN.
lawfully witnessed. This she consented to- and they
conducted the beautiful and terrified young LADY
through those trials which are Sometimes more than
enough for masculine resolution, little thinking hey
were taking into the bosom of the craft a member
that would aftcrward reject JHstre on the annals
of Masonry.
Miss st. Leger was directly descended from Sir
Richard de st. Leger who accompanied William the
Con9ueror of England and was of that high repute
that he with his OVID hand supported the prince
when he first went out Of his ship to land in Sussex
Miss St. Leger was cousin to Gen. Anthony st. L.
ger, Governor of st. Louis, who instituted the inter
esting race and the celebrated Doncaster st. legr
stakes Eventually she married Richard AllwOrh
Esq. of Newmarket, n member of highly hOnOa
BILE and ancient family Whenever benefit was
given at any of the theatres in Dublin or Cork for
the Masonic Female Orphan Asylum, Mrs Aldworth
walked at the head of the Freemasons, and sat in
the front row of the stage box. The house was al.
ways crowded on these occasions. The portrait Of
this estimabe woman is in the lodge room of almost
every lodge in Ireland.