Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-11-18
THE WHITE LADY.
The Story OF a Picture.

4uo VI q bSsuo'
There was on exhibition in the Art
gallery of the Centennial the portrait OF
a woman who lived in the latter part OF
the eighteenth century, and the artist
had made an attempt to commemorate an
actual incident in her life.
The facts of that life have been gath.
cred by the arduous antiquary, William
Beckworth Forse. and it is upon the
basis Of his strange but intensely inter
esting narrative that Mr.. Petite made
his picture.
From this narrative we learn that Sir
William Richardson lived in Hereford
shire OH an ancestral estate of several
hundred acres, which ran to the base OF
the Malvern hills, aud were partly over
looked by the remains of an old Roman
fortress, still to be seen, and which il
known as the " Herefordshire Beacon" "
Sir William lost his wife while visiting
the Marquesas islands in 1874, where he
had been sent as q government commits
sioner. The lady had but just arrived
and was being brought ashore when the
boats containing her party were attacked
by large body of naked savages who
were in the water, and who at the time
had successfully disarmed suspicion of
their intentions by pretending to ex-
hibit their skill as swimmers.
Lady Richardson, who was pregnant
at the time, was saved from violence, and
the savages were repulsed. but the fright
proved too great, and, after giving birth
to a female child, she died.
Heartbroken, Sir William returned to
England few months later with his
child, and, retiring from public service,
settled upon his estate in Herefordshire,
where his daughter grew up. At the age
OF eighteen she was beautiful enough to
attract the attention of all the neighbor-
ing gentry. The reader who has seen
the picture need not be assured OF this
But with all her loveliness she pos
sessed certain traits Of character which
neither education nor association could
eradicate or modify. Accomplished and
refined, she still evinced curious love
of freedom and strange passion for the
water.
No one in the county could ascend the
Malvern hills as she, and often her
father and his companions found her
when still mere child, worn out with
fatigue, in the almost inaccessible ruins
OF the " Beacon"
At the age OF twenty formal suit was
made to her by young Lieutenant
Craddock Hampden. the son of one of
the wealthiest gentlemen in st. Albans.
The match was q prosperous one, and
without impediment the young people
were passionately attached to each
other, and tho parents favored the alli-
ance. Archibald Hampden spent much
OF his time at Sir William Richardson's
house. He appears to have been Q
rather nnstere Puritan, and no doubt
connected with the Hampden stock OF
Warwickshire, for he figured extern
sively in what were known as the shop
troubles" OF that year, taking sides
vigorously against the common people
of the county, and himself leading q
troop of gentry against riotous gatEer-
ing Of the hop pickers. Although these
troubles were speedily repressed,
great deal Of annoyance was inflicted
upon the land owners for long time
after in revenge, and no one suffered
more than the Hampdens. At this
time arose the first stories of the "White
Woman Of Watford." They were re-
garded as are the superstitious legends
of the common people generally, and no
special significance attached to them un-
til Sir Williams barn was one night
burned, and several of the hop pickers
insisted that it was set on fire by the
White Woman of Watfuid," ond thoz
it was insisted upon by the elder Hamp-
den that this was O convenient myth
upon which these people foisted their
own mischief. Others, however, with O
love of mystery, made patient inquiries
long after concerning the white woman,
and the results may be found in Shell
drake's Legends of st. Albans."
Here we come across the ghostly ira
dition of a beautiful spirit that walked
the banks of the Wye at night. She
was seen by belated travellers returning
through the wood that bordered the |
Richardson domain, but she always
vanished into thin air ON being dis
covered.
One summer night the elder Hamp-
den, while sitting in his library with his |
son, who had just ridden over from Sir
Williams. where he had spent the eve-
ming with his intended bride, was in
formed by his keeper that he had seen
the "White Woman OF Watforl" and
that two of the ricks were burning.
With his usual promptitude the old man
mounted his horse, and, accompanied
by bis son and the keeper. all armed,
set ont to punish the outlaws. They
we're REINFORCED by Sir William on the
way. There was full moon, but it was
obscured at intervals with clouds. They
pursued the course of the Wye, which
u thickly wooded where it passes the
Hampdeu and Richardson parks. On
.eaching the valley at the foot of the
Hills the keeper, while in q lonesome
place, swore that he saw the white
woman and warned them to 60 no fur
her. The irascible old trooper rated
him soundly for being a superstitious
,oltroon, hut no threats could induce
him to continue the hunt. His words,
Is preserved by tradition, we're:
You're fghtin' agin Heaven, and
he blood will be on yourselvesl"
This warning only served to still fur