The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-01-04

"White woman OF WatfOrd' ana ChaC TWO
of the ricks were burning. With his
usual promptitude the old man mounted
his horse, and, accompanied by his son
and the keeper, all armed, set out to
punish the outlaws. They were re-
inforced by Sir William on the way.
There was full moon, but it was OBJ
scured at intervals with clouds. They
pursued the course of the Wye, which is
thickly wooded where it passes the
Hampden and Richardson parks. On
reaching the valley at the foot of the
hills the keeper, while in a lonesome
place, swore that he saw the white
woman and warned them to go ne fur
Their The irascible old trooper rated
him soundly for being a superstitious
poltroon, but no threats could induce
him to continue the hunt. His words,
as preserved by tradition, were:
"You're fghtin' agin Heaven, and
the blood will be on yourselves "
This warning only served to still fur
Their incense JTampden, who believed
neither in wraiths nor fairies, and he
swore to put a bullet into the white
woman that would test her spiritual ma
ture if he came across her. They had
not proceeded far when they heard the
sound of distant singing Dismounting,
they crept through the copse to the
stream, and then picked their way as
noiscIessly as possible along its margin.
All at once one of the party uttered an
exclamation and pointed through the
trees:
owe are bewitched," he said 'look
you The moon poured its silvery
light through the vista and they saw or
thought they saw, the figure ola woman
intermingling with the light as though it
had been borne of it. Old Hampden was
not the man to suffer this coiI-hc lifted
his gun and fired. The apparitiOn van
ished, nor could they discover ny.traces
of it. Satisfied that it was in part an
illusion, they set out to return. They
had not proceeded far, before the figure
reappeared. This time it was at a greater
distance, and was leaning apparently
against tree. They stood moment
duzed with its lustrous beauty one only
of the party was unable to preceive any
thing, and he boldly denied its existence,
and when the others described its posi-
ton and whereabouts he suddenly and
deiantly discharged his heavy weapon
at it. As he did so the moon disappeared,
and they were in darkness. They were,
however, reinforced almost Immediate
lv by number of the PCasantry at
tracted by the noise OF their guns. All
the gentlemen were now in favor of
abandoning what they believed wild
goose chase. Not 50 the Hampden; he
alone insisted upon clearing up what he
declared had been too long mystery and
a nuisance to the country. Forming the
men into two parties, which were to
converge from opposite sides of the
stream half mile lower down, they set
out once more. Another incident, how
ever, modified the leaders plan and
added to the Discrimination of the men to
90 on. When they returned to their
horses it was found that the animal
which had been ridden by the elder
Hampden had broken loose and disap-
peared, in consequence Of which the
gentleman was forced to continue the
hunt on foot, which he did at the head
Of the villagers.
About half mile down the stream
was a ford the place was known as "St.
Adams Well" Young Hampden, who
had preceded his party some distance,
reached the well alone, just as the moon
emerged from the clouds and lit up the
scene brilliantly. No sooner had his
horse crossed the little river and ap-
preached the blasted oak that over
hangs the we'll than he was stuck dumb
with amazement and horror, for lying
there as if dead, with the blood Oozing
from her white breast and her long hair
wound about her as if to shield her, was
the daughter OF Sir William and the
woman he was 10 make his wife. For a
moment he believed himself 70 be the