The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-05-09

| While the last ray of parting day
Athwart the valley streams,
! The waving woods that crown the bank
'Bove Haddons glorious pile
Repose in greenest gloom nor catch
The suns departing smile"
| Haddon Hall and the vast estate surround
| ing it belong to the Duke of Rutland. The
hall stands on natural elevation above the
eastern bank of the Wye. The river is crossed
by venerable stone bridge passing which
we soon reach the foot of the rock immedi-
ately fronting the charming cottage of the
custodian who keeps the keys of this ancient
pile Haddon is not inhabited; it is simply
maintained to give as perfect an Idea as pos
sible of a baronial hall of the middle ages.
! Scott has woven its romantic history into
several of his thrilling tales. 1t is indeed an
ancient place. Many centuries have swept
around its time-scarred battlements. The
first owner of whom there is any
distinct knowledge was Henry de Fer
rars. who held it in 1886 and who, by
grant of William the Conqueror, held no less
| than one hundred and fourteen manors in
Derbyshire alone built Duffield Castle and
founded the church of the Holy Trinity near
Castle of Tutbury. Sir George Vernon, who
succeeded to the estate on the death of his
father in 1915, lived in this ancient pile in a
style of such princely magnifcence that he
earned for himself the title of liking of
the Peak" History tells us that he was gen
erous, hospitable and sternly just A tradi-
ton briefly told illustrates the frmness and
decision of his character and the power held
by him over the lives of the men with whom
he lived 1t is related that a peddler was
found murdered in lonely spot He was
observed entering cottage on the previous
evening and was never afterwards seen alive.
As soon as Sir George became cognizant of
| these facts he at once had the peddler's body
removed to Haddon, laid in the hall and cov-
cred with a sheet. He then sent for the
cottager and on his arrival earnestly ques
toned him as to where the peddler was who
had entered his house the night before. The
man having denied all knowledge of his
whereabouts, Sir George suddenly removed
the covering from the body of the murdered
peddler and ordered all present to come up
in succession, touch the body of the corpse
and declare their innocence of the murderous
deed. The suspected man when his turn
came refused to approach the body but at
once rushed from the hall and made his way
81 as fast as his legs could carry him, " through
Blackwell and toward Ashford. Sir George
Immediately ordered his men to mount, pur-
sue the fugitive and hang him as soon as he
fell into their hands. His men obeyed. The
! cottager was caught and peremptorlly execut-
ed without trial For this extraordinary bit
of lynch law, Sir George was summoned into
court, but the indictment against him fell
through and with slight admonition he was
discharged. The story of the elopement of
Lady Dorothy Vernon, Sir Georges younger
daughter, with Sir John Manners in 1867,
casts halo of romance over this sombre bar
onial residence. She is said to have been one of
the most beautiful women of her age, sweet
tempered and the idol of all Derbyshire. Her
attachment to John Manners was bitterly OPP
posed by her relatives. All her movements
were closely watched. She was virtually a
prisoner in her fathers house, butlove laughs
at locks and bolts. For weeks Manners, dis
guised as forester, hid around his lady's
residence until on festive night" Doro-
thy stole out of the merry ballroom unob-
served, passed through back door of the
hall and fastened across the lawn into her
lovers arms. Swift horses, in waiting near
at hand, bore them through the moonlit night
to distant Leicestershire, where they were
married ON the following day. The door
through which our lady eloped is always
pointed out to visitors as Dorothy Vernon's
door"
But, come, we have stood still quite long
enough. Let us ascend these time-worn
stairs and examine the inside of the structure.
In telegraphing your friends to meet you