Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-07-25
AsWHITE WRATH;
THE CASTLE SPECTRE.


l am not very superstitious. but doubt
ing lover is apt to do what would appear
absurd in ordinary eyes. There was le-
gend that on certain night of the year a
White Lady appeared at certain old oak
on the outskirts of the town, and that he
who dared to address her might ask any
wish and it would be granted.
You will probably think that l, Mark
Yardley, was fool to place my faith in
such an old woman's tale, but then you
were never hopelessly in love with Alice
Hunter, so you cannot understand my feel
ings. Whether was mad or not midnight
found me on White Lady's Night on my
way to the old oak to ask favor of the
wrath.
The tree was more than 200 years old
and spread its branches protectingy over
the ruins of the castle where White Lady
had loved and died. As 1 came full in view
of the tree my breath stood still, for there
in the shadow stood woman's figure.
It wore some light garments and was
wrapped and hidden so that could not see
the face, and it moved little as l came
near, and, looking over its shoulder, began
to glide away, and 1 knew that if gossips
told the truth must either win or lose.
I sprang forward, grasped the flowing
Tobe and held it close; and l whispered, to<
indeed my heart beat so fast that my voice
was gone:
sMy lady, my lady! have come here to-
night to ask you for a gift, and l fear you
not; for why should fear! Aud you who
died for love will be kind to lover. May
I ask? will you listen. LADY,"
Then voice, soft as a young birds
tWitter, answered.
fSpeak!"
T,c did the
face turn toward me.
81 love one dearly, lady," said, Sand
what ask is her heart. Can you help
me?''
Again the whisper came fainter even than
before.
ssHer nameq How can tell unless
know her name?"
sit is Alice Hunter" II said; and oh!
she is more dear to me than my SOUL"
There was pause.
Then faint and slow the answer came:
''Be bold; ask her for her heart and she
will give it TO you, on the word OF the White
Lady. Now GO, leave me-"
I dropped the white robe.
The lady glided away, and went home
as one might walk home in a dream.
And the next day almost believed that
had dreamed; almost, but not quite.
For had grown holder, and that day |
told Alice Hunter of my love, and she did
not scott at it.
We we're married.
When l had been a happy husband for a
month we returned from Boulogne, where
we had gone to spend our honeymoon, and
gave party, to which we invited all our
old friends and neighbors.
In the course of the evening the legend
of the White Lady became topic with
IL ,o4o 60 he
sation I observed my wife's color change
and finally saw her leave the room.
Believing that she had become faint with
the heat; followed in few moments and
found her sitting on the stairs, with a smile
lighting up her features.
II feared you were ILL.," ! said, sitting
down just above her.
''No,' she said, 81 am quite we'll. am
glad you followed me, for [ have something
to tell you"
''And have something to tell you," /
said. bending over her. Something about
the White Lady our friends are discussing"
Indeed" she said, hanging down her
head and toying with her fan. "Well tell
me your story first, and then l will tell you
mine"
told her what had sean at the tree aud
what the White Lady had promised me;
and then l asked her for her story, which
she told me in the following words:
cit was on White Lady's Night" she
said, "that went down to the old oak to
ask gift of the White Lady, and as l
ste cd waiting, half hoping, half fearing to
see her, one came over the hill, and l knew
that it was you and tried to run away and
hide myself, but you caught me by the
dress and spoke to me, so that | knew you
believed me none other than the White
Lady. And so first I learned that you
loved me, and, oh, feared that you would
see my face, but you did not, and you let
me go when you had your promise"
"And SO I was no ghost seer after ALL"
said, "and the White Lady never spoke
to me. But what was it you went in the
old oak to ask of the fair ghost that night,
my Alics?"
Then she turned her soft eyes away from
me and hid her head upon my bosom and
whispered: THAT you should love me.
Mark, for l already loved you well, and
could not read your heart"
"Then God bless White Lady's Night"
said 1.
And she answered 'Amen" as she rose
and took my arm to lead her back to our
friends.
In an old record of the M. e. Church,
South, at Edenton, N. c., is the following
entry: Married, on Tuesday, the 21st Of
May, 1911, by Rev James Boyd, Rev.
Pleasant Thurman to Mary G. Allen,
daughter of Col. Nathan Allen, deceased,
in the town of Edenton. Among the list
of removals from the church is Mary G.
Thurman to Lynchburg, Va, latter part of
1911. She gave birth to Allen G. Thur
man three months after her removal to the
latter p,ace.-Richmond Wing correspond
ence.
"Now, Central you'i9 posted, come give us