Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-17
HIS G0D-DAUGHTER.
A Pretty Little Blockade Runner LoF
Lytton's ProteSee.
ROMANCE OF THE WAR
The Girl Became Legnte Of tho Famous
a,,hor-He Left Her q Play to Bring
Her n Fortune.
,co-resrordouce Of the DIspatch.)

CORRESPONDENCE of the Dlspatch'
NEW YORK, June le.-When the
novelist. Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton' was
Minister from Great Britain to this
country he sought out and visited the
family OF Ancrum, in Charleston, .. u
Lord Lytton knew OF the Ancrums as
descendants Of an ancient ana hoDie
Scotch family Of that name; Also 'hs"
picturesque old castle, near Edihours'
This American Ancrum's VIE was
lneal descendant OF one OF the princes
Of Condo.
Scotch courage and French vlvaclty
united to make the American househoiu
a most charming one. and the beautiful
GRANDDAUGHTER Of the family became
great fayorite with the titled Englishniah'
1t is said that at the Ancrums Lord Lyt-
ton wrote his famous ballad, When Stars
Are in the Quiet Skies" and that the
music was the Joint composition OF hlIlseL
and OF the daughter OF the house
AS Madame Maria Ancrum Finiy &c
Rosset, the granddaughter was desuhed
10 renew her acquaintance with hsr grand
fathers guest under romantic clfcuIn-
stancs.
In 1863 her husband. one OF the wealthy
Huguenot de Rossets was sent TO Nassau
i'm a blockade-runner to buy supplies for
the Confederate Government. He left his
Young wife and hts little daughter lew
months Old, with mis- family, in Whining
ton y. c. He had been gone but month
when news came that he was down with
vellow-fever at Nassau. His wife deter
mined TO go to him. The De Rossets
protested against the perilous undertaking
in vain Go she would and take her baby
with her, though she must run the block
ade and land in a pest-nfected port
She and the baby and the black nurse
sailed from Wilmington one night on the
Lynx, a bockader heavily loaded Win
cotton.
NOVEL EXPERIENCE.
The Lynx had hardly got out or the
range of the guns Of Fort fisher oeio"
the city when she was sighted by ten
men-of-war guarding the harbor, and
broadsde after broadside was poured into
her. She crowded on full sail and man
aged 10 get on some distance Mrs. de
Rosset all the time in the wheel-house
watching the fight. A ball knocked
hole through near her. striking her on
the head with big splinter, but NOBODY
could get her away until Commander
Reed reminded her that her baby might
BE- in danger.
She ran below then. In the cabin she
found the nurse, frightened 10 death'
holding Gabrielle high above her head 10
keep her ont OF the water, which was
pouring in through the side Of the steamer
where the cannon had crashed through.
Catching the baby in her arms, she hur-
ried back to the captain with the news OF
the leak, whereupon the steamer was
headed for the nearest and safest point OF
land, a low sand dune about twenty miles
south OF Wilmington. There the baby
was tossed ashore by the dauntless young
mother and caught I'm a blanket held at
the four corners by as many sailors Tn.
baby is said to have been highly pleased
at the time with her novel experience.
An ambulance was found. and I'm 1t the
mother, child. and nurse were driven back
to the De Rossets.
The next night another blockader the
Owl, with the same captain, left the
port. \ starless sky and a drilling
rain favored this vessel. and the little
family succeeded this time In reaching
Nassau Mrs DE Rosset found her hus-
band recovering. and they all soon sailed
for England.
HIS GUESTS.
Mr. de ROssets adventure had been
published in the English papers. and
Lord Iytton recalled the heroine as his
pretty young entertainer In the Ancrum
family. lie invited the Americans to be-
eanle his guestst at Knebworth. There