Every county in Florida has its own ghost stories about spirits that go bump in the night and Santa Rosa County is no different. This particular southern "haint" is said to be a beautiful damsel that haunts the area known as "Lady's Walk" on Santa Rosa Island. The old Spanish legend says that she comes every night to watch for her recreant lover as she sweeps the sand dunes clear with her trailing garments. Supposedly, she was a Spanish maid of noble lineage and so beautiful that knights from afar came to court her. But alas, her heart belonged to an adventurous soldier of fortune but sadly, he was not of noble birth! Knowing she would have to face the wrath of her father for her dalliance, she fled with her lover along with his company of soldiers.
But as the legend goes, he returned one night from a midnight quest and found his love in the company of one of his comrades of whom he already had previous doubts. Flying into a rage, he failed to notice that he had only kissed her hand and that she had in turn spurned his advances and asked him to leave. Listening not to her claims of innocence, he drew his sword and killed his comrade and then with one stroke severed his lovers head from her body. Leaving her as she lay, he left Santa Rosa County and returned to Spain with his remaining crew.
To this day, she is said to wander every night over the island, crying and moaning as she waits for her lovers return. The legend says if you are quiet you can still hear her calling in the distance and even see her trail in the island's soft sand at Lady's Walk from her flowing robes.
This story was written in 1913 by Celia Myrover Robinson.
Author
Celia Myrover Robinson (1872-1949)
daughter of Capt. Benjamin Robinson
III (1843-88) and Celia Urbanna Myrover
(1845-1936). She was an author of various
books including "Where Romance Flowered,
Stories of Old Pensacola."
Celia's mother's obit 1936
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