  We use neutron scattering to study the spin and charge/orbital ordering
(CO-OO) in the nearly half-doped perovskite manganite
$Pr_{0.55}(Ca_{0.8}Sr_{0.2})_{0.45}MnO_3$ (PCSMO). On cooling from room
temperature, PCSMO first enters into a CO-OO state below $T_{CO}$ and then
becomes a CE-type long-range ordered antiferromagnet below $T_N$. At
temperatures above $T_N$ but below $T_{CO}$ ($T_N<T<T_{CO}$), the spins in
PCSMO form highly anisotropic smectic liquid-crystal-like texture with
ferromagnetic (FM) quasi-long-range ordered one-dimensional zigzag chains
weakly coupled antiferromagnetically. Such a magnetic smectic-like phase
results directly from the spin-orbit interaction and demonstrates the presence
of textured `electronic soft' phases in doped Mott insulators.
