Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-09-09
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, ls4o.

OF Hinu. ne rOODer probably meant To
remain quiet where he was ill midnight,
and then seize the money her husband
was to bring with him bu. if he should
find he was discovered, and that there was
no one in the house but two women, he
would not fail to leave his hiding place,
and secure their silence by numbering
them. Besides, might not the girl be the
robbers accomplice? Several slight caus-
es of suspicion occurred to her at once,
and all these reflections passed through
her mind i'll less time than we take to write
them. She decided at once what she
should do, which was, to send the girl out
Of the room.
You know that dish my husband
likes said she, without betraying her
alarm by the least change in the tones of
her voice, Il ought to have remembered
to have it got ready for his supper, Go
down stairs and see about it at once"
docs not madame require my help
here, as she generally does z"
mo, no, | viii! attend to every thing
myself. | know my husband would not
be pleased, if he was TO come home after
his ride, in such bad weather, and not find
good supper ready"
After some delays, which increased in
the lady's mind that suspicion she was
forced 10 conceal, the girl left the room--,he
noise of her steps OH the stairs died grad
ually away, and Madame Aubry was left
alone with her child, with those two feet,
molioness at their posts, still peeping out
under the curtain. She kept by the fire,
with her child on her lap, continuing to
caress it and sing TO it almost mechanical
ly. The child cried it wanted to be pu,
10 bed. but its cradle was near the alcove
near those dreadful feet, how could she
find courage to go near them! At last,
she made violent effort. Come, my
chlld,' said she, and gotup. Hardly able
to stand erect, she walked towards the al
cove. close to the robbcr. She put the
child in the cradle, singing it to sleep as
usual, We may imaginge how much in>
clina,ion she had to sing. When the
child fell asleep, she lef. it, and resumed
her seat by the fire. She did not dare TO
leave the room it would arouse the sus
picions of the robber, and of the girl, prob
ably his accomplice. Besides, she could
not bear the thought Of leaving her child,
even if it was TO purchase her own safety.
The clock pointed TO seven. An hour yet,
whole hour, before her husband would
come! Her eyes were fixed on those feet,
which threatened her with death at any
moment, with sort of fascinalion.-Tn
deepest silence reigned in the room. The
infant slept quietly. We do not know
whether even an Amazon, in her place,
would have been bold enough to try
struggle with the robber. Madame d'Au-
bry had no arms besides, she made no
claims to valor, but only to that passive
courage, founded Oh reflection, which is
far the rarer of the two. Every few min
utes, he would hea, noise in the gar>
dpn. In that noise, a ray OF nope shone
on her for 4 moments was her husband
it was deliverance But not was only
the wind and rain, or the shutters creak>
ing. What an age every moment seemed
to be oh. heavens the feet moved =
Does the thief mean 10 leave his hiding
place No. 1t was only slight, prob
ably involuntary movement, to ease him
self by changing his position. The clock
is too fast, besides How much anguish
how many silent prayers in these trying
minutes. She took up book of devo-
lion, and tried 10 read, but her eyes would
wander from the page to fix on those hea-
Wy shoes. All a, once a thought arose
that chilled her to the very heart. Sup
pose her husband should not come? The
weather is stormy, and he has relatives
in .he village he went to. Perhaps they
have persuaded him it was unsafe to ,rav
ell at night with SO large sum of money
about him perhaps they have forced him
with friendly violence, to yield to their
urgent invitations to wait till morning. It
is striking elght--and nobody comes
The idea we have. alluded to, appears to
her more and more probable, After two
hours Of such agony, the unhappy lady,
whose courage had been kept up oy the
hope Of final rescue, feels her strength 81
hope fail her. Soon she hears a noise
under the window, and listens. doubttuly
This time she is not mistaken. The
heavy enter door creaks on its hinges,
and shuts with clamor; well known
step is heard on the stars, and man en-
tiers, tall stout man. Ii is he, it is he !!
At that moment, ii he had been the worst
of all husbands, he would have been per-
lection in his wile's eyes. He had only
taken off his we, cloak and put away his
pistols, and delighted at again seeing
what he loves most on earth, opens HE
arms to embrace his wife. She clasps
him convulsisely, but in moment. re-