The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-15
The Lady and the Robbers,

cradle distance from the hig, road, Ba.
ron r. was accustomed to spend the
summer. His mansion, built on an
cmincncc, was perfectly adapted to his
fortune. 1t was a spacious building
elegant within and without, and dis
played good style of architecture. l,
was about two hundred PAGES from the
village.
Business obliged the baron to take
a journey of a few days. His wife, a
young and beautiful woman scarcely
twenty years of agc--rcmaincd at home
tie took with him two Of his servants,
and two others were left with baroness.
No violation of the public security had
ever been heard Of in that of the coun.
try; and as the baroness did not belong
to the timid portion of her sex, the idea
OF danger was far from entering her
mind.
The second evening after the baron's
departure, as she was stepping into bed ,
she heard an alarming noise in an apart
mcnt near the chamber. She called,
but received no answer. The noise,
screaming, and confusion grew louder
every minute. She was at loss to
conceive what was the matter, and has.
thy putting on a garment went to the
door to discover the cause. What q
horrid spectacle presented itself. Her
two servants, half naked, were extend
cd lifelcss on the floor! The room
was full ofstrangc and fcrocious-lookinc
men, the baroncss's chambcrmaid was
knccling before one of them-and in
stead ofthe mercy she implorcd, re-
celved the fatal stroke. No sooner did
the door open than two Of the barbara
ans, with drawn swords, rushed towards
1t. What man--not to say what wo-
man-would not have been struck with
the utmost tcrror-and given up life
ard every thing as lost A loud
shrek OF despair-a flight of few pa
ces would, probably, be the last re.
source of many. The baroness, how
ever, conducted herself in a different
manner.
and you have comc at lastn OK
claimed she, with tone of heartfelt
JOY, and advancing towards her two as
sailants with haste which highly as
tonishcd them both, and fortunately
stopped their upliftcd weapons.
Arc you come at last' repeated she;
"such visitors as you | have long wish
ed to scc.'
'Wishcd,' muttercd one of the assas-
sins. what do you mean by that?
but stay, I will
lie had already raised his cutlass,
but his comrade avcrtcd the stroke
Stop moment, brothcr,' said he, 'lct
us first hear what she would have
Nothing but what is your pleasure,
brave comrades. You have made
charming work here l see. You arc
men after my own heart. and neither
you nor shall have any reason to re-
pent it, if you will listen for two min
utcs to what | have to say
Speak! speak" cried the whole com
pany.
but be quick added one Of the fer
cest of them, 'fur VIC Shall not make
much ceremony with you either
Nevertheless, l hope you may, if
you but grant me hearing Know then
that am, to be sure, the wife of the
richest gentleman in the countrv--but
the wife of the mcancst bcggar cannot
be more unhappy than | am. Ny hus-
band is one Of the most jealous and
nlggardly wretchcs on the face of the
earth. [ hate him as | hate tho,
and it has long been the fervcnt wish Of
my heart to get out of his clutches,
and at the same time pay him off old
scores. All my servants were his splcs
and that fellow. whose business YOU
have done so completely, was the worst
OF them all. am scarcely twenty-five
and, as | flattcr myself, at least not ug-
ly! lfany Of you choose to take me
along with you, | will accompany him
to the woods or to the village alchousc.
Nor shall any of you have reason to
repent sparlng my life. You are in a
wollstored mansion, but it is impossible
you should be acquainted with all its
secret corners. These | will show YOU,
and it do not make you richer Jy
5000 dollars, then serve me as You
have my chambcrmad.'
Robbers of this kind are certainly
Williams, but nevertheless, they arc still
men. The wholly unexpected tcndcn.
cy OF the baroncss's address to
the unaffected tone with which she
spoke, and the more than ordinary
beauty OF the iemalc--altoycthcr pro
duccda powerful effect on men whose