Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-03-10
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From tho New York Mirror.
FENIAHE COURAGE.


amily consists only of NJ, Aubrey, his I
aife, a child about year old, and one
In the little town, every
lights out by 10 O'Clock, and of course
The most perfect solitude reigus at that
hour in their house. which lies off the |
road, and is completely hidden by trees,
One night last winter, Madame Aubrey
was sitting alone reading. Her Husband
had left her in the morning to visit a
friend some six or eight miles off, and as
he expected to bring homo considerable
sum Of money, he had taken the usual
precaution of arming himself with pair
Of pistols, AT about six o'clock, the lady
went up to her room to put the child to
bed, Her apartment was large room
upon the first floor, filed up on one side
by an old-fashioned chimney, and on the
other by deep and spacious alcove, near
which stood her infants cradle. 1t was
agloomy night, cold and dark, and every
now and then dash of rain beat against
the gothic windows. The trees in the
garden bowed to the wind, and their
branches came sweeping against the case
ment; in short, it was night in which the
solitude Of the mansion was rendered more
complete and melancholy than Install
Madame Aubrey sat down on low chair
near the fire, which, by its sudden flashes
cast an uncertain light over the apart
ment, throwing its antique carvings and
mouldings by turns into brighter relief or
deeper shades. She had her child on her
lap, and had just finished preparing it for
the cradle. She had cast her eyes to-
wards the alcovo to see if the cradle was
ready to receive its little occupant, whose
eyes were already closed. Just then the
fire flashed up brightly, and threw a
strong light on the alcovc, by which the
lady discovered pair OF feet cased in
heavy nailed shoes, pecping out under the
curtain in front of the bed. a thousand
thoughts passed through her mind in an
instant. The person hidden there was a
thief, perhaps an assassin-that was clear.
She had no protection, no aid at hand
Her husband was not to return till eight
at soonest, and it was only half past six.
What was TO be done? She did not utter
single cry, nor even start from her seat.
The servant girl probably would not have
had such presence of mind. The robber
probably meant to remain quiet where
he was until midnight and then seize the
money her husband was to bring with
him. But if he should find he was dis
covered, 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 the
girl might be the robbers accomplish
Several slight causes ofsuspicion occurred
to her at once, and all these reflections
passed through her mind in less time than
We take to write them. She decided at
once what she would do, which was to
send her out of the room.
you know that dish my husband likes,
said she without betraying the least
change in the tone of voice, i ought to
have remembered to have got it ready
for his supper go down and see about it
at once
Does Madame require my help as she
generally does p
No, no, will attend to everything
myself 1 know my husband would be
displeased if he was TO come home after
his ride. in such bad weather, and not find
supper ready
After some delays which increased in
the lady's mind the suspicion she was for
ced to conceal, the girl left the room.-
Tho noise of her steps on the stairs died
away gradually, and Madame Aubrey
WAS left alone with her child, with those
feet, too, motionlcss at their post, still pee
ping out from under the curtain. She
kept by the fire, with her child on her lap,
and sung to it almost mechanically, The
child cried, it wanted to be put to 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 a violent effort. Come, my child
said she, and got up. Hardly able to
stand erect. she walked to the alcove,
near the robber, She put the child in the
cradle, singing it to sleep as usual
she had to sing, When the child fell
asleep, she left it and resumed her seat
by the fire, She did not dare leave the
room; it would arouse the suspicion Of the
robber, and of the girl, probably his &C
complete. Besides, she could not bear
the thought of leaving her child, even if it
were to purchase her own safety, The
clock pointed to seven. An hour yet, u
whole hour before her husband would
come, Her eyes were fixed on those feet
which threatened her with death at any
moment, with fascination. The deepest
silence reigned in the room, The infant
slept quietly, We do not know whether
an Amazon, i'll her place, would have
been bold enough to try struggle with
the robber Madame Aubrey had no
arms; besides. she had no claim 10 valor,
but only to that passive courage founded
on reflection, which is the rarer of the
two. Every few minutes she would hear
noise in the garden, In that noise, a
ray of hope shone on her for moment
it was her husband--it was her deliverer
but no, it was only the wind and rain,
or the shutters creaking, What an age
every minute seemed to her. Oh, hea-