The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-12-18
A TALE OF FEMALE HEROISM.

In the month of June, pedder and his wife
presented themselves at sundown Mt the door
of a little farm honsc, at Bonic, in France, and
requested permission of the farmer to stay over
night. A small room was consigned TO them,
as the farmers wife was confined to her bed.
The next day was Sunday and the farmer and
his servants went to church. The peddlcr al
so started to 90, and there remained IN the
house, the wife Of the farmer, newborn infant,
the peddlcrs wife, who fcigncd illness, and
child six years Of age. Scarcely had the peo.
pie gone ont, when the peddlers wife, armed
with knife, presented herself at the bed of
the sick woman and demanded her money or
her life The poor woman, sick and weak, de-
ivercd mp her keys, and desired the little boy
to show her the apartments. She rose softly
from her bed followed the poddler'S wife with
ont heing heard, and having bcckoned the child
ont of the room locked the door She then
desired the child to run for his father aud dc.
sire him TO bring assistance. The child did
not lose an instant, but by surprising fatal
ity met the pcddler on the road who had Sto-
len from the chuch TO assist his wife in the pre-
concerted ROBBERY. The peddlcr asked the child
where he was going, he answered that he was
going to seek his father, as an attempt was
made 10 rob him The peddlcr said it was now
unnecessary, rs he himself would 90 and pro.
tect his mother and, taking the child hy the
hand, they returned TO the farm They knock
ed at the door, but the f,rmers wife not rec,
ognizing the voice Of her husband refused to
open the pcddlpr made vain efforts to indncc
her. and finally threatened to cnt the child's
throat and break i, open. Furious Mt being
unabl to prevail upon her. he executed his hor'
ribe threat and Killed the child
After committing this useless crime, he tried
to get into the honse to save his own wife, as
the time passed and the farmer might rcturt
from church His attempts failing he mount
; ed the roof and descended the chimney. Tie
farmers wife, almost fanting, now saw moth
ing to deliver her from certain death. The
} wretch wnsalmost down the chimney and about
to enter her chamber, when collecting all he
; strength, she by sndden inspiration, drew th
paiIcssce (strnw bed to the edge the hcartl
and as quickly set fire to it, The smoke IN
few minutes envcloped the assassin, who, no
being able TO ascend. very soon fell in the fir
r half >ulocatcd. The farmers courageous wifi
' lost not presence Of mind but in his blind
. ed state struck him several severe blows on tn
heau WIN llc poker, Which pun n'hl We. VI"
=, the chance of Immediately recovering bis sen
l >es. Exhausted with fatigue and mental age
5 NY she herself fell senscess on the carpet O
! her chamber, and remained in this situation til
the farmer and his servants returned from
| church. The dead body of the child, al th
G gate of the farmhouse was the first horribl
G spectacle that met the eye Of the unhappy fnl
. mer They forced open the doors, and aftc
n having recovered to life the farmers wife, the
S seized the two cuIprits and delivered them owe
S to justice. The pcdder survived his wound
n and burns, but both he and his partner recei'
7 ed the punishment due their crime.