Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-01-19
A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE.

! Females often possess presence of mind,
| and power of self-control under circum stances
| of imminent peril, which seems almost foreign
to their nature, and beyond the endurance of
| delicate physical organization. A striking
instarce of self command, by lady whose
| fears must have been powerfully excited, and
| whose life of affuence had probably never be-
| fore given her nerves any severer test than is
| incident to the vexation of domestic cares, is
| given in Chambers Journal of last month
| We copy the adventure, presuming by way
of explanation that the lady was the daughter
of rector residing in quiet English country
| village, and was upon the eve of marriage.
| The wedding day was to be on the morrow
of that on which our adventure happened.
! Grand preparations were made for the we'd
ding and the rector's fine old plate, and the
costly gifts of the bride were discussed with
pride and pleasure at the Hare and Hounds,
! in the presence of some strangers who had
come down to prize fight which had taken
! place in the neighborhood.
That night, Adelaide, who occupied sepa-
rate room from her sister, sat up late, long af-
| ter all the hosehold had retired to rest. She
had long interview with her father and had
been reading chapter to which he had d-
rected her attention, and since, had packed mp
| her Jewels, &c. She was consequently still
| dressed when the church clock tolled midnight.
| AS it ceased, she fancied she heard low noise
| like that of file she listened but could dis
|
made by some of the servants still about, Or
| perhaps it was only the creaking of the old
| trees. She heard nothing but the singing of
| the winter winds for many minutes afterwards.
! Housed breakers were mere myths in primitive
| Thyndon, and the bride-eect, without a
! thought OF fear resumed her occupation. She
was gazing on a glittering set of diamonds,
destined to be worn at the wedding, when her
| bedroom door softly opened. She turned.
| looked up, and beheld man with a black
mask, holding pistol in his hand, standing
| before her.
! She did not scream, for her first thought
| was for her father, who slept in the next room,
| and to whom any sudden alarm might be
death, for he was old, feeble and suffering
| from heart complaint. She confronted the
robber boldly, aad addressed him in whisper:
'sYou are Gomez she said, ''to rob us. My
father sleeps next to my room, and TO be
startled from his sleep would kill him.
| Make no noise, beg of you"
The fellow was astonishcd and cowed. ssWe
won't make no noiSe,' he replied suddenly,
'sif you give us everything quietly"
Adelaide drew back and let him take her
| jewels-not without pang, tor they were pre-
| ciOus love gifts, remarking at the same time,
| that two more masked ruffians stood at the
! half opened door. AS he took the jewel case
! and watch from the table, and demanded her
purse, she asked him if he intended to go in
| to her fathers room. She received a surly
| a1IrmatlVe, s'ne WASH Il going io Ilsh
| and leave half the tin behind 20 She propos-
| ed instantly that she should go herself, say
| ing 81 will bring you whatever you wish, and
| YOU may guard me thither, and kill me II
| play false to you.'' The fellow consulted his
| comrades and after a short parley they agreed
| to the proposals. and with pistol pointed at
| her head, the dauntless girl crossed the pas
sage, and entered the old rector's room. Very
| gently she stole across the chamber and re-
| moving his purse, watch. keys and desk, gave
! them up TO the robbers who stood at the door.
| The old man slept peacefully and calmly,
| thus guarded by his child, who softly shut the
| door, and demanded if the robbers were yet
4 satisfied.
The leader replied that they should be when
they had got the show of plate spread ont be-
low but that they couldn't let her out of sight,
and that she must go with them. In compl-
| ance with this mandate, she followed them
| down stairs to the dinning room, where a
| splendid wedding breakfast had been laid to
save trouble and hurry on the morrow. To
| her surprise, the fellows eight in number
when assembled-seated themselves and pre-
| pared to make good meal. They ordered
| her to get them out wine, and to cut her own
wedding cake for them and then seated at
| the head of the table, she was compelled to
| preside at this extraordinary revel.
They ate, drank, laughed and joked and
| Adelaide, quick of and eye, bad thus
time to study, in her quiet way, the figures
| and voices of the whole set.
When the repast was ended, and the plate
transferred to sack, they prepared to depart,
whispering together, and glancing at the
| young lady. For the first time Adelaide's s
courage gave away, and she trembled; but it
| was not a consultation against her, 1t proved.
| The leader approaching her, told that they
! did not wish to harm her-that she was ''a
jolly wench, reg'lar game,' and they wouldn't
| hurt her, but that she must swear not to give
| an alarm till nine or ten next day, when they
| should be off all safe. To this she was of
course obliged to assent, and then they in
| sisted on shaking hands with her. She no.
| ticed during this parting ceremony, that one
of the ruffians had only three fingers on the
! left hand.
Alone, in the room, Adelaide, faint and ex-
| hausted, awaited the first CLEAN of daylight; /;
then, as the robbers did not return, she stole
| up to her room, undressed, and fell into dis
| turbed slumber. The CONSERVATION of the
family next morning may be imagined and
| Adelaide's story was still more astounding
than the fact of the robbery itself. Police
| we're sent for from London, and they, guided
by Adelaide's lucid descriptions of her mid
night guests, actually succeeded in capturing
every one Of the gang, whom the young lady
| had no difficulty in indentifying and swearing
to-the ssthree fingered Jack" being the gnid-
| ing clue to discovery. The stolen property
was nearly all recovered, and the old rector
always declared-and with truth-that he ow-
! ed his lifeto the self-possession and judgment
| of his eldest daughter.
| The only i'll effect of the great trial to her
nerves, was disposion, on the part OF the
| young heroine, to listen for midnight SOUNDS,
| and start uneasily from troubled dreams; put
time and change of residence soon effected
| its cure.
A gentleman met half-witted lad in the