Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-01-11
MISCELLA A N Y &.
Midnight Adventure of a Bride.

| the power Of self control, under circumstance
of imminent peril, which seem almost foreign tt
their nature and beyond the endurance OF del
icate physical organization. A striking instance
of self.command, by a lady whose fears mus
have beer powerfully excited, and whose lie O.
af1luence had probably never before given hel
nerves any severer test than is incident to the
yeyations of domestic cares, is given in Cham
ber's Journal for October. We copy the adven
ture. promising by way of explanation that the
Iady 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 o.
that on which our adventure happened Grand
lpreparations were made for the wedding; and
the rector's fine old plate aDd the costly gifts o
| the bride. were discussed with pride and pleas
ure at the Hare and Hounds, in the presence ol
some strangers who had come down to prize
fight. which had taken place in the neighbor,
! hood.
That NIGHT, Adelaide, who occupied sepa.
rate room from her sister, sat up ate-long al
ter all the household had retired to rest. She
had q long interview with her father, and had
been reading a chapter to which he had di-
rected her attention, and had packed up her
lew els. &c. She vas, consequently, still dress
ed when the church clock tolsd midnight. As
! it ceased, she iauoied she heard noise like tha'
of a fle; she listened, bat could distinguish
nothing. II might have been made by soma Of
the servants still about, or perhaps it was only
the creaking of the old trees. She heard
nothing but the sighing of the winter winds tol
many minutes afterwards. House breakers were
myths in primitive Thyndon; and the bride o
leot, without q thought of fear, resumed her oc
cupation. She Was gaZiug on giittering sci
! diamonds, destined 10 be worn at the Wedding
when her bed room door softly opened. She
turned, looked up, and beheld man with
black mask, holding pistol in his hand stand
ing before her.
She did not scream; for her thopsht was foi
her father, who was i'll the next room, and K
whom any sudden alarm might be death, for ht
was old, feeble, and suffering from heart com.
plaint She confronted the robber boldly, anc
addressed him in whisper:
"You are come" said she, 'to rob US. Spare
your soul the awful guilt of murder. 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 astonished and cOwed.
ave won't make any noiso," he replied sud-
denly, 'if you give Us everything quietly"
Adelaide drew back and let him take her
iewels-not without pang, for 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 ii he intended to go to her faith
er's room. She received q surly affirmative
the wasn't agoing to run all risk and leave hall
the tin behind2" She proposed instantly that
she should go herself, saying: u will bring you
whatever you wish, and you may guard me
thither, and kill me if play false" The fel'
low consulted his comrades, and after shor,
parley they agreed to the proposal; and with Q
pistol pointed at her head, the dauntless CIR
crossed the passage and entered the old rector;
room. Very gently she stole across the cham
Der, and removing his purse, watch, keys ant
desk, she gave them up to the robbers whC
stood at the door. The old man slept peaceful
ly and calmly, thus guarded by his child whc
softly shut the door, and demanded if the rob
bers were yet satisfied.
The leader replied that they should be wher
they had got the show Of plate spread out be
low. and that they couldn't let her out of sight
and that she must 90 with him. In compliance
with the mandate she followed them doWI
stairs to the dning-room, where o splendi'
wedding. breakfast had been laid to save hurr,
and trouble or the morrow. To her surprise
the fellows-eight in number when assembled
seated themselves and prepared to make
good meal. They ordered her to get the wine
and cut up her own wedding cake for them
and then, seated at the head OF the table, sh
was compelled TO preside at this extraordinar,
revel.
They ate, drank, laughed and joked.,; and Ad
elade, quick of ear and eye, had thus time t
study, 10 her quiet way, the figures and voices O
the whole set.
When the repast was ended and the plat'
transferred to sack, they prepared to depart
whispering together and slancng ct the youn!
flady. For the first time Adelade's courage CAV
way, and she trembled but it was not q consul
tation against her, as it proved. The leader ap
preached her, told her that they did not wish Il
harm her---that she was Jolly wench, regu
Ter game" and they wouldn't hurt her, but sh
must swear not TO give the alarm till nine or tel
o'clock the nest dav, when they should be OF
all safe. To this Of course she was obliged t,
assent and then they all insisted or shaking
hands with her. She noticed during this part
lug ceremony, that one Of the gutfians had onl,
three fingers Oh the left hand.
Alone, and in the despoiled room, Adelaide
faint and exhausted, awaited the first CLEAN o
daylight, then, as the robbers did not return, sh
stole up into her room, undressed end fell int
q disturbed sumber The CONSERVATION OF th
family next morning may be imagined; ant
Adelaide's story was still more astonishing thai
the robbery itself. Police were sent from Lon
don and they, guided by Adelaide's lucid des
cription of her midnight guests, actually sue
ceeded in capturing every one Of the gang, whel
the younr lady had no difficulty in identifying
and swearing them, to the ''three fingered Jack
being the guiding clue to the discovery. The sto
len property was nearly allrecovered, and the oil
rector always declared-and with truth-tha
he owed his life to the self-possession and judg
ment of his eldest daughter.
The only i'll effect of the great trial on he
nerves, was disposition, on the part of tn
young heroine, to listen 20 midnight sounds, ant
start uneasily from troubled Dreams but tim
and change Of residence soon effected It's cure.
AN I'LL TINED PRAYER.-Lsst summer, at Hull
messenger having requested a London clergy
/ M