The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-18

winter winds fof many minutes after
ward Hopsebreakers were myths in
primitive Thyndon, and the bride
elect, without q thought Of fear, re-
sumed her occupation. She was gaz-
ing on O. glittering set OF diamonds,
destined to be worn at the wedding,
when her bedroom door softly opened.
She turned, looked up, and beheld a
man, with a black mask, holding a
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, and addressed him in a
whisper: ''You are come" she said,
to rob us. Spare your soul the awful
guilt Of murder. My father sleeps
next door to my room, and to be
startled from his sleep would kill him.
Make no noise, beg of you i
The fellow was astonished and
cowed. 1--WE won't make any noise"
he replied suddenly, IF You give us
everything quietly"
Adelaide drew back and let him take
her jewels-not without a pang, for
they were precious love gifts, remark
ing, at the same time, that two more
masked rutfians stood at tho 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 into her fathers
room. She received sully atiil,nu-
tive: 'He wasn't agoing to run all the
risk and leave half the tin behind?"
She proposed instantly that she would
go herself, saying: Il will bring You
whatever you wish, and kill me if I
play false to you" The fellow CON
suited bis comrades, and, after Il short
parley, they agreed to the proposal;
and with pistol pointed at her head,
the da1mtless girl crossed the passage
and entered the old rector's room.
Very gently she stole across the cham
ber, and removing his purse, watch,
keys and desk, gave them up to the
robbers who stood at the door. 'Thc
old man slept peacefully, and calmly,
thus guarded by his child, who sulliy
shut the door and demanded if the
robbers were yetsatisiied. Tho leader
replied that they should be when they
got the show of plate spread out be:
low, and that they couldn't let her out
of sight, and that she must go with
them. In compliance with this nlln-
date, she followed them down stairs
to the dining room, to save trouble
and hurry on the morrow. TO her
surprise, the fellows-eiSht i'll number
when assembled-seated themselves
and prepared to make 2 good meal.
They ordered her to get them ont the
wine, and to cut her own wedding
cake for them; and then seated ut the
head of the table, she was compelled
to preside at :llis extraordinary rcvel.
They ate, drank, laughed and iokcd;
and Adelaide, quick Of ear and eye,
ha' thus time to study, in Lensluiet
wG,r, the figures and voices OF the
whole set
When the :'epast WAS ended, and the
plate transferred to Il suck. they pre-
pared to depart, Whispering toyothcs
and glancing at the young lady. For
the first time, Adclaide's courage gave
way, and she trembled; but it was
not !. consultation against her, as it
proved. The leader, approaching her,
told her that they did not wish to harm
her-that she was "a jolly wench,
regular game, and they wouldn' tAurt
her, but th It she m.ist swear not to
give the alarm till 9 or 10 the next day,
when they should be off all safe To
this, of coruse, she WAS obliged to
assent, and then they all insisted on
shaking hands with her. She noticed
during this parting ceremony that one
Of the ruffians had only three fingers
on the left hand.
Alone, and in the despoiled rooms,
Adelaide, taint and exhausted, awaited
the first gleam Of daylight; then, as
IL. ~l>l~