The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-09-25
Miscellany.


The following adventure happened in Bath
in the year 49,, and the lady who narrated
it to the writer was ip those days. young
girl staying in the house. 1t was in the
palmy days of Bath, when that now fallen
city rivaled London in brilliancy and dissipa-
ton, and when all the rich, the gay, and the
high-born OF England congregated there in
the season and graced the balls and assem-
bhes. Mrs. R, once the belle OF the
court of George Ill, but at this period grad
ually retiring from general society, possessed
one of the largest of the old houses, and gave
in it entertainments which were the most
popular of the day. She was celebrated for
three things (once Tor FOUR but the fourth
her beauty-was of the days gone by,) these
things were, her fascination, her benevolence,
and--a set OF the most perfect and matchless
amethysts. Her house contained tapestried
chambers. The walls of the one in which
she slept were hung around with designs
from heather mythology, and the finest piece
in the room was that which hung over her
dressing table. 1t represented Phoebus driv-
ing the chariot OF the sun. The figures and
horses being life size, it filled up the whole
space between the two windows, and the
horses were concealed behind the high old
fashioned Venetian looking-gass, while Pha-
bus himself, six feet high, looked down by
day and by night at his mistress at her tot
lette. ul.
One evening Mrs. R had an unusually
large party at home. She wore all her anne
thyst. On retiring to her room, about four
O'Clock in the morning, she took off all her
jewels, laid them on the table, and dismissing
the weary maid intended to put them away
he self, but, before doing 50, knelt down, as
usual, to her prayers. While engaged in her
deVotions, it was habit with her to look up
ward, and the face OF Ph9bus was generally
her point of sight. as it were. and the object
on winch her eyes most easily rested. On
this particular light. as usual. she raised her
eyes to Ph9bus. What does she see? Has
Pigmallon been here at work? Has he filled
those dull silk eyes with vital fire? Or is she
dreaming? No Possessed natul ally of won
derful courage and calmness, she continued
TO move her lips as II in silent prayer. and
never once withdrew her gaze and Still the
eyes looked down on hers The light of her
candles shone distinctly on living orbs, and
her good keen sight enabled her. after a cley-
erly managed scrutiny, to see that the tapes
try eyes of Phoebus had been cut out. and
that, with her door locked and every servant
in bed in their distant apartments, and all
her jewels spread out before her, she was not
alone IN the room. The concluded her pray
ers with her face sunk in her hands,
We can well imagine what those PRAYERS
must have been! She knew there was some
one behind that tapestry; she knew that
Delis and screams were equally useless, and
she lay down in her bed as usual and waited
the issue, her only omission being that she
did not put away her jewels. '.rhey may
save my life" she said to herself, and she
closed her eyes. The clock struck five be.
fore sound was heard, and then the mo-
ment arrived. She heard a rustic, descent
from behind the tapestry, and a man stood at
her dressing-table. He took off his coat and
one by one he secured the Jewels beneath his
waistcoat. What would be his next move?
Would it be to the bedside. or to the win
dow? He turned and approached her bed
side, but by that time she had seen enough
and again closing her eyes resigned herself
10 the Providence whose protection she had
just been craving. The man was her own
coachman Apparently satisfied by brief
glance under his dark lantern that he had not
disturbed her, he quietly unlocked her door
and left her. For two hours-they must
have seemed two days-she allowed the
house to remain unbalanced, her only move.
ment having been to relock the door which
her living Phobus had left ajar.
AT seven in the morning she rang her bell.
and ordered the carriage round immediately
after breakfast. All this was according to
her usual habits. On the box was the man
who had cost her q nights rest, and most
probably, all her Jewels. However, she drove
OH; she went straight to the house of maeIs-
trate. "Selze my coachman," said she "secu1e
MN and search him. Ihave been robbed. and
l hardly think he has had time TO disepcum-
Der himself of the jewels he has taken from
me-. She was obeyed, and she was right,
The amethysts were still about HIN and he
gave nimself up without struggle.