Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-11-09
A Strange Tale.

The following adventure happened in
Bath, England, many years ago, and the
lady who narrated it to the writer, was,
in those days, young girl staying in the
house. 1t was in the palmy days OF
Bath, when that now fallen city'rivalled
London in brilliancy and dissipation ;
and when all the rich, the gay, and the
high-born of England congregated there
in the season, and graced the balls and
assemblies. Mrs. R, once the belle
of the court of George Ill, but at this
period gradually 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 for four, but the fourth-her beau
Twas of the days gone by): these
things we're her fascination, her benevo-
lence, and-a set of the most matchless
and perfect amethysts. Her house con-
tanned tapestried chambers. The walls
of the one in which she slept was hung
around with designs from heather my
thology, and the finest piece in the room
was that which hung over her dressing
table. 1t represented Phebus driving
the chariot of the sun. The figures and
horses being life-size, it filled up the
space between the two windows, and the
horses were concealed behind the old.
fashioned Venetian looking-glass, while
Phmbus himself, six feet high, looked
down by day and by night on his mis-
tress at her toilet.
One evening Mrs. R had an I'M
usually large party at home. She wore
all her amethysts. On retiring to hel
room, about four o'clock in the morning,
she took off her jewels, laid them on the
table, and dismissed her weary maid, in
tending to put them away herself, but
before doing so knelt down, as usual, tc
say her prayers. While engaged in hel
devotions, it was a habit with her to look
upward, and the face Of Phnbus was
generally her point of sight, as it We're
and the object on which her eyes mos
easily rested. On this particular night
as usual, she raised her eyes to PhGbus
What does she see? Has Pygmallor
been at work Has he filled those dull
silk eyes with vital fire? Or is she
dreaming? No. Possessed naturally o.
wonderful courage and calmness, she
continued to move her lips as if in silen'
prayer, and never once withdrew hel
gaze; and still the eyes looked down upon
hers. The light Of her candles shone
distinctly on living orbs, and her goot
keen sight enabled her, after cleverly
managed scrutiny, to see that the tapes
try eyes of Poebus 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. She con
Guided her prayers with her face sunk il
her hands. We can well imagine wha
those prayers must have been. Sh'
knew there was some one behind the
tapestry; she knew that bells and scream
were equally useless and she laid dow
in her bed as usual and waited the issue
her only omission being that she did nc
put away her Jewels. "They may SAVE
my life" she said to herself, and sh
closed her eyes. The clock struck fiv
before sound was heard, and then tn
moment arrived. She heard a rustic,
descent from behind the tapestry, and
man stood at her dressing-table. H
took off his coat, and one by one he Sc
cured the Jewels beneath his waistcoat
What would be his next move ? Would
it be to the bedside or to the window
He turned and approached her bedside
but by that time she had seen enough
and again closed her eyes and resigne,
herself to the Providence whose protec
ton she had been craving.
The man was her own coachman. APP
parently satisfied by brief glance unde
his dark lantern that he had not disturb
ed her, he quietly unlocked the door ant
left her For two hours-they mus
have seemed two days-she allowed til
house to remain unbalanced, her onl
movement having been to relock tn
door which her living Ph9bus had lief
aiar. At seven in the morning she ranl
the bell, and ordered the carriage roun
just after breakfast. All this was accord
ing to her usual habits. On the box wa
the man who had cost her a nights res
and most probably all her jewels. How
ever, she drove off she went straight t
the house Of a magistrate.
"Seize my coachman! said she; st
cure him and search him. I have bee
robbed, and l hardly think he has ha
time to disencumber himself of the jew
els he has taken from me-"
She was obeyed, and she was RICH
The amethysts were still about him, an
he gave himself up without a struggle