The herald. (Smyrna, Del.) 1870-1871, 1871-07-22
A NIGHT OF TERROR,

The following curious adventure hap
pened in Bath, in the year 49,, and the
lady who narrated it 10 the writer was
in those days young girl staying in the
house. 1t was in tho palmy days of
Bath, when that fallen city rivaled Lon
don in brilliancy and dissi ipation, and
when all the rich, the gay and high-born
of England congregated there in season
and graced the balls and assemblies.
Mrs. II -, once the bell of the court
of George III, but at this period gradu-
ally retiring from general society, pos.
sessed one of the largest of the old hous-
es, and gave in it entertainments which
were tho most popular of the day. She
was celebrated for three things (once
four, but the fourth'-her beauty-was of
the days gone byl; these things were
her fascination, her. benevolence, and-a
set of the most beautiful amethysts.
Her house contained tapestiied cham
bers. 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 hung over
Ler dressing-table. Represented Phoe.
bus driving the chariot of the sun. The
figures and horses being life size, it fill
up the whole space between the win
dows, and the horses were concealed be
hind the hign, old-fashioned Venetian
looking glass; while Phpbus, himself
six feet high. looked down by night and
day upon his mistress at her toilet.
One evening Mrs. R had an unu.
sually large party at home. She wore
all her amethysts. On retiring to her
she took off all her jewels, laid them on
the table, and dismissed the weary maid,
intending to put them away herself, but
before doing SO knelt down, as usual, to
say her PRAYERS. While engaged in her
devotions, it was habit with her to
look upwards, aud tie face of Ph9bus
was generally her point of sight, rs it
were, and the object on which her eyes
most easily rested. On this particular
night, as usual, She raised her eyes to
IuuHOuSs L w nub tdhSS ShO SGb IluS
Pygmalion been herc to work? Has he
nlled those dull eyes with vital fire? Or
is she is she dreaming? No. Possessed
naturally of wonderful courage and
calmness, she continued to move her
lips as. if i..s. .sslieps' PRAYER, and never
once withdrew he-s gaze, ann sITIT Tne
eyes looked down ON hers. The light OF
her candle shone distinctly on liquid,
living orbs, and her good, ken sight
enabled her, after cleverly managed
scrunity, TO see that tue tapestry eyes OF
Phebus had been cut out, and that, with
her door locked and the servants i'll bed
in their distant apartments, and all her
jewels spread out before her, she was
not alone i'll her room.
She concluded her prayers with her
face hidden in her hands. We can all
imagine what those last prayers must
have beenl She knew there was some
one behind that tapestry; she knew that
the bells and screams were equally Use
less, and sac lay down in her bed as
usual, and waited the issue, her only
her jewels.
"They may savemy life," said she to
herself, and she closed her eyes.
The clock struck five before sound
was heard, and then the moment arriv-
ed. She heard Il lustle, desc ent from
behind The tapestry, and man stood at
her dressing-taLle. He took oil his coat
and one by one le secured the jewels
beneath his waiscjat. What would be
his next move? Would il be to her bed
side, or the door, a window? lie turn
ed and approacaeoher bedside; but by
that time she hal seen enough, and
again closed her eyes, resigning herself
to the Providence whose protection she
had just been craving. The man was
her own coachmai
Apparently satisfied by brief glance
under his dark laitern that he had not |
disturbed her, he iuietly unlocked her
door and left the nom. For two hours
they must have Ieemed tive days-she |
allowed the houseto remain unalarmed,
her only movement having been to re.
lock the door whid her living Phcebus |
had left ajar. At even in the morning
she rang her bell and ordered the car
riage around Immediately after break
fast. All this wasccording to her usual
habits. On the bS was "a man who had |
cost her weary lights rest, and mos
probably all her ewels had gone forev-
er. However, sh drove OIL; size went
straight to the hose of a magistrate.
"Seize my coacinan," said she; "se-
cure him and sea,h him. 1 have been
robbed, and harly think he has had
time to dsencumer himself of the lew.
els he has taken tom me.''
She was obeyet and she was light;
the amethvsts wes still about him, and
he gave himself u without "a struggle.
Ali he said was,
81 wish now had killed her.
meant to do it; ory she was so good |
hadn't the heart
1t is most probole that after this ex-
citing episode theapestry of thai bed
chamber was remrselessly y condemned,
and the eyeless Pebus was consigned
to oblivion.
A GENTLEMAN ,arned in the origin of
social cusfotns WI ask ed what Nyus tho |