South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-11-03
A Strange Tale.

Ihe following adventure happened IL
Bath, England, many years ago, and tht
lady who narrated it to the writer, vas
in those days, young girl staying in the
house. 1t was in the palmy days ot
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,
! --hich 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 were 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 heathen 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 filed up the
space between the two windows, and the
horses were concealed behind the old
fashioned Venetian looking-glass, while
Phebus himself, six feet high, looked
down by day and by night on his mis-
tress at her toilet.
One evening Mrs. R had an un-
usually large party at home. She wore
oil np -
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, to
say her prayers. While engaged in her
devotions, it was habit with her to look
upward, and the face Of Phebus was
generally her point of sight, as it were,
and the object on which her eyes most
easily rested. On this particular night,
as usual, she raised her eyes to Phoebus
What does she see Has PygmalIop
been at work :? Has he filed those dull
silk eyes with vital fire? Or is she
dreaming No. Possessed naturally of
wonderful courage and calmness, she |
continued to move her bps as if in silent |
prayer, and never once withdrew her |
gaze; and still the eyes looked down upon |
hers. The light of her candles shone
distinctly on living orbs, and her good |
keen sight enabled her, after cleverly-
scrutiny, to see that the tapes
try eyes of Poonbus had been cut out,
and that, with her door locked, and every
in bed in their distant apartments,
and all her jewels spread out before her,
she was not alone in the room. She con-
cluded her prayers with her face sunk in
her hands. We can well imagine what
those prayers must have been. She
knew there. was some one behind the
tapestry; she knew that bells and screams
we're equally useless and she laid down
n her bed as usual and waited the issue,
ler only omission being that she did net
put away her jewels. They may save
nv ife,'' she said to herself, and she |
closed her eyes. The clock struck five
before sound was heard, ana then the
moment arrived. She heard rustic, a
lescent from behind the tapestry, and a
nan stood at her dressing-table. He ,
ook of his coat, and one by one he Sc !
ured the jewels beneath his waistcoat
What would be his neSt move Would
t be to the bedside or to the window
lie turned and approached her bedside
mt by that time she had seen enough,
nd again closed her eyes and resigned |;
lerself to the Providence whose protec-
ion she had been craving.
The man was her own coachman. Ap- !
'arently satisfied by brief glance Under :
is dark lantern that he had not disturb !
i her, he quietly unlocked the door and |.
eft her. For two hours-they must
ave seemed two days-She allowed the
ouse to remain unalarmed, her only :
1ovement having been to relock the /.
oor which her living Phebus had left !
jar. AT seven in the morning she rang s
be bel, and ordered the carriage round
1st after breakfast All this was accord /
lg to her usual habits. On the box was !
he man who had cost her a nights rest :
nd most probably all her jewels. How
yer, she drove off she went straight to =
he house of magistrate :
Seize my coachmanl" said she /; Sc =
1re him and search him. ] have been L
obbed, and 1 hardly think he has had
me to disencumber himself of the jew
IS he has taken from me"
She was o5eyed, and she was right. !,
he amethysts were still about him. and y :,
e gave himself up without struggle. Il Il