The Lincoln County herald., 1871-05-25
Thrilling Adveniure.


Tho following curious adventure hap
pened at Bath 10 tho year i70-, and the
lady who narrated il to the writer was in
those days . young girl staying 10 the
house. 1t was in the palmy days Of
Bath, when that now fallen city rivallcd
London IN brillianoy and dissipation. and
when all the rich, the gay, and tho high
bora Of England congrcgsted there in
thasame season aud graced the balls aud
assemblies.
Mrs. r -, once the belle Of the court
Of George III, first at this period, gradu.
ally retiring from general eociety, pos.
scssed 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
beauty-was Of the days gone by);
these things we're, her fascination, her
violence, and-a set Of amethysts.
Her house contained tapestrial cham
bers. The walls Of the ono in which she
slept we're hung around with designs
from heather mythology, aud the 6nest
piece in the room va, that which hung
over her dressing table. 1t represented
PLabus driving the chariot Of the sun.
The figures and horses being life size, IL
filed up the whole space between the
two windows; and the horses were con.
cealed behind the high, old fashioned
Venetian looking.glass; while PhUbus
himself, six feet high, looked down by
day and night upon his mistress at her
toilet.
One evening Mrs. R. had on unusu
ally large party at home. She wore oil
her amethyts. On retiring to her room,
about four o'clock in the morning, she
took off all her jewels, laid them on the
table, aud dismissing her weary maid, in.
tended to put them away herself, but be.
fore doing SO knelt down as usual, to her
prayers. While engaged 10 her devo.
tions, il was habit with her to look up.
wards, and the face Of PhWbus was gen
orally 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 Ph@bus.
What does she see2 Has Pygmation
been here at workS Has he filed those
dull silk eyes with . vital 6re2 Or is
she dreaming? No. Possessed naturally
of wonderful courage and calmness, she
continued to move her lips as if in silent
prayer, and never once withdrew her
case, and still the eyes looked down on
hers. The light Of her candles shone
distinctly on liquid, living orbs, and her
good keen sight enabled her, utter clev.
erly managed scrutiny, to SEQ that, with
the door locked, and the servants in bed
in their apartments, and all her jewels
spread out before her, she was not alone
in the room.
She concluded her prayer with her
face hidden in her hands. We can nll
we'll imagine what those last prayers
must have BEEN She knew there was
some one behind that tapestry, she knew
that bells and screams we're equally use.
less, and she lay in her bed as usual, and
waited the issue, her only omission being
that she. did not put away her jewels
"Thcy may save my life," said she to
herself, and she closed her eyes.
The clock struck Eve before q sound
was heard, and then the moment arrived.
She heard a rustic, descent from be.
hind the tapestry, and a man stood be-
eide her dressing table. He took of
his coat, and one by one, ho secured the
jewels beneath his wais,coat. What
would be his next move? Would it be
to her bedside, or to'the door or window ?
He turned, and approached her bedside
but by that time she had seen enough,
and, again closing her eyes, resigned her.
self to the Providence whose proteation
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 the
door and left her. For two hours-they y
must have seemed two dsys-she allowed
the house TO remain unaiarmcd, her only
movement being to relock the door which
her living Ph@bus had left ajar. At
seven 10 the morning she rang her bell
and ordered the carraige round imme
diately after breakfast. All this va.
according to her usual habits. On the
boz was man who had cost her night's
rest, and most probably al her jewels.
However, she drove of she went stragh,
to the house ofa magistrate.
"Seize my coachman," said she, Use
cure him and search him. l have been
robbed, and l can hardly think he ha,
had lime to disencumber himself OF the
jewels he has taken from NO."
She was obeyed and she was right
the smethysts we're still about him, and
be gave himself up without q struggle
All he said was II wish now that
had killed her. I meat to co it; only
she was 50 good, I hadn't tho heart"
1t IS most probable that, after this ex
citing episode, the tapestry Of that bed
chamber was remorselessly condemned
and the eyesless PhWbus consigned tc
oblivion. lt e'
1 4 =.