Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-02-25
ALady's Wonderful Nerve.

A correspondent of the Hartford Times says:
Mrs. Isadore Middleton, very beautiful Wo
man, and one Of the acknowledged leaders OF
fashion in Mobile, can certainly boast OF the
possession of as much nerve and true moral
courage as are olteu voucbsaled to any OF her
sex,
'Ooc evening she Was in her bondoir putting
away some articles Of iswe'ry, when she noticed
that the peculiar PISTON O! library lamp that
was burning upon chalr n Tie back part OF
the room he'd throTa upon TIC h,cr. almost
directly az her fest, the shadow CT man WHO
was crouohing under broad topped oroamcu
tai table 10 the centre Ct the r1ol.
"She also remarked ihGt the open hand OF
;hc shadow had but two i1eerS, aud remen.
bered that several desperate burElail:s had re-
Gently beer committed 10 the nolghborhooo,
suppostiiiousiy By q oegro desperate, who was
notorious as havlrg loss two ilogcrs OF his Iight
hand.
"Mr. Middleton was absent from the city,
and, besides herself in the house, there was
but single maid servant. lnstcad OF ialuting
with fear, or shrieking for help. tho brave lady
seated herself at the very table underneath
which the misTcaut Vas concealed and rang
Tor the servant.
"'HsuG ma writing materials, Bridget, said
she, with perfect ca!lnnnss; i Vant you to take
note this Instant to Mr. Fol fair, the loWeler.
and have him send you hack with my diamond
necklace aud cardrops which J. LET'S there Tor re-
pairs several Gays age. Bring them With you,
no matter i fully repaired or not. They aro
by twenty fold tee most valuable articles Ct
iuwclry ttat | pCsssSs, aud do not Wish 10
oass another nigh, without having them IN
bureau drawer.
"The notc was a. orce written aud dispatch
I'd, but icstead Of being ia the teuor that she
had sigui6ed ION purpose t,r the concealed
rcbbcr to evirhesr, Tor sha had 90 Ie~elry under
rcpair), il was hasy tote to the leWeleT, on
intimate friend, ;c which she sucolnetly stated
her terrible position. aDd urged him to hasten
to her relief with the requisite police as5lstanc,
Immediately Oh receipt OF tue mlssi7c..
"Thc agones which that reided aud delicate
woman underwent when left alone in the house,
with the consciousness Of the presence OF that
desperate rob5er, perhaps assassin as we'll,
crouched under the very table upon which che
leaned, and perhaps touched by her skirts can
ONLY be left 10 the reader iuo siuailou; but her
iron nerve sustained her thr0ugh the ordeal:
She yawned, hummcd an operate sir, turned
over the leaves cf novel. and 10 other ways
lulled the lurker into sense Of perfect security
and expectancy, and waited, waited with
wildly beating heart, and her eyes fastened
upon the hands Of her little ormuu clock With
a greedy. teveli5h gsz,.
'At last, however, came the prayed for re-.
| lief. There YVES ring at tho door bell, and
| she stroI!ed eareessIy into the hall and down
stairs to open it. The ruse had been success
She rot ooly admitted Bridget. but also Mr..
Foyfair and three stalIsrt policemen. The
latter passed sicalthiy up stairsiu the boudoir.
where they suddenly pouoc.d upon the conceal.
| ed burglar 80 Unexpectedly as to secure him
with hardly struggle. :,
"The prisoner proved to be a negro criminal
named Chapman. but mostly known as Two
| Fingered jeff who was 10 great request about
| that time for several robbcries Committed 10
the neighborhood short time before. aud he
| iy aow serving twenty years sentence in tho
| Alabama State prison"