The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-03-06
A LADY,s woNDERTUL NERVE.

DeQuIncy's story OF ''The Avenger" Surpassed
Mrs. Isadore Middleton, very beau>
tiful woman, and one of the acknowlN
edged leaders Of fashion in Mobile, can
certainly boast of the possession OF as
much nerve and true moral courage as
is often vouchsafed to any CT her sex.
On the evening Of September 10 she
was in her boudoir putting away some
articles of jewelry, when she noticed
that the peculiar position of a library
lamp, that was burning upon chair in
the back part Of the room, had thrown
upon the floor, almost directly at her
feet, The shadow of man who was
croucbng under broad topped orna
mental table in the centre OF the room
She also remarked that the open hand
of the shadow had but two fingers, and
remembered that several desperate bur
glaries had recently been committed in
the neighborhood, suppositiously by a
negro desparado who was notorious as
having lost two fingers of his right
hand.
Mr.. Middleton was absent fIom the
city, and beside herself in the house,
there was but a single maid servant. In
stead of fainting for fear or shrieking
for help, the brave lady seated herself
at the very table underneath which the
miscreant was concealed, and rang for
her servant:
"Hand me writing materials, Bridget,
said she, with perfect calmness. 81
want you to take note this instant to
Mr.. Forfar, the jeweler, and have him
send you back with my diamond neck
lace and ear drops which left there for
repairs several days ago. Bring them
with you, no matter if fully repaired or
not They are by twenty fold the most
valuable articles of jewelry that pos
sess, and l do not wish to pass another
night without them in my bureau draws
er.
The note was at once written and dis
patched, but instead of being in the ten
or that she had signifed ION purpose for
the concealed robber to overhear, for she
had no iewelry under repair, it was a
hasty note to the jeweler, an intimate
friend, in which she succintly stated her
terrible position, and urged him to has
ten to her relief, with the required police
asst tance, Immediately on the receipt
of the missive.
The agonies which that refined and
delicate woman underwent when left
alone in the house with the conscious
ness of the presence of that desperate
robber perhaps assassin as well, crouch
ed under the very table on which she
leaned, and perhaps touched by her
very skirts, can only be left to the read
er's Imagination but her iron nerves
sustained her through the orde l.
she yawned, hummed an operate air,
turned over the leaves of novel, and
in other ways lulled the lurker into
sense OF perfect security ana expectancy |
and waited-waited with wildly beat
ing heart, and her eyes fastened upon
the hands of her little ormolu clock with |
a greedy, feverish gaze.
At last, however, came the prayed for
relief. There was a ring at the door bell,
and she ,stroiled carelessly into the hall |
and down stairs, and opened it, The
ruse had been a success, She not only |
admitted Bridget, but also Mr., Forfar
and three stalwart policemen. The lat
ter passed stealthily up stairs and into
The boudoir, where they suddenly pounc-
ed upon the concealed burglar SO uneX>
1ectedly as to secure him without a
truggle,
The prisoner proved so be a negro
named Chapman, but mostly
Known as Two Fingered Jeff " who
vas in great request about that time for
everal robberies committed in the
leighborhood a short time before, and
lie is now serving a twenty years SEN
ence in the Alabama State Prison,