The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-02-21
WONDERFUL NERVE.


De0uIncey's Story of 1.-The AVenger" Sur
passed.
Mrs. Isadors Middleton, a very beautI-
full woman, and one of the acknowledged
leaders of fashion in Mobile, can certain
ly boast of the possession of as much
nerve and true moral courage as are of
ten vouchsafed to any of 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 a chair in the
back part of the room, had thrown upon
the floor, almost directly at her feet, the
shadow of a man who was crouching I'm.
der a brOad-topped ornamental table in
the center of the room. She also remark
ed that the open hand of the shadow had
but two fingers, and remembering that
several desperate burglaries had recently
been committed in the neighbOrhOod
suppoSitiously by a negro desperate who
was notorious as having lost two fingers
of his right hand.
Mr.. Middleton was absent from tho
city, and, beside herself in the house
there was but single maid servant In
stead of fainting with fear or shriekine
for help the brave lady seated herself al
the table underneath which the miscre
ant was concealed, and rang for the serv
ant.
Hand me writing materials, Bridget, >
said she, with perfect calmness. 81 want
you to take u note this instant to Mr.
FOrfar the jeweler,, and have him send
you back with my diamond necklace
and ear-drops which left there for re
pairs several days ago. Bring them with
you, no matter if fully repaired or not
They are by twenty-fOld the most valu
able articles of jewelry possess, and
do not wish to pass another night with
out having them in my bureau drawer
The note was at once written ano
dispatched, but instead of being in the
tenor that she had signified ION purpose
for the concealed robber to overhear, fol
she had no jewelry under repair, it was
hasty note to the jeweller, an intimate
friend, in which she succinctly stated
her terrible condition, and urged him tC
hasten to her relief, with the requisite
police assistance, Immediately on re
ceipt of the missive.
The agonies which that refined and
delicate woman underwent when leG1
alone in the house, with the conscious
ness of the presence of that desperate
rObber, perhaps assassin as well, crouch
ing under the very table upon which she
leaned, and perhaps touched by her very
SklTIS, can only De lett 10 the redQer
imagination; but her iron nerve sustain
ed her through the ordeal.
She yawned, hummed an operate air
turned over the leaves of a novel, and il
other ways lulled the lurker into a sens,
of perfect security and expectancy, anC
waited-waited with a wildly beating
heart, and her eyes fastened uponSth
hands of her little ormolu clock with {
greedy, feVerish gaze
At last, however, came the prayed TO
relief There was ring at the door-bell
and she strolled carelessly into the hal
and down stairs and opened it. The rus
had been a success. She not only admit
ted Bridget, but also MIR. FOrfar anC
three stalwart policemen. The latte
passed stealthily up stairs and into tn
boudoir, where they suddenly pounceC
upon the concealed burglar so unexpeci
edly as to secure him with hardly
struggle.
The prisoner proved to be a negr'
| criminal named Chapman, but mostl,
known as Two Fingered JEFF, ;" who wa
in great request about that time for sew
eral Fobberies committed in the neigh
borhoOd . short time before, and he j!
now serving q twenty years sentence il
the Alabama state prison.