The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-04-18
A LADY'S WONDERFUL NERVE.
DEoU1NCY's STORY OF "TIIE AyENGER,
.F.# SURPASSED. y

Mrs. Isadoro Middleton, very
beautiful woman, and onc of the ac-
knowledged leaders Of fashion of Mo-
bic, can certainly boast of the pos
session of as much nerve and true
moral courage as are often souclisafed
to any Of her sex.
On the, evening of September 10th
she was in her boudoir, putting away
some articles Of jewelry, when she
noticed that the peculiar position Of
q library lamp, that was burning
upon chair in the back part Of the
room, had thrown upon the floor, al.
most under her feet, the shadow OF a
man who was crouching under. n
broad-toppcd ornamental table in the
center of the room. She also remark
ed that the open hand of tho shadow
had but two fingers, and remembered
that several desperate burglaries had
recently been committed in tie Neigh
borhood, suppositiously by a negro
desperate, who was notorious as hay-
ing lost two fingers on his right
hand.
Mr.. Middleton was absent from the
city, and, besides herself in The house,
there was but single maid-servant.
Instead of fainting with fear, or
shrieking for help, the brave lady
seated herself at The very table under
meath WHICH the miscreant' was con-
cealed, and rang for the scryaht.
"Hand me writing materials, Brid-
gct,"" said she with perfect calmness,
81 want you to take note this in
TO Mr.. Forfair, the jowcler, and
have him send back my diamond
necklace and car-drops, wh;chSI left
there for repairs several days ago.
Bring them with you, no matter, il
fully repaired or not. They are by
twenty fold the most valuable articles
of jewelry that ! possess, and ! do
not wish to pass another nightwith-
out having them in my bureau draw
er."
The note was at ONCE written and
dispatched; instead of being i,l the
tenor she had significd (on pArpose
for the concealed robber to ovcrhear,
for she had no jewclry under rcpa,r),
it was hasty note 10 the jcwclcr, an
intimate friend, in which she sue
cinctly stated her terrible position,
and urged him to hasten to her relief,
with requisite police assistance, i'm
mediately on receipt of the missivc.
The agonics which that refined and
delicate woman underwent when left
alone in the house, with the conscious
ness Of the presence Of that desperate
robbcr, perhaps assassin as we'll,
CT ouchcd under the very table upon
WHICH she leaned and perhaps touched
by her very skirts, can only be left TO
the readers Imagination; but her
iron nerve sustained her through the
ordeal. She yawncd, hummcd an
operate air, turned over the leaves
of novel, and in other ways lullcd
the lurkcr into sense Of perfect Sc
curity and expectancy, and waited
with a wildly beating heart, and her
eyes fastened upon the hands Of her
little ormolu clock with q greedy, fc-
verish gaze.
AT last, however, came the prayer
for relief. There was ring at the
door-bcll, and she strollcd carelcssly
into the hall and down stairs TO open
it. The rusc had been success.
She not only admitted Bridget, but
also Mr.. Forfair and three stalwart
policemen. The latter passed stealth
lily upstairs and into the boudoir,
where they suddenly pounced upon
the concealed burglar so unexpected
ly as to secure him without strug-
gle.
The prisoner proved TO be negro
criminal named Chapman, but mostly
known as "'Two Fingered Jcn," who
was in great request about that timo
for several robbcries committed in the
neighborbood short time before, and
he is now serving twenty years
sentence in the Alabama State Pris.
on.-Ua1Jford Times.
WHEN the Federal troops entered
South Carolina at the close Of the
war, they took possession Of a mono