, 1881-11-18
4 BRAVE WOMAN.

In spite OF the high opinion which we
entertain of feminine courage in general
we must be permitted to doubt whether
You all, ladies, feel yourselves capable
of initiating on q similar occasion the
heroine of the following little story,
which we can recommend to your atten
ton as entirely true:
Madame Aubrey occupied with her
husband large old house, in the village
of D.. This house stood entirely
alone, at the foot of an immense garden,
far from neighbors, and had no other
occupant than Monsieur and Madame
Aubrey, their son. an infant of twelve
months, and a domestic, recently ad-
mitted into their service.
One evening in the month of Novem-
Der Madame Aubrey was awaiting with
some anxiety the return of her husband,
who had been gone since morning to q
town distant few miles from D..
His business was to collect q debt, and
he expected to bring home a large sum
of money, and his wife now remembered,
with a feeling of uneasiness, that she had
seen him arm himself with Il pair of
pistols. 1t was about six o'clock, and
Madame Aubrey went TO her chamber
accompanied by the domestic, with the
bed. This apartment, large and high,
was situated on the second floor, looking
into the garden. The oaken wood work,
turned almost black with age, the old
fashioned furniture of grotesque form
and gloomy color, and some family por-
traits IN ancient dress and severe cOun-
tenances, gave to the room sCme-
what of forbidding aspect. A deep
alcoVe beside which was placed the
cradle of the infant, occupied nearly all
the side of the room opposite to the fire.
place. The curtains were drawn across
the front, but one corner having caught
upon some article near, was raised suff
ciently to show the foot of the bedstead,
made of the same dark wood with the
rest of the furniture, and carved in the
curious figures and grotesque lines in
which the artisans of an hundred years
back were wont to indulge.
The night was a true November night
black and gloomy, with torrents of
ram, TS44Sch beat continually upon the
windows. The trees of the garden, bent
by the force of the wind, from time to
time drew the finger like ends of their
branches across the glass, making fan
tastic and melancholy concert, in which
mingled no human Voice-no sound
which promised human aid, should the
want be ever SO urgent.
Madame Aubrey sat upon low chair
In the corner of the fire place holding
upon her knees the little boy whom she
was undressing, while the servant at the
other end of the room executed certain
orders of her mistress. A blazing wood
fire, aided by lamp upon the mantle
shelf. threw strong light upon some
nh1AHfa left N
and upon others again cast wayward
and fitful CLEAN, which caused them to
assume grotesque and unreal FORMS The
baby had ceased his laughing play and
had closed his drowsy eyes. The mother
threw her eyes toward the cradle to as
sure herself that all was prepared; at this
moment the fire blazed up suddenly and
threw strong hight upon the corner of
the bed exposed by the lifted curtain.
As Madame Aubrey looked, she almost
fell from her chair; under the bed, close
to the cradle in which she had been
about to deposit her sleeping child, she
now beheld two great feet shod in coarse
brog-ns. In an instant the sense of her
situation flashed across the mind of the
young woman as if shown by flash of
lightning. This hidden man no doubt
was q thief, perhaps an assassin. She
was alone, without help present or soon
to be expected, for her husband was not
to return until eight or nine o'clock, and
it was now but little past six. What
should she do? How should she defend
herself?
Madame Aubrey had uttered no cry
she had not even moved, but she feared
that the servant, making the same dis
covery, might not show the same pru-
dence. The thief probably intended to
remain IN his present position until the
middle of the night, then to issue forth
and possess himself of the sum brought
home by Monsieur Aubrey. But if pre-
maturely discovered, and having no
opponents but two women, he would
probably make his escape, first securing
their silence by their death. Then who
knows but the servant herself was an ac-
comphce - suspicious circumstances.
hitherto disregarded, returned with re-
newed violence TO the mind of Madame
Aubrey. All these thoughts passed
through the mind of the young mother
IN less time than have occupied in the
telling. Before many minutes had
elapsed her calmness had entirely re-
turned, and she had decided upon her
part in the. terrible drama. But she
must get rid of the servant.
You know" said she. without the
least faltering of her voice. "you know
the dishes which my husband prefers,
and think he will be well pleased to
find good supper ready against his re-
turn. had forgotten to tell you about
1t before, but go now and begin your
preparations and bestow attention upon
it"
''But. answered the servant, ''shall
you not want me here, as usual
mo, l can do everything myself.
Monsieur would be displeased, 1 am
sure, if after his long ride in such
weather he should not find good sup
per upon his return"
After some attempts at delay, which
redoubted in Madame Aubrey an un-
easiness which she was obliged to con-
eeal, the girl quilted the chamber. Her
footsteps died away upon the stairs, and
her mistress fonnd herself alone with