Year: 1865

der circumstances of imminent peril
which appears almost foreign to their
nature and beyond explanation. There
is on record a marked instance of self
command by lady whose fears must
have been powerfully excited, and whose
life of affluence had never before given
her nerves any seyerer test than is Incl
dent to the vexations of domestic cares.
We copy the adventure, promising, by
way of explanation, that the lady was
the daughter of a rector, residing in
quiet English county village, and was
upon the eve of marriage.


The wedding day was to be on the
morrow Of that on which our adventure
happened. Grand preparations were
made for the wedding, and the rector's
fine old plate, and the costly gifts of
the bride, were discussed with pride and
pleasure at the Hare and Hounds, in
the presence Of some strangers who had
come down to prize fight which had
taken place in the neighborhood.


That night Adelaide, who had occu-
pied separate room from her sister,
sat up late-long after the household
had retired to rest.


She had long interview with her
father, and had been reading a chapter
to which he had directed her attention,
and since, had packed up her Jewels,
etc. She was, consequently, still dressed
when the church clock tolled midnight.
AS it ceased, she fancied she heard
low noise like that of a file; she listened,
but could distinguish nothing clearly.
1t might have been made by some of
the servants still about, or perhaps it
was only the creaking of the old trees.
She heard nothing but the singing of
the winter winds for many minutes after
wards.


Housebreakers were mere myths in
primative Thyndon, and the bride elect,
without single thought of fear, re-
sumed her occupation. She was gazing
on a glittering set of diamonds, des-
tined to be worn at the wedding, when
her bedroom door softly opened. She
turned, looked up, and beheld man
with black mask, holding a pistol in
his hand, standing before her.


She did not scream, for her first
thought was for her father, who slept
in the next room, and to whom any sud
den alarm might be death, for he was
old, feeble, and suffering from heart
complaint. She confronted the robber
boldly, and addressed him in whisper:
"You are come," she said, ''to rob US
spare your soul the awful guilt of muir
der. My father sleeps next to my room,
and to be startled from his sleep would
kill him. Make no noise, | beg of
you"


The fellow was astoniShed and cowed.
"We will make no noise," he replied,
sullenly, "if you give us every thing qui-
ety."


Adelaide drew back and let him take
her jewels ; and not without pang,
for they were precious love gifts, re-
marking at the same time that two
more masked ruffians stood at the half
open door.


As he took the jewel case and watch
from the table, and demanded her purse,
she asked if he intended to 90 into her
fathers room. She received surly
affirmative he wasn't going to run the
risk and leave half the tin behind. She
proposed instantly that she should 90
herself, saying:


Il will bring You whatever you wish,
and you may guard me thither, and
kill me if | play false to you"


The fellow consulted his comrades,
and after short parley they agreed to
the proposal, and, with pistol pointed
at her head, the dauntless girl crossed
the passage and entered the old rector's
room. Very gently she stole across the
chamber, and removed his purse, watch,
keys and desk, and gave them to the
robbers, who stood at the door. The
old man slept peacefully, thus guarded
by his child, who softly shut the door
and demanded if the robbers were vet
satisfied.


uS iSduSi ltptltu tlidt iueN SuOulu
be when they had got the show of plate
spread out below, and they couldn't let
her out of sight, and she must 60 with
them.


In compliance with this mandate, she
followed them down stairs to the dining
room, where splendid wedding break
fast had been laid to save trouble and
hurry on the morrow.


To her surprise, the fellows, eight in
number when assembled, seated them
selves and prepared to make a good
meal. They ordered wine, and made
her cut her own wedding cake for them;
seated a. the head of the table, she was
compelled to preside at this extraordi- /
nary meal.


They ate, drank, laughed and ioked;
and Adelaide, quick to ear and eye,
had time to study in her quiet way, the t