Year: 1869

The Baroness and the Robbers.


In pretty village near Paris, but a
considerable distance from the high
road, was Baron r. accustomed to spend
the summer. His mansion, built on an
eminencs; was spacious building, both
within and without, and exhibited a
good style of architecture; and it was
about two hundred PAGES from the vil-
lage.


Business obliged the Baron to take q
Journey of few days. His wife, but
twenty years Of age, and very beautiful,
remained at home. He took with him
two Of his servants, and two others re-
manned with the baroness. No viola
tion Of the public security had ever
besn heard Of in that part of the country;
M the baroness did not belong to
z portion Of her sex, the idea OF
sdIhger was far from entering her mind.
The evening after the baron 8 departure,
~ she was stepping into bed, she heard
an alarming noise in an apartment near
her chamber. She called out, but re-
ceived no answer. The confusion i'll
creased every moment. She was. at u
loss to conceive what was the matter,
and hastily putting Oh her garments,
went to the door to discover the cause.
A horrible spectacle presented itself.
Her two servants, half naked, were ex-
tended lifeless OH the floor. The room
was full of strange looking men; the
baroness chambermaid was kneeling
before one of them, and instead of the
mercy she implored, she received the
fatal stroke. No sooner did the door
open than two of the barbarians, with
drawn swords, rushed toward it. What
woman, or even man, would not have
been struck with the utmost terror, and
given up life and everything as lost? A
loud shrek of despair, flight of a few
PAGES, would probably have been the re-
sort of many. The baroness, however,
herself in a very different
manner.


"And you have come at last" ex-
claimed she, in a tone Of apparently
heartfelt joy; and advancing toward her
assailants with haste that highly as
them, they lowered their up
lifted weapons.


"And you have come at last!" repeat
ed she; ''such visitors as you have often
wished to see."


"Wished!" muttered one of the assas-
sins, "what do you mean by that
But stay-I'll-'


He had already raised the cutlass, but
a comrade averted the stroke. "Stay
moment, brother" said he, land let us
hear what she would have"


"Nothing but what's your pleasure,
brabe comrades. You are men after my
own heart, and either you nor l shall
ever have reason to repent it, if you will
listen for two minutes to what have to
say"


Speak! speak!' cried. the whole
company.


"But be quick" added one of the
fiercest, "for we shall not make much
ceremony"


"Nevertheless, 1 hope you will grant
me hearing; for although I am the
wife Of the richest gentleman in the
country, the wife of the meanest beggar
cannot be more unhappy than 1 am.-
My husband is one of the most jealous
and niggardly fellows on earth. l hate
him, and it has long been the fervent
wish of my heart to get clear of his
clutches and at the same time pay off
old scores. All my servants were spies;
and that fellow whose business you have
done SO completely, was the worst of
all. l am scarce twenty one, and l
fiatter myself far from being ugly. II
any of you choose to take me along with
you, III accompany you to the woods
or to the village alehouse. Nor shall
any OF you repent having spared my
life. You are in we'll stored mansion;
but it is impossible that you he acquaint-
ed with all its secret corners. These l
will now show you, and if don't'make
you richer by six thousand dollars,
then serve me as you did my chamber
maid"


Robbers of this kind are certainly vii
lains, but nevertheless they are still
men. The wholly unexpected tender
ness of the baroness, added to the more
than ordinary beauty of the female, o.
together produced i powerful etfe,t on
these men, whose hands were yet reek-
ing with tlood. They then all stepped
aside, and consulted together in low
tones for some minutes. The baroness
was left quite alone, but she betrayed
not the least wish to escape.


Let's dispatch her, and the game will
be all up" She, however, scarcely
changed color, for the opposition of
the others did not escape her acute
ear.


One, who was probably captain of the
banditti, now approached her. He ask
ed her twice or thrice whether he might
rely on what she said-whether she
actually wished to be released from the