Year: 1878

OHlh ueHS VI CtiHlcs WHICH sue haunted


with unhinchng persistence. This ex-


traordinary woman was as peculiar in her


appearance as in the nature of her avoca-


tions. Short, thick set, with the arms Of


prize-fghter, and features which might


perhaps be compared with those Of bull


dog, but certainly bore no resemblance to


the ordinary countenance of "gentle wo-


man." this creature could not fail to in


spire a sense of repugnance in those even


who were disposed to admire her courage


and acknowledge the utility of the SER


vices she rendered. There are but few


persons, however, who were ever ac-
.quainted with the secret >of her life. In


Blacklriars there lives an artisan. much


respected by his neighbors, whose voice


is not without influence at election times,


but who is also notorious for his republ-
can, not TO say revolutionary views. Some
years ago his children and wife were
seized with scarlet fever. Helpless and
alone, with all his family dangerously i'll,
the father rushed wildly about for assist
aace, and when the woman, whose ap-
peaiance has been but family described,
came forward and offered her services Gs a
sick-nurse, he at once accepted her help.
She was known in the neighborhood as
an experienced nurse, and bad often been
recon- mended to poor patients by the
parish doctor. The nurse subsequently
confessed her real character. In a word


she was police detective. Nursing was


but pretext it was an excellent excuse
for gaining admiltance into suspected
households, and doubtless the police had
their eye on this republican.


The female detective in question was
not, as a rule, employed on political mis-


sions. Her chief duty wa. to discover
criminals, and those Of the lowest and


most dangerous type. For this purpose
her appeasance was more nm advantage
blasphemous, or coarse for her to utter
there was no vulgar turn Of speech that
she ignored, and she was ever ready to
greet the most revolving jokes with the
heartiest laughter. Her manners were
also apparently so loose and low that
little restraint was observed in his pres
ence, and her reports forwarded to Scot
land Yard were thus rendered all the
more valuable. As monthly nurse she
welcomed into the world the children OF
notorious criminals who were ultimately
destined to become her prey, while as
sick-nurse she extracted from her half
unconscious and debiiitated fever patients
the confession Of some dark deed, and
and hints as to the whereabouts ofconfed-
crates in crime. Such was the general
plan Of action observed by this extraor-
dinary woman but this was rather
SOW process, and at times it was necessa-
ry to fall at once on the wrongdoer.


On one occa7ion, for instance, the po-
lice received information that there was
gang of false money makers in a certain
stree. but Notwithstanding every effort
they were unable tG ascertain in which |
house the coiners worked. The services
Of the female detective were thereupon
requ1sitoned and she was dispatched to
the street in question to see what could be
done. After walking up and down Il lit |.
tie while she noticed child come out of
one of The houses, whose face indicated
kind disposition. SEEING hastily this op-
portunity the detective feigned illness and
begged to be taken indoors for moment. /
Forgetful Of her parents warning, the
child, in her excitement, seeing nothing
but a woman apparently in great agony,
at once and without giving alarm, admit-
ted the detective into the house. The
sudden entrace thus obtained enabled the
detective to hear the metallic sonds pro-
ceedng from the coincr's workshop, be-
fore the latter were aware that any stran-
ger was in the house, They were not
long in discovering their danger.


Before the detective bad time TO leave
the premises the chief Of the gang rushed
up from the cellar, where he was Mt work,
and, in his fury, hurled ladle full of
melted lend at her head. Fortunately the
poke bonnet that she wore saved her
life the burns that she received were not
fatal though they destroyed her hair and
its roots. The police arrived in time, on
hearing the alarm, to arrest eighteen
coners. The chief, who was first aware
of the surprise, was able to escape, but he
was subsequently captured in France, and
there sentenced to eighteen years servi-
tude in the galleys. II might have been
imagined that if anything could make
woman abandon her particular calling it
would be the loss Of her hair but with
the detective il only increased her love Of
what she called sport. She considered
that it would now he more easy for her to
dress as boy, and in this, her favorte
gliSe, she penetrated many thieves dem
ON hone occasion, however, she was dis
covered A brawny thief asked her to
speak-that is to say, to give the pass
words ard to use certain slang expressions
known only to the particular gang whom
she was spying. This she was unable to
do. The thief then inquired if any body
had seen her enter the house, and, on her
answering in the negative, cody inform
cd her that she would never be seen to go
out again. This was the signal for exc
cuton, and after brandishing an iron bar,
he struck terrible blow at the detectives
head. She had just time, however, to
dash her hand through window pane
and spring rattle, and the police station
cd outside rushed to the rescue. They
found the detective lying inseusble on :he
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