The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-09-03

I'M y
mat which you will not do for the love o.
my money, nor the fear of bullets, you shall
DO from compassion.
I.-And how SO?
FL will break my leg by discharging
my ,P pistols, and here before your eyes.
| The Englishman seated himself, and
paced the mouth of the pistol close to his
Knee Thevenet was en- the point OF
sprlnglng to prevent him, but he replied,
sur not, or fire. Now, says he, will you
increase and lengthen out my pains for
nothing?
You are a fool, says Thevenet, but it
snail be done. will take off the nnfortu-
nate leg. The Englishman calmly laid
down the pistol, and all was made ready
for the operation. AS soon as the surgeon
began to. cut, the Englishman lighted his
pipe, and swore it should not 90 out. He
kept his word. The leg Law upon the
floor, and the Englishman was still smok-
ing. Thevenet did his work like master ;
the wound by his skill, and the patients
own good nature, was healed at fixed
tIme-he rewarded the surgeon like king
thanked him with tears of JOY for the loss
of his leg, and sailed over the strait with a
wooden one.
About eighteen weeks after his depart
ure, Thevenet received letter from Eng
land with the following contents:
You will receive enclosed, as a proof of
my most heart felt gratitude, an order for
$50 guineas upon NJ. Panchard, in Paris.
You have made me the happiest mortal on
earth in depriving me of my leg, for it was
the only hinderance to my earthly felicity.
Brave man, you may now know the cause
OF my foolish humor, as you called it. You
concluded at the time that there could be
no reasonable ground fol- such self-mutil-
alton, | offered to lay a wager: you did
well in not accepting it.
After my second return from the East
Indies / became acquainted with Emile
Harley, the most perfect of women. I loved
her most passionately. Her wealth, her
family connexions, influenced my friends in
her favor; but was influenced only by her
beauty and her noble heart. Joined the
number of her admirers. All ! excellent
TheVenet, | was so fortunate as to become
the most unfortunate of rivals.
She loved me above all, made no secret
of it, but still she rejected me. sought her
hand in vain; in vain implored her parents
and her friends to intercede for me-she
was still immoveable. For long time /
was unable to conjecture the cause of her
rejecting me, since, as she confessed her
self, she, loved me almost to distraction.
One of her. sisters at length betrayed to me
the secret. Miss Harley was a wonder OF
beauty, but she had a natural defect--she had
but one leg-and on account of this imper-
lection she feared to become my wife lest |
should esteem her the less for it. My reso-
luton was taken; resolved to become
like her; thanks to you l did become so.
| came with my wooden leg to London, and
in the first place visited Miss Harley 1t
had been reported, and myself had written
to England, that by a fall from my horse l
had broken my leg, which was consequent
ly taken off. 1t was much regretted. En-
lie fell into a swoon the first time she saw
me. She was for long time inconsolable,
but now she is my wife. The first day af-
ter our marriage, intrusted to her the Sc
sequence of my wish to obtain her hand.
She loves me now the more sincerely. o
my brave Thevenet, had ten legs to lose,
would, without single contortion of fea-
ture, part with them for my Emile. Come
to London and visit US become acquainted
with my wife; and then say, WAS FOOL.
CHARLES TEMPLE"
.4nS,Cer Of MIR. Thevenet.
"Sir,-I thank you for your valuable
present, for so | must call it, because can
not consider il pay for the little trouble |
was at. congratulate you on your mar
rage with woman so worthy of your affec-
tions. 1t is true leg is much to lose, even
I for a beautiful, virtuous, and atfectionate
wife,-but not too much. To gain possess
ion of Eve, Adam was obliged to part with
a rib and beautiful women have cost some
men their heads. But after all, permit Inc
to adhere to my former judgment. Truly
| for the moment you were correct; but | al
SO was correct, but with this difference-the
correctness ofmy judgment was founded on
long experince: las every truth should be,
which we are not naturally disposed to &C
knowledge.) Sir, mind me, lay wager
that after two years you repent that your
leg was taken off above the knee. You will
/ find that below the knee had been enough
After three years, you will be convinced
that the loss of the foot had been sufficient
After four years, You will conclude that the
sacrifice of the great toe, and after hive
years, of the little toe, had been too much
After six years, you will agree with me
that the pairing of the nail had been enough
But / do not say this in prejudice of the
merits of your charming wife. In my youth
| devoted my life to love; but never part
ed with leg-hadI done so, should a
this day have said, Thevenet, thou vast ;
fool.
have the honor to be yours, &c.
LEWIS THEvENET"
In 1893, eleven years after, during the
horrors of the Revolution, Thevenet,. whom
person that envied his reputation caused
to be suspected of alstocracy, fled to Lon
don to save himself from the guillotine.-
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