Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-21
nan was madman. To the letter he wrote

man was madman. To the letter he wrote
the following reply =
"Sir,-I beg to return my best thanks
for your sumptuous present,-as | must call
it, for it is far above payment for the little
trouble had. congratulate you on your
marriage with the most amiable of English
ladies'. l must confess it Is great sacr-
fce-'a leg'-for beautiful, virtuous, and
affectionate wife; but certainly not too
great if in future you have no cause to re-
pent your bargain. Father Adam was o.
biged to renounce one of his RIBS topossess
wife. The same happens to other men,
and some even pay with their heads. Con-
sidering all this well, you will please per-
NIT me 10 persist in my former opinion
Of colrse, for the present you are quite
right; you enjoy now the happy days OF
matrimonial spring; but, nevertheless, am
also right, with this only difference that
my right ripens slowly, and may be refu-
sed acknowledgment for a long while
Beware, sir! In two years time, you will
repent having had your leg amputated above
the knee you will think that below the
knee would have been sufficient. In three
years you will feel convinced that the loss
of the foot would have been enough; in four
years you will repent even the sacrifice OF
the big toe; in five, the amputation of the
little toe will appear great deal and in
six years, my dear sir, you will certainly
confess that the pairing Of the nails would
have been more than sufficient. All this |
say without any detriment to the merits OF
y3ur charming lady. Women are better "a
BILE TO preserve their beauty and virtue than
men their judgment and opinions. In my
younger days, would, at any time, have
sacrificed my life for the girl loved, but
never my leg The loss of the former
could, of course, never repent; whilst the
latter should have lamented for life, and
had submitted to it, | would now say,
'Thevenet, thou hast been fool %
IL have the honour to be Sir,
"your very humble servant,
"THEvENET."
In the year 1898, during the reign Of
Terror M. Thevenet Gn order to escape the
gulotine)was obliged to seek refuge in Eng
land. He arrived safely in London, and
for pastime, or for the sake of making &C
quaintance, he inquired after ''Sir Charles
Temple" The mansion was pointed out to
him he was announced, and received
On entering the room, he found stout gen
tleman sitting in an armchair near the fire,
bottle of sparkling port before him, and
several newspapers around him. So cor
pulent was he, that he was scarcely able to
rise from his chair.
"Ah, my dear Thevenet, is your Glad,
very glad, TO see you How are you p
exclaimed the gentleman, who was no 9th
er than Sir Charles Temple himself Don't
be displeased at my not rising, but this curs-
ed stump here prevents my doing anything.
Ny dear friend, you come, perhlps, to see
if your right has ripened''
"No. | come as refugee, and seek pro-
lection in this country"
Really? Well, my dear Thevenet, you
must live with me. / have found you to be
clever fellow and you shall comfort me.
Believe me, Thevenet, | could be Admiral
of the Blue now, if that cursed stump did
not disable me from serving my country
There! Now | read the newspapers, and
curse and swear the whole day long, be.
cause | cannot be anywhere fighting with
our enemies. Do remain here, and COM
fort me'
"Allow me TO ask, my dear sir, where is
your good lady' am sure she will dc
this much better than | can"
"No, Thevene., no Pray do not say a
word about it. You see, her wooden lee
preventing her from dancing, &c. &C. she
spends nearly all her time either in playing
cards or gossiping. There is no possibility
of getting her out of it. Notwithstanding
all this, however, she is as good a wife as
you may wish for"
"Well, my dear sir, was in the right
after all, in my prediction :"
"Quite so, my dear Thevenet, quite So
But pray let US pass this over in silence
1 have acted fooi>hly. Believe me, had
my leg again, hang me if | would give the
clippings of single nail Enire nous,
was madman but must ask favour
namely,-of all you have now heard from
me, don't mention a single word to any
one m