Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-08-23
abe aailp Spp.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST %, Is54.
From Dickens Household Works.
Missing. u Married GenGlensfat ~

From Dickens Household Works.
Missing, u Married Gentleman.
The readers of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Twice
Told Tales, will remember very curious
speculative essay, on the subject of a gentle
man who took the strange whim Of suddenly
absenting himself from his wife and family,
and remaining concealed for many years in the
neighborhood of his own home for the pur-
pose Of observing their conduct after his death.
The original atory, which differs scarcely in
anything but in names, is found in Dr. Will
liam Kings "Political and Literary Anecdotes
of his own Time" DIR. King was a well
known scholar, and busy literary man, in
the early part of the century, His anecdotes
were discovered by accident, in manuscript
about forty years ago only; but they were as
certained to be genuine. The story referred
to, appears to be authentic. About the year
seventeen hundred and six, 1 knew one Mr..
Howe, sensible, well-natured man, pos
sessed Of an estate of seven or eight hundred
per annum. He married young lady Of good
family in the west OF England her maiden
name was Mallet; she was agreeable in
her person and manners, and proved very
good wife. Seven or eight years after they had
been married, he arose one morning very ear
", and told his wife that he was obliged to go
to the Tower to transact some very particular
business. The same day at noon, his wife re-
ceived a note from him, in which he informed
her that he was under the necessity of going
to Holland, and should probably be absent
three weeks or a month. lie was absent from
her seventeen years. during which time she
neither heard from h N, nor of him. The eve
ming before he returned, whilst she was at
supper, and with some of her friends and re-
lations-particularly one DIR. Rose, physi-
cian-who had married her sister, billet,
wifi etabs ihnI Ill,
to her in which the writer requested the favor
of her to give him a meeting in the Bird Cage
walk, in St. James Park. When she read the
billet, she tossed it to DIR. Ross, and said,
laughing, ''you see, brother, as old as am,
have got gallant" Rose, who perused the
note with more attention, declared it to be Mr.
Howe's handwriting. This surprised all the
company, and so affected Mrs. Howe that she
tainted away. However, she soon recovered,
when it was agreed that DIR. Rose and his
wife, with the other gentlemen and ladies who
were there at supper, should attend Mrs. Howe
the next evening to the Bird Cage walk. They
had not been there more than five minutes,
when Mr.. Howe came to them; and after sa-
luhng his friends and embracing his wife,
walked home with her, and they lived together
in great harmony from that time to the day of
his death.
- -. ~ 20, VI ~ '9e
in Europe where man can find secure re-
treat or remain, if he pleases, many years I'M
known. Ii he pays constantly for his lodg-
ing, for his provisions and for whatsoever else
he wants, nobody will ask question concern
ing him, or inquire whence he comes or with
er he goes. When Howe left his wife, they
lived in house in Jermyn street, near,St
"aines . tiH' az" - VaineS C'iu.cA; ie
"en' no Ia, 'nei 'i"" " q !tt.ie s'ieet III "est
lie 'ooA !i''le rooin' iol which
nc pau h'e VI slA sniii.nss WEEK. Ai,er
cha"SihS ms uaihe anu 'll>S using hltnseit oy
wearing oiaek Wig, llor re was ialr nail')
ne renamed IN TINS haoitatlon during the
Mno,e 'iine vi MS aoseHce' ne nao had TWO
chlidreh ny MS WiIe "neh ne separated from
ner' VINO were ooth nVlng at the Tune. but
they both died young IN few years after.
However, during ther lives, the second or
Gnlru year aiter their iatner disappeared, MRS
Howe was Obliged to apply Tor an act OF Far
Lament, TO procure proper settlement OF her
husband estate, and provision for herself
out OF It during his absence, as 1t was uncer-
tam whe1ner no was allve OF dead. ms act
he suIiered 10 oe sollcleed ana passed, ana en-
loyed the pleasure OF reaulng the progress OF
IL III the VOTES, III little coHee mouse near his
LOGGING Whlch ne equented.
upon his quitting his house and family In
the manner have mentioned, Mrs. Howe at
lrst imagined, as she could not concelyea any
other cause for such an elopement, that he
had contracted large debt unknown to her,
and by that means involved himself IN dlif-
eulties, which he could not easily surmount;
and for some days she lived IN continual APP
prehenslon OF demands from creditors; of
seizures and executions. But nothing OF this
KIND happened ON the contrary, he did not
only leave his estate Tree and unencum6ered.
but he PAD the bulls OF every tradesman with
whom ne nat any dealings; and upon exam
ming ms papers IN due Tune after he was
gone, proper recelpts ana discharges were
others. with whom he had any manner .oP
or money concerns. Mrs. Howe.
after the death of her children, thought proper
to lessen her family of servants and the ex-
penses of her housekeeping. and therefore re-
moved from her house in Jormyn street to
little house in Brewer street. near Golden
Square.
just over AGAINST her lived one Salt CORN
About ten years after his d;sap-
pearance. Mr.. Howe contriyed to make ac-
auaintance with Salt and at lengtb acon;red
s,,ob a da,rao of ;,+;n,oo,, ,,;.L e.. a..