Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-08-17
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MISSING, A MARRIED GENTLEMAN.
The readers of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Ticice-
Told Tales will remember a very curious specu-
lative essay on the subject of gentleman who
took the strange whim of suddenly absenting
himself from his wife and family, and remain
ing concealed for many years in the neighbor-
hood of his own home for the purpose of OBJ
serving their conduct after his supposed death.
The original story which differs scarcely in any
thing but in names, is found in DR.. William
Kings &C Political and Literary Anecdotes of
his own Times" DR.. King was well-known
scholar and busy literary man, in the early
part of the last century. His anecdotes were
discovered by accident, in manuscript about
forty years ago only but they were ascertained
to be genuine. The story referred to, appears
to be authentic. About the year seventeen
hundred and six knew one Mr. Howe, a sensi-
BILE, well-natured man, possessed of an estate of
seven or eight hundred per annum. lie married
a 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 rose one morn
ing very early, and told his wife that he was
obliged to 60 to the Tower to transact tsome par
ticular business. The same day, at noon, his
wife received d note from him, in which he in
| r,rn,o1 bnr that hn npIar tho paooSoitv of
going to Holland and should probably be absent
three weeks or month. lie was absent from
her seventeen years, during which time she
neither heard from him, or Of him. The eve
ming before he returned, whilst she was at sup
per, and with some of her friends and relations
particularly one DR.. Rose, physician-who
had married her sister, billet, without any
name subscribed, was delivered to her, in which
the writer requested the favor of her to give
meeting in the Bird cage walk, in st. James
Park. When she had read the billet she tossed
it to DR.. Rose, and said, laughing" You see,
brother, as old as am, have got a gallant. 3"
Rose perused the note with more attention, de-
clarcd it to be Mr.. Howc'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 Dr..
| Rose and his wife, with the other gentlemen
and ladies who were there at supper, should at
tend Mrs Howe the next evening to the Bird
cage walk. They had not been there more than
} five or six minutes, when Mr.. Howe came to
!, them; and, after salutng his friends and en-
: bracing his wife, walked home with her and
: they lived together in great harmony from tha,
e time to the day of his DEATH
r But tho most curious part of my tale remain
l. to be related. London is the only place in En-
'e rope where a man can find secure retreat Il
remain, if he pleases, many years unknown
II he pays constantly for his lodging for hi
provisions and for whatever else he wants ne
ar body will ask question concerning him, or II
% quire whence he comes or whether he goe
re When Howe left his wife, they lived in hou
ng IN Jermyn Street, near st. James Par]
he and st. James Church. He went no farth
cl- than to little room for which he paid Eve
be six shilings week; until changing his nan