Smyrna times., 1854-07-12
Sttistellaneous.
From Dickens Household Words.
Missing, a Married Gentleman.

The readers OF National HGDthOTae'S ILctce- |
Told Tales, will remember a very curious
speculative essay on the subject of gentleman
who took the strange whm of suddenly absent
ing himself from his wife and remaining con-
cealed for many years in the neighborhood of
his own home, for the purpose of observing their
conduct after his supposed death. 1t is an old
newspaper story, and was found, believe, by
Alr. Hawthorne, in an American Journal. A
year or two ago it was also related in London
weekly paper; the scene being then laid in the
suburbs OF the metropolis; and | remember a
few years back to have met with it in French
paper. wherein the circumstances were stated
to be Of recent occurrence--the mysterious
husband, being no other than our old friend the
Sieur X, pro hac vice, draper i'll the Rue st.
Honore. The various versions are evidently
taken from one another; but the original story,
from which they differ scarcely in anything, but
IN names and places, is found in DIR. William
Kings Political and Literary Anecdotes of
his own Times" DIR. King was a well-known
scholar and a 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 we'll as
certained to be genuine. The story referred
to appears to be authentic, and to those who
have not yet met with it, it may be found an
interesting addition to the stories of 4" DiSap-
pearances" in earlier numbers Of Household
Words.
About the year seventeen hundred and six,
knew one Mr.. Howe, sensible, well-natured
man possessed of an estate of seven or eight
hundred pounds per annum. He married a
young lady Of a. 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 some
particular business. The same day, at noon,
his wife received a note from him, in which he
informed her that he was undtr necessity of
going to Holland, and should probably be absent
three weeks or a month. He was absent
from her seventeen years, during which time
she neither heard from him, or of him. The
evening before he returned, while she was at
supper, and with her some of her friends and
relations-particularly one Dr. Rose, a physi-
; cian-who had married her sister-a billet
without any name subscribed, was delivered to
, her, in which the writer requested the favor o.
her to give him meeting in the Bird-cagC
+ Walk, in St James's 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 gallant Rose, who peruseC
the note with more attention, declared it to be
Mr.. HOwe's handwriting. This surprised al
[ the company, and so much affected Mrs. Howe
that she tainted away. However, she soon re-
covered, when it was agreed that DR.. Rose anC
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
t They had not been there more than FIVE or sil
:, minutes, whom Mr.. Howe came to them; am
c.. L.,
IS wife, walked home with her, and they lived to
G gether in great harmony from that time to tn
II day of his death.
L But the most curious part of my tale remain
g to be related. London is the only place IN al
u Europe where q man can find a secure retreat
+ or remain, if he pleases, many years unknowr
n If he pays constantly for his lodging, for hi
" provisions, and for whatsoever else he wants
10 nobody viii ask question concerning him. G
!: INQUIRE whence he comes, or Whither he goe
" When Howe left his wife, they lived in hous
IN in Jermyn street, near st. Jamess church. II
ID went no farther than to a little street in Yves
e minister, where he took a room, for which
:, paid five or six shill ngs week and changin
his name, and Disgusting himself by wearing
black wig (for he was fair man), he RENAME
in this habitation during the whole tim
90 of his absence. He had had two children b
his wife when he separated from her, who wei
20 both living at that time; but they both die
le young, in few years after. However, durin
OF their lives the second or third year after the
as father disappeared, Mrs. Howe was obliged
nc apply for an Act of Parliament to procure
os' proper settlement of her husbands estate, al
ne %ne provision for herself out of it during his a
NC sence, an it was uncertain whether he was ali'
&c; or dead. This act he suffered to be solicit'
W and passed, and enjoyed the pleasure ofreadiI
Il the progresso Of il in the votes, in little cof
VI house near his lodging, which he frequented
Upon his qaittng his house and family,
~ the manner | have mentioned, Mrs. Howe
'ie first imagined, as she could not conceive al
Gu other cause for such an abrupt elopement, tn
hu he had contracted large debt unknown to h'
and by that taeans involved himself in di
,o9ii culties which he could not easily surmoor
nj and for some days she lived in continual app
ai hension Of demands from creditors, of seizuI
ar and executonH But nothing of this kind he
ieu pened; on the contrary, he did not only lea
ion his estate quite free and unencumbered, but
paid the bills of every tradesman with whom
had anv dealings; and upon examining his
fol- papers in due time after he was gone, prol
atty receipts and discharges were found from
lea; per:ons. whether tradesmen or others, W
lon whora he had any manner Of transactions,
asst money concesas. Mrs. Howe, after the de-
aek of her childbirth thought proper to lessen
'co- family of servants and the expenses OF
the housekeeping, and therefore removed from
uor house III JernIyn ST., to little house In Brew
'yer ST., near Goldtn Square, Just over against
With lived one Salt. a corn chandler. About
- wears after Ais disappearance, Mr.. Howe c
Who trived to make acquaintance with Salt; and
and length acquired such degree Of intimacy v
ium him, that he usually dined with Salt once
lrth twice a week. From the room in which i
ate, II was lut difficult to look into Mrs How
dining room, where she generally sat and
Itw- ceived her company and Salt (who belle
the Howe to be bachelor) frequently rccomme
lnce cd his own wife to him as a suitable mattel
During the lAst seven yearsofIiowe's absel