Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-11-12

who rubbed his hands with as much
glee, " but pray" as Shakespeare says.
"leave off your faces and begin -
"Seventy years ago" commenced
Horne.
Dickens interrupted him by saying,
/" Let us take another chair and a mug
of ale %
" Seventy years ago" resumed
Horne.
"Bless my SOUL" suddenly calculated
Leigh Hunt, "what singular coinci-
dence. That is just the term allowed
by the Scriptures as our natural life
But pray go on, my dear Horne. Par
don me for the involuntary interruption.
1 remember my poor dear lamented
Shelby Observing"
"Hadn't Horne better get through his
yarn, Hunt ?" asked Dickens, with an
assumed sereneness.
al beg ten thousand pardons," the
other observed.
"Seventy years ago."
"The DEVIL" cried Dickens, "havn't
we got further than that -
"Seventy years ago"
"Havn't we heard that before ?" again
interrupted Dickens.
"Seventy years ago, there stood on
that vacant spot manorial dwelling, in
habited by man named Rhodes -
q" God bless my soul - cried Hunt,
show remarkable ANY relation to the
COLOSSUS Rhodes ?''
"Well, this man had lost three wives
in very remarkable manner, and at
regular intervals"
"a regular scamp. eh % inquired
Dickens.
.'What made the matter more myste-
rious was, that their deaths had been
quite sudden, always happening about
midnight, and although the most skillful
surgeons had examined their dead bodios,-
there was nothing to afford the slightest
clue as to the cause of their sudden death.
1t was remarked by ole person who had
seen all his dead wives, that their coun-
tenance wore, one and all. strange kind
of ghastly smile, sort of expression be-
tween a leer CT tenderness and a mocking
grin u
"Gracious Heaven !" muttered Leigh
Hunt; chow very mysterious; it sounds
like Mrs. Ratcliff's raw pork chop
school -
"The character of this gentleman was
so excellent, his wealth was SO great, he
went 10 church so regularly"
"Oh, The villain !'' burst from the
bard of Rimini.
"Iu a word, he was so benevolent,
and was so terribly cut up with grief at
these sudden Affections, that no suspi-
cion of foul play rested on him. If any
i'll conditioned fellow or bilious author
limited that he thought the man ought 10
be watched by the police, and Stunned
by his acquaintances, Smith would ask
if he really could suspect man who
paid his poor rates SO regularly as
Rhodes 90
"Jones would join with
"He subscribed to the new organ for
Dulwich Church l''
"BrowD would add
"He helped to build the Grammar
School 70
"And had the stocks mended p quoth
Tompsins.
After the death of his third wife, how.
ever, he felt that it was as well to travel
to dissipate his ennui, and remained in
Paris nearly two years. During his stay
there he met with very beautiful girl,
and married her!'
"Gracious Heavenl' exclaimed Leigh
Hunt 81 wished l had known her to
have mentioned my suspicion to her y
After all, perhaps he was illuminated
man. Proceed my dear Horne; you are
becoming deliciously painful and excru-
ciatinsly interesting Let us hope that
nothing unfortunate befel our young
friend, who thus unwittingly became his
fourth wife %
"Amen !" said Browning.
"Ditto !" cried Dickens.
"a few months after his marriage he
brought his bride to England, and took
up his abode in his family mansion
There was at first some hesitation as TO
allowing his wife to return the calls of
their neighbors, but it wore off, aud
gayety once more smiled at the old ma
nor house of the Kent road"
"Among those most attracted by Mrs.
Rhodes beauty, innocence and fascinat-
ing manners, were Mr.. and Mrs. Sher-
man. The two ladies formed a very
strong attachment for each other, and in
short time they were as thick as
thieves
Beautiful simile," cried Hunt.
From Mrs. Sherman. the wife of
Rhodes learned, for the first time, the
mysterious deaths of his three wives. A
deep gloom fell upon her brown-s9 deep