The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-09

wrsxali adds, "as coming from the Duchess Of
Portsmouth, challenges great respect"
A curious miscellany, called the "Louuger's
feyoriie worn with Leigh Hunt, and often aSo,ed
by him IN his History Of the Town adds 10 tho
stock Of stories on the subject Of Charles The
First's execution an extract from French work
called "Delaegements de pHomme Sensible"
protesting to be written BY Monsieur oar
maud. II will be aa well perhaps 70 warn the
reader at the outset that the "LOunger" Is by no
means an authority upon any subject, and that
hls appetite for the apocryphal Is almost without
The Frcnchman relates, according to the
"LOunRer that Lord Stair, once the favorite min
ister OF King George the Second retiring In disgust
in consequences of some real or imaginary afr mt
received after the ba tic Of Detiingen. aud on his
way TO Scotland, made short stay In London TO
settle some reeimental accounts, when an anOny-
nous letter In a strange hand was sent 70 him,
requesting that he would f.yOr the writer with
an interview at particular time and place, as he
had certain information Of the most singular Inn
pOTtance 90 communicate. Prompted by curiosity,
and moved by the tone Of enIea OF the letter,
the Earl, taking some precautions to ensure his
own safety, went 20 the place appointed. lie
knocked at the door OF a corner house adi Dining
an obscure alley In rather remote quarter Of
the town. lie was admitted 10y ragged and for
lorn-lOOking wretch, who then conducted him up
a narrow tOuuOus staircase 10 a dingy garrett
dinly lighted, in one corner OF which he per-
ceiYtd the figure of very old man stretched
upon a narrow bed His lOrdship was loaded
with thanks for having cOndescended 70 comply
with the request contained in the letter, which the
Old man a, owed he had written.
He offered many apo Ogies tor the trouble he
had ot casionsd d his lOrdship, and inquired Of the
Earl whether he had not rec ,nty experienced
much inconvenience from the want Of certain
title deeds and cOnyeyanCes relating TO his p h
ternsl estate. His lordship admi ted that such
war the case, adding that for want Of some par
ticuar documents he was In great danger OF
1a Inn a lnru Of ~ harf
old man then pointed IN box which stood by
his bedside. "There, he said. "are the writings
that you require. You will ask how they came
into my pOssessiOn-wh0 l am l have led q
wandering and miserable life. strangely pro-
loDged TO one hundred aud twenty dive years,
and now live TO behold in You a hneal descend
ant from me in the third generation. The fame
of your gallantTy has reached me. re olyed
70 place In your hands the contents Of that box.
The wrtIShed old man you see before you was
a subject, q friend, and favorte of King Charles
the Firt; but suspecting him Of having wrOnged,
most cruClly wronged, the woman | loved, my
loyalty turned 10 hatred, an Unsuitable thirst for
revenge pos sessed me. After his trial and de-
position, requested permission to be my sOye-
Yeign's execuiOner. This was granted to me.
A moment before raising the fatal axe, | whis-
pered la his ear the name of his victim and her
avenger. But from the hour of the kings death
/ have been a prey TO the kcenest remorse, an
outcnst ard exile in different parts of Europe
and Asia and asthouPh TO increase my punish
1thNtn nus actll llb plOlOub uN lllb lhi
beyord Il common age OF man. Now leave
| me to my fa'e; ask me no more; forget that you
| have ever seen me-" Lord Stair qaitted the
| house, TO re urn the next day in the hope oil
| rendering some assistance TO she mysterious old
| men. He had disappered, however; no trace
| Of him could be discovered and he was mover
/ heard of more.
NJ d'Arnaud's story is curious, but, of course
worthless from an historical point of view it viii
not bear the test Of the simplest critical anaysi1
| The secret as 10 the eXecutoner OF King Charles
| ba. been well Kept, probably from its being very
little If secret all, and capable of q solution
50 timple, that people in such case were rather
| inclined TO avoid than acceptt. II was no doubt
difficult TO credit that prisoner 50 extraordinary
| should fall by the hands of the ordinary exc
/ cut oneT ut the time, like any other prisoner
sen enced to death. Bnt that this was rG lily the
| ca C ttere can be little question. 1t Is wortt
| while to remark, however, as an element in thu
| consideration of the trustworthiness of history
how very soon, as in this case, doubt and mystery
| collect round and obs ure an event of singula
| importance. Less than Twelve years after thu
| dea of the king, the commi' siOners appointed
| TO bring the Tegicides to Judgment c1uld no
clearly ascertain who WIS the NC ual exGcuioner
and Notwithstanding that they find prisoner
guilty OF The Offen>c doubt on STILL and s,ruplt
io inn,c. .ha punishment TO which they ha(
sentenced him.