The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-03-20
GIVING A LEG FOR A WIFE.


DIR. Thevenet, distinguished surgeon of
Paris, one day receiving note without
signiture, requesting him 10 repair to
hotel not far off, with such instruments as
were necessary for an amputation. The
yenet was somewhat surprised at the man
ncr of the invitation, but concluding t! at it
was the work of some wag, paid no regard
to it. Three days after he received a SECOND
invitation. still more pressing, and contain
ing the information that next day at Eine
o'clock a carriage would step before his
house in der to convey him. Thevenet
resolved to let the affair take its course, and
when, on the following day, at the striking
of the clock an elegant carriage stopped be
fore the door, he seated himself in it, and
asked the driver to whom he was to carry
Kim.
The driver replied in English, What l
do not know cannot tell
At len. tn the carriage stopped before the
door of the hotel. A handsome young man
Of about twenty.ci ht years of age, received
the surgeon at the door, and conducted hin!
up stairs into large chamber, where the
following conversation took place:
You have sent for me?'
L
trouble you have taken TO visit me- Here
is coffee, chocolate, or wine, il you would
take anything before the operation
SHOW me the patient, sir; | must first
ascertain whether the injury is such as to
render an amputation necessary"
1T Is necessary. Doctor, seat yourself:
have perfect confidence in you--.ls en- to
me. Here is purse Of one hundred
guineas; this is the pay you will receive Tor
the operation. If done successfully, it is
yours. Should you refuse to comply with
my wishes, see, here is a loaded pistol
You are in my power; | will shoot you" !"
Sir, am not afraid Of your pistol
But what is your particular desie? Tell me
without preamble. "
you uust cut off my righ. iog."
With all my heart, and, if you please
your hsad too. But the leg is sound. -
You s1rarg up stairs just now the agility Of
of dancing master. What ails your leg?
Nothing. only want it off. -
'Sir, you are fool
why does that trouble you, Thcvcnt?"
"What sin has the leg commit.cd?"
None, ut are you ready to take il OFF,
"Sir, | do not know. Bring me evidence
that you are sound OF mine. y 70
"WilI you comply with my requcst?'
eyes, sir, so soon as you give me sufii-
cient reasons for such mutilation of your
self.
ii cannot te ! you the truth, perhaps for
some years; but | will lay wager that
after certain time you shall understand
that my reasons are ploFt nOt,Ic--lhat my
happiness, my very existence, ucpcnd upon
my icing freed from this leg.
''Sr | lay no wagers. Tell me your
namn, residence. family and occupation. -
You shah know that hereafter. Do
you take me for an honorable man
Il cannot. A man Of houor docs not
threaten his physician with pistols. have
Anties toward you as stranger. will not
mutilato you. If you wish to hc the mur
dvrcr Of suiltlcss father OF family, then
shoot
"Well. VI. Thevcnet, I will net shoot
ynu; but Twill force you to take Oft my leg
What you will not do for the love NJ money
nor the fear of bullet, you shall do fer
Ana how so?"
81 will break my leg by discharsing my
pistol, and here before your eye.
The Enalishnian seated himself. and
placed the mouth Of the pistol close to his
knee. Thevenet was on the point of spring
ing to prevent him but he exclaimed:
Stir not or fre2 Now, said he, "will
you increase and lengthen out my pains for
no hing?
You are fool" says Thevcnt, nut it
shall be dome ! will take off the uniortu-
nate leg" ~
The Enelishman calmly laid by the pistol,
and made ready for the operate II. AS
soon as the surgeon began to cut, the Eng
Iishman lighted his pipe, and swore it should
not 60 out lie kept his word The leg
lay upon the floor, and the Engl;shnan was
still smoking. Thevenet did his work like
a master; the wound, by his skill and the
patients own good nature, was healed at
fixed time. He rewarded the surgeon like
a king, and thanked him with tears Of joy
iot the loss of his leg and sailed over the
streets with wooden one. About eight
weeks after his departure, Theveret re-
ccived letter from England with the iol-
lowing contents:
You will receive enclosed, as proof Of
my most heartfelt gratitude, an order for
two hundred and fifty guinies upon NJ,
Panchard, in Paris. You have made ME
the happiest mortal on earth by depriving
me of my leg, for 1t was the only hinder.
ance to my earthly felicity. Brave nan,
you may now know the cause of my foolish
humor, as you called it.
You concluded, at the time, that there
could be no reasonable ground for such self.
mutilaton. | offered to lay wager, Yen
did well in not accepting it. After my
second return from the East Indies, be-
came acquainted with Emile Harley, the
most perfect OF women. | loved her most
passionately, Her wealth, her family con
nectiors, influenced my friends in her favor;
but was influenced only by her beauty and
her noble heart. | joined the number of
admirers. All! excellent Thcvenct | was
so fortunate as to gain her affections She
loved me above all-made no secret of it
but she still rejected me. / sought her
ha d in vain; in vain ! implorcd her parents
to intercede for me. She was still imniova-
BILE. For long time | was unable to con-
lecture the cause Of her refusing me, since,
as she confessed herself, she loved me
almost to distraction One of her visitors
at length betrayed to me the secret. Miss
Harley was q wonder of beauty, but she
had only one leg; and ON account of this
impertt ction, she feared to become my wife,
lest sho I'D estecm her the less Tor it. Ny
was taken. resolved to become
like her; thanks to you ! became so. |
came with my wooden leg to London, and
in the first place visited Miss Harley. 1t
had been reported, and / t,,yself had writ
ten to England, that by ia from
horse I had broken my leg, which was
consequently taken off 1t was much re-
gretted. Emile fell into swoon the first
t;n,a sho saw me She uas fnr q lonr ti,nn
inconsolable, but now she is my wife. The
first day after our marriage | intrustted to
her the secret Of what sacrifice had made
in consequence of NY wish to Obtain her
hand. Shosloves me now the more afcc
OH my brave Tnevcnet had !
ten legs TO loose, | would. without single
offeaturr, part with them all for
my Emile. So long as live he greatiul