Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-10-22
selffft0 llllsttllaaiJ,
I, FREAKS OF A lover.
"A Dos1oTI. Istory. $50 ~

plements as were necessary for an amputa-
tioh Theyenet was somewhat surprised
at tile niahner ofthe invitation, but con-
cludine that il was the work Of some wag,
paid no regard to it. Three days after he
received a second invitation, and contain,
ing the information. that the day at nine
O'clock, scsHriage stopped before his house,
in order to- convet him. Theyenet re-
solved to let the affair take its own course
and when on the following day, at the strik-,
ing the CLOCKS an elegant carriage stop
ped before his door he seated himelf init
and asked the driver TO whom he1was to
carry him. ...f, ~. u q.
The driver replied Il, English, what I
do not know cannot teff r0,-T.
At length the GaHrhge stopped before
the door Of the hotel. A. handsome young
man of about twenty EIGHT years of age, re-
ceived thetsurgeon at the door, and con-
Quoted himup-stairs into az large cham
ber,, where the following conversation took
placet a. nae sv s'r
"Hou have sent for mey~ '
'I am. much 1obhged to you for the
trouble you have taken to visitme. Here
is coffee, chocolate or, vine, ifyou would
take ahything beforet the operation. b.
"Show me'the patient, sir; first must
ascertain whether the iuiuy'is such as to
renderan anpptstion necessrayH ii'l ~
"It is necessary, Doctor, seat yourself;
| have perfect confidence in you listen TO.
me. ETiers il q purse Of 100 g6i1eas; thisis
the pay you will receive for the operation.
II done successfully, tits yours. Should
You refuse to comply with mywishes, see
here is q loaded pistol You are in my pow
or; Twill shoot you" ...;.-,. ,,ft
,"Sir, am not afraid ofyour pistols. But
what IS your particular rlesirepJ FIlell me,
without preamble s.gD gdj .1sdm9C1i.
.'Ybu must tnt of my right leg.Is ssa
"With all my heart, and, If you please,
your head, too. But the leg is sound. You
sprang upstairs with theagility Of dane
ing master. What ais your leg?4r y'T9d
Nothing, only want IT off," vIy. 10
"Sifoyef are afodff'' ,iI,I
"Whg does that trouble you- They,
enet2'' a, oil iJ..t u tAf. "
0Whaf sin has the leg committed?Y HgoI
''None, but are you ready to takeit of. 4
.'Sif9 lido not know, Bring me evidence
that you are sound of mind "
'Wil yoq comply with my request5 " |
Yes, SIR as soon as. you give me suhi-
cent reason, for such. mutilation OF your |
II candotiteuyou Jhe truth perhaps for
some wears; but Iayill hay q wagertiat after
a certain, time you shalllnderstand that my
reasons kfe most able thatmy happiness
and veryexistence depends upon my being /
freed from this leg'D l"
"Sir}B lay no wagers. Tell me your
name, residence, family and occupation.
You shah know all that hereafter, Do
YOU take 4fe for an honorable MANI"
II cannot. A man of honor does not
threaten his physician with pistols have
duties toward you as stranger. will not
mutilate you If you wish. to murder an
innocent father Of family, then shoot"
Well M. Thevenet will not shootyou;
l will force vouto take off my leg. What
you will not do for the love of money, nor
the fear pf a bullet, you shall do for COM
passion. PEo. ..'- ''' .f... .rp
And how. so2" 'HI
~ will break my leg by discharging my
pistols, and here before your eyes"
The Englisbman seated himself and
placed the mouth of apistol close To. hist
knee. Thevenet was on thepoint offspring
ing to prevent him, but he exclaimed; .qgsI /,
''Stir not, or fire! Now, said he, will
you increase and lengthen out my painsfor
nothing2"
You are fool. said Thevenet. 'But
it shall be done | will take of the unfor-
tunate Leg t.a a'" /,
The Englishman calmly laid by the pis-
tol, and all was made ready for the opera
ton. As soon as the surgeon began to
cut, the Englisbman lighted his pipe and
swore that it should not go out He kept
his word. n The leg lay upon the floor, and
the Englishnan was still smoking The
venet did his work like q master; the
wound byhia skill and the patients good
nature was healed at fixed time. Here
warded his surgeon like a king, and thank
ed him with tears eff joy for the loss Of his
leg, and sailed cover the streets with O
wooden one4 A few weeks after his de-
parture Thevenet receiYedA letter from
England with the following contents;
"You will receive enclosed, as proof of
my most heartfelt gratitude, an order for
$50 guinness upon Mons. Blanchard, in Paris :
You have made me the happiest mortal on =
earth in depriving ME of my leg, for it was !
the only hindranoe to my earthly felicity 9
Brave man, you may now know the cause
of my foolish humor, as you called it, q
you concluded, at the time, that there /,
could be no reasonable ground for such !
self mutilation offered to lay wager; :
you 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. i loved her pas
sionately wealth, her family connee-
ton, Influenced my friends in her favor;
but was influenced only by her beauty
an her noble heart, s7 joined the number
of her admirers. Ali excellent Theyenet,
/ was so fortunate as TO gain her atfec-
tions. She,loyed me above all made no
secrets of it,,but she stillrejected me-
sought her hand in vain; in vain implored
her parents to intercede for me. She was
still immovabls. For long time was un-
able to conjecture the cause of her refusing
me, since, as she confessed herself, she
loved me, almost TO distraction. One Of 1
visitors betrayed to me the secret. Miss
Harley was wonder Of beauty, but ehad
only one leg. and on account Of this im'
perfection SHE feared 10 becomemy wife.
least should'esteem her less for it., Ny
was takenlsaI resolved 10 be like
her; thanks to You became so. ! came
with my wooden leg, 10 london, and in the
first place visited Miss Harley. II had !
been reported, and myself had written 10
England, that by alfall from n horse bad
broken my leg, which was copsequentlyd !,
taken of. It6aS much regretted. Emile
fell into q swoon the FIRST time she saw me.
She was for a long time unconscionable,
but now she is my.wife. The. first day yafter
our marriage entrusted to herths secret ]
of what sacrifice had made In consequ- I
ence Of my wish TO obtain, her hand. She
loves me now the more affectionately. o, IN
my brave Thevenetl had / ten legs tolOse, ]
/ would, without q single eontortion Of fea- !
ture, part with them all for, Emile. 80
long as live-f win be grateful TO you = I
Come TO London-svisit us-7becomef ae-
quainted with my wife, and then say ! was
q fool" CHARLES 'IHMRIE, Bart 2
-.