American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-31
VOL. XIV.

q" 1t was at Dieppe and about 81,
months after our marriage that | was
| first made an excuse for bloodshed \
| polite young Frenchmau, who had sal
| next me a few times ut the table d'hotc
| and danced with me at the assembly
rooms, was civil as to offer me bou
quet, and my monster wounded him in
the arm for it. After that | lived in d
| perfect state of terror, lest by some care
! less word, or even look, | should bring
about a calamity, and for some time
/ succeeded in avoiding any excuse fol
| quarrel; but Il year afterward, at Heidel
berg, German professor wrote Sans
crit ode upon me; my husband cut his
nose off with a weapon they call a schlo
| ger. He never illused me or even up
| braided me-indeed, l gave him no
cause but he watched me rs cat does
| "A mouse, so that life was perfect night
mare. l asked him one day when he was
in IL soft humor if there was ANYTHING in
my manners, or dress, or way Of speak
ing which excited his unworthy mis-
| trust
Mo said he, with "A grim calmness
which made me shudder, if there had
been should have shot us
60 Us?' / exclaimed.
| :" Yes he said; you first and myself
afterward.'
not fight ducls there, but he was obliged
to pay periodical visits to this county
on business; and as this conversation
| took place during one of them l went
straight to my family lawyer, and he
| took me before a magistrate, and Swore
| the peace against my husband, under
whose roof l never again stepped, and in
due time got legal separation from
him, my success being principally due to
Il sa1A 1,,Nx
where he gave vent to the most atrOcious
sentiments. But though we were separat-
ed, he did not give up watching me. AT
the most unexpected times and places he
would turn up, generally disguised; and
if any man happened to be in company
with me on several occasions running,
and 10 speak to me rather more often
than to the others, was sure to receive
laconic note warning me to shun that
new acquaintance; and, since l burst
neither disobey nor disclose the tyran-
meal order, fear that acquired repu-
tation for tickleness and prudery. Little
did my censors know the nervous distress
occasioned by the idea that an eye is
always upon you. feel as if it were ON
me now"
Good graciousr'
Compose yourself, it was but fancy.
l have neither seen nor heard of him
since August last. That would be re-
lief; but his man of business has not
heard of him either. 1t is not only that
he has not transmitted me my money, he
has drawn none for his own use. Every
other means having been employed to
trace him without success, l at last
thought of you. We met, you may re-
member, for the first time at the Rich
mond Easter ball; and afterward, wheth-
er by accident or design"
Accident, pure accident, madam,
assure you"
SON s'ercuse s'aceuse," said the lady,
smiling.
Il know it, know it; though l can
not pronounce it. But still, madam,
though l own appearances might have
been against me, there was no design
whatever"
And the poor man wiped his forehead.
{" You are not tlatterer, at any rate"
continued the lady. Well the accident
required quite frequently enough to eX-
asperatc my husband; and as saw him,
disguised a waiter, at Lady Chiswick's
fete the last time we met: and as you
went away directly after, my husband
disappearing simultaneously and not
having been heard of since; and as you
are lame and in a desperate state of
nervous prostration, l cannot help sus-
pecting that you went abroad, that he
lOllOWcQ you anu IOTCeO you lutO II Oucl,
that he wounded you, and you killed
him."
Il have not been abroad at ALL" gasped
Mr.. Peters, pouring himself out another
glass of sherry. But come" he cried,
presently. nervcd by the stimulant and
desperation, "you have told me your
story and will tell you mine. l have
met your husband, though l do not know
for certain what has become of him. 1t
will be a relief to speak, for this life of
secret apprehension and perpetual anX-
iety is killing me.
In August last, a few days after the
fete you allude to, went for my annual
holiday. l havea self-impOsed task here,
a little book, which takes up a good deal
of my time, and causes me to lead a
sedentary life, and l find IA
month of air and exercise for my health
My idea was to walk through North
Wales, with change of linen and a few
necessaries in knapsack- So l went
first to Chester, left my portmanteau at
the hotel there, and took the train on to
Conway; from which place l made cir
cult, which brought me on the third day |
to Capel Craig, where l remained a |
couple of days, and then started in the
early morning, with the intention of |
crossing Snowdon, and sleeping that |
night at Llanberris, on the other side.
l had not as yet picked up any ac-
quaintance during my walk, as one gen |
orally does in a pedestrian excursion over |
such favOrite ground; though l knew an
other excursionist was following the same
track, for l had caught sight of him sew
eral times, a half mile or so behind |
me. Once, feeling inclined for compan-
ionship, sat down and smoked pipe to
let him come up with me; but his taste |
was evidently for solitude, for he de- |
clined the chance gave him, and halted |
too. [ rather regretted this British ex-
now, for a companion light |
ems the journey when you have a long
climb up a hill on warm day.
1.-The first six or seven miles was easy
walking on the level road; then came an
hours wading through marshes; then
came the narrow neck of a lake, which
l crossed in IA boat ingeniOusly fastened |
to both banks by the same rope, by haul
ing on which you ferried yourself over;
after that it was all pretty steep hills.
Trying to cut off IA corner, | lost the
track; but as it was "a perfectly clear
day, without wreath of cloud or fog
that did not much matter | |
had only to keep On going up, unless the
ascent led me away from the principal |
summit, which was visible nearly all the
way.
q I had taken light lunch with me,
and this seemed good place to rest and |
eat il in. So | sat under the shadow of |
a rock and refreshed myself
% was interrupted in this pleasant |
by footstep, and, looking |
up | saw a man standing before me with |
his arms folded on his chest, and regard
ing me in threatening manner. / need |
not describe him to you, madam; II was |