American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-31
THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER LOOSE,

ONE February morning, about ten
years ago, a man of between thirty and
forty sat in his lodgings on the drawing
room floor in Museum street, London,
writing: His table was thickly strewn
with old books and engravings, some of
the former lying open, others with
numerous slips of paper sticking out
from between the leaves to mark certain
places; for he was writing "a history of
the drama backward, taking the nine
tccnth century first, and then going to
the eighteenth; and, as he had accumu-
lated enough manuscript for two octave
volumes without reaching George the
Thirds reign, and proposed to get as
close to the Flood as he could, it threat
ened to be a vOluminous, exhaustive and
costly work. Fortunately, however, he
never dreamed of its paying. He was
bachelor with fair income, riding his
hobby horse, and it was cheaper than a
thoroughbred, or even a hack. Cheaper,
but not so conducive to health, perhaps,
for he looked pale and nervous. Indeed,
his general appearance was delicate, his
figure small and slight, his hair and
sparse whiskers the color of tow, his
eyes weak and prominent, and at any
sudden noise he started. Even SO small
a matter as the maid servant opening the
door startled him, and it did not seem to
compose his nerves that she announced
Il lady.
"A lady! What lady?" he asked
"She wouldn't give her name" replied
the girl.
Ask her, tell her." he began; but
the entrance of the visitor in question,
closely yelled, cut his directions short.
He rose, and hurried forward to offer
chair, SO disclosinga limp.
Directly they were alone she raised
her veil; the man literally staggered
back and caught hold of the table for
support; :,
finger on her lip as she went back to the
door, which she opened Satisfied that
the girl had gone downstairs she re-
turned and exclaimed:
'Oh, Mr.. Peters! do you know any
thing of my husband?"
The poor man sank down in a chair
and collapsed.
His visitor searched about in rapid
vet self-possessed manner and found
glasses and a decantcr in cupboard
not that, not that" he murmured as
she offered him the peculiar sherry
which was left out for the benefit of a
thlevish landlady; and, fumbling for his
keys, he managed, though with shaking
hand, to unlock a compartment of his
writing-table in which bottle of the
wine reserved for his own drinking was
always kept. Wonderful is the instinct
OF self-preservatiOn; man going to be
hing at nine has been known to refuse
port at eight because he was subject to
the govt.
When he had swallowed couple of
glasses of wine Mr.. Peters revived lit
tie Then the lady continued:
You do know something or you
would not be SO agitated Oh, pray, re-
ieve me from this horrible suspense L
II
there is some proof Tell me, is he
dead?"
Mr.. Peters shuddered.
III don't know. How should !
know Twas not aware when l saw YOU
last that you had a husband. What
makes you think"
. will tell YOU" interrupted the lady
g am now twenty-five. Seven years ago
i was married to a monster. He was old
and frightful; but my parents were very
strict, and thought all pleasure wicked,
so that / was glad of any excuse to leave
home and when they offered him to me
! took him without hesitation. He was
rich, he made good settlements, but, oh,
his jealousy was fearful. He did not
shut me up-indeed, he rather courted
than Stunned society, for he had hor
ror OF his dominant passion being sus-
pected yet anybody could see il who had
"a
was not only of me he was jealous. He
had quarreled with all his brothers and
sisters, because he thought his parents
loved them best; he had favorite dog
poisoned because it grew too fond of "a
servant There would be no end of emu
merating instances of his mania, for it
amounted to that; some of his extrava-
gances were quite inconsistent with san
ity- We never had house of our own,
but wandered about from place to place
living principally on the Continent; and
being utterly inexperienced in the ways
of the world l attributed this to love
of travel and change of scene, and did
not discover that his rcstlessness was in
reality caused by the civility of some
casual male acquaintance toward myself
till after his first duel"
"Duelr'
'tDueI He was born and bred in Ger
many, and his ideas about many things
were not at all English. / believe he
considered killing any one not only
pleasant, but something to be proud Of
Mr. Peters groaned.
WAS it not shocking?" continued the
lady. "Well, though his hair was gray,