Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-03
TIE GREENFIELD MONSTER LOOSE.
lFrOm once a Week.


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 70 mark certain places; for he was writing
History of the Drama backwards, taking the
nineteenth century first, and then going TO the
eighteenth; and, n he had accumulated enough
manuscript for 1.-TWO octave volumes without
reaching George the Thirds reign, and pro-
posed TO get as close to the Flood as he could,
II threatened TO be yOlumiDous, exhaustive, and
costly work. Fortunately, however, he never
dreamed OF Its paying. be was a 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, per-
haps, for he looked pale and nervous. Indeed,
bis 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 30
small matter as the maid-seryant opening tue
door startled him, and it did not seem to com
pose his nerves that she announced LADY.
"a lady! What lady?" he asked.
'She wouldn't give her name" replied the
girl.
"Ask her, tell her he began; but the en-
trance of the visitor in question, Closely Yelled
cut his directions short.
He rose, and hurried forward to offer a chair
so disclosing a limp.
Directly they were alone she raised her veil:
the man literally staggered back, and caught
hold OF the table for support.
"Hush!' said the lady, placing her finger on
her lip as her she went back TO the door, which
she opened. Satisfied that the girl had gone
ION Mi. Peters. Do you know anything OF
my husband?''
The poor man sank down in chair, and col
Iapsed.
his visitor searched about in a rapid yet self
possessed manner, and found g asses and d.
Canter a cupboard.
''Not that, not that" he murmured, as she
offered MIN the peculiar sherry which was lett
ont for the benefit of thievish land-lady; aud
Iumbling for bis keys, he managed, though with
shaking hand, 10 unlock a compartment of his
writing table, in which bottle of the wine re-
served for his own drinking, was always kept.
Wonderful is the instinct of self-preservatiOn;
man going to be hung at nine has been known
to refuse port at eight because he was subject to
the govt.
when he had swallowed q couple OF glasses of
wine, Mr.. Peters revived little.
Then the lady continued
"You do know something, or you would not
be so sgitated. Oh, pray, relieve me from this
horrible suspense. cannot ORA money or any
dead?''
MIR. Peters shuddered.
"I-I don't know. How should 1 know? 1
was not aware, when 1 saw you last, that you
had husband. What makes you think"
81 will tell you" interrupted the lady. 'I
married TO q monster. He was old and fright.
fui; but my parents were very strict, and
thought all pleasure wicked, 30 that was glad
Of any excuse to leave home, and when they Of
fered 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 rSther eourted than summed
sion being suspected; yet anySHhv could see 1t
who had eyes, for he could not conceaI - bit.
1t was not only OF me he was jealous. He had
quarreled with all brothers and sisters, because
he thought his parents loved them best; he had
favorite dog poisoned because 1t grew too
fond of a servant. There would be no end to
enumersting instances Of his mania, for it
amounted TO that; some Of his extravagances
were quite inconsistent with sanity. We never
had house of our own, but wandered about
from place to place, living principally on the
Continent; and beng utterly inexperienced
in the ways of the world, attributed this to a
love of travel and change Of scene and did not
discover that his restIessness was In reality
caused by the civility of some casual male ac-
duel"
"DueI!"
"DueI. He was born and bred in Germany,
and bis ideas about many things were not at ali
English. ! believe he considered killing any
one rot only pleasant, but something to be
Mr. Peters groaned.
'fwss it not shocking?'' continued the lady.
"Well, though his hair was gray, he was very
strong and active, and a dangerous antagonist
TOO, believe, with either small sword, sabre,
or PISTOL"
HAhu'
''Itwa at Dieppe, and about six months after
our marriage, that was first made an excuse
for blOOdshed. polite young Frenchmsn,
who hadsat next me few times at the table
dhOte, and danced with me at the assembly
rooms, was so civil Is to offer me bouquet
and my monster wounded him in the arm for
II. After that, lived in perfect state or ter
rOr, lest by some careless word, or even look [
should bring abOut q calamity, and for some
time succeeded in avoiding any excuse for
quarrel; but year afterwards, at Heidelberg,
a German professor wrote 4 Sanscrtt ode mon
me; my husband cut bis nose of with q weapon
hey call a schl0ger. He never i'll used me, or
even upbraided me-indeed, / gave him no
cause; but he watched NE as a cat does mouse
% that life was perfect nightmare. / asked
him one day, when he was in soft bumor, n
there was anything in my manners or dress or
way OF speaking, which excited his unworthy
mo said re, with a grim calmness which
made me shudder; III there had been, should
have shot u.s.
"'Us?' l exclaimed.
wards.'
'fHe hated England, because he could not
fight duels there, but he was obliged 10 paw
periodical visits to this country on business: and
as this conversation took place during one of
them, went straight to my family lawyer, and
he took me before magistrate, and swore
the peace against my husband, under whose
root never again stepped, and in due time I
got legal separation from him, my success
being principally due to his own violence
in the witness box. where he gave vent to
the most atrocious sentiments. But though
we were separated, he did cot give 1p
watching me. At the most unexpected times
and places he would turn up, generally
disguised; and IL any man happened TO be in
company with me on several occasions running
the others, Was sure to receive larcOnic note
warning me to shun that new acquaintance;
and since duIst neither disObey nor disclose
the tyrannical order, fear that / acquired
reputation for fckleness and peIfidy. Little did
my censors know the nervous distress occa-
stoned by the idea that an eye is always upon
you. feel as If IL were on me now"
"GOOd gracious"
Compose YOURSELF il was but fancy /
have neither seen DOR heard of him since last
August. That would be a relief; bat his man of
business has not heard OF him neither. 1t is not
only that be has not transmitted me any money,
he has drawn none for his own use. Every other
means having been employed to trace him with
out success, at last thought OF you. We met,
you may remember, for the first time at the
Richmond Easter ball, and after wards whether
by accident or design"
Accident, pure accident, madam, | assure
yOu."
"Qui s'eIeuse s'accuse," said the lady, sm1l-
ing.
u know it, know it; though 1 cannot pro-
DOunce 1t. But still, madam, though own APP
pearances might have been against me, there
was 10 design whatever"
And the poor man wiped his forehead.
''You are not fiatterer, at any rate" con-
tinued the lady. ''Well, the accident REQUIRED
quite frequently enough to exasperate my hus-
band, and as / saw him diagnosed as a Waitar at