Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-01-22
Story of an Eventful Life.

Larkyns was a man of infinite adven-
ture. He was one Of Charles Levers
heroes in real life. AS the youngest son
of a rich Scotchman he got deal of
learning and little lucre. A few years
of life on the Continent added to the for
mer and swept away the latter. While he
was living royalty on his principal, he
seems to have amused himself with plot
ting dire destruction for the crowned
heads of Europe. He carried a musket
under Garibaldi, and is said to have be-
longed to Mazzini's secret league.
The spies of Europe knew him. He
grew accustomed to being escorted
across frontiers by two policemen.
He was only an amateur conspirator. Plots
fascinated him. He declared that he new
er meant to do any king harm, and indeed
his schemes always failed. Perhaps he
felt that he was to reign himself. But we
anticipate. When Larkyns sca1ne home
accomplished and penniless, from his wan-
behring's, his relatives bought him all army
commission. He sailed for India to Join
his regiment. Arrived there he soon wea-
ried of the routine, sold out of service and
started for Central ASIA There his for
tune eliminated. He fell into
the good graces of heather poten-
tate, administered his government for
him, and finally freed him from further
care in the matter by making himself Ra-
jah. He succeeded to the palace, the ha-
rem and the treasury Of the man he had
excelled, and life Of barbaric magnif-
cence. g7
After six years Of solitary splendor he
wearied of the cares Of State. He decamp-
ed at night, and betook himself and
trunkful of diamonds to London. His
family naturally killed the fatted calf in
his honor, but he quarrelled with them
soon and babe them goodbye forever
This made dependence on them impossible
when, soon after, an unlucky speculation
robbed him of the spells of his rajahship.
His beggary and the outbreak of the
Franco-German war were coincident. He
was soon fighting as Major Larkyns on
General Bourbaki's staff. Bravery gave
him the. cross of the legion Of honor, and
then, at Metz, wound. He limped
through the campaign, which ended at Sc
dan, and was captured with his pro tenn.
monarch. He fades out of view as pris
ener Of war at Sedan, and reappears as a
soldier Of fortune at Salt Lake City in the
winter of 1872. Thence he wandered to
Honolulu, back to San Francisco. and into
Frisco bank. The failure of the man
who had cashed his fictitious drafts to
prosecute him set him free
The ex-king became coal-heaver. AS
day laborer, as stevedore, as clerk.
as translator, as correspondent, he
worked to gain money and regain reputa-
ton. He was well employed at Calistoga
when the end came. A jealous San Fran
cisco husband hurried thither with Lar
kyns' letters to his wife in his pocket and
his pistol in his hand. He called Larkyns
TO the door and the doomed man came.
There was cry of "Throw up your
hands!'' an oath, a flash and the dull thud
of bullet, and the man of the world went
out OF the world. The wages of his sin
were death. He might have done much.
but ne preferred to enjoy much; and this
was the CHASTITY end of an odd life. Among
the queerest of the queer crowd that will
rise from California soil when the last
trump sounds will be the late Larkyns.-
: California Paper.