Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-02-09
MARY CHAwORTH,s HUSBAND.

MARY CHAWORTH'S HUSBAND.
A Fresh Chapter In the History Of "By ren,s
Only Love-"
From the ct. Louis Republican.
One of the best citizens of st. Louis
happens to be native of Nottingham,
where he resided until the age ct TWEEN
ty-four, and from this reliable source
we derive the few, but amply sufficient
facts concerning Mr.. Musters. Our
informant, then an urchin of ten or
twelve years, was bathing in the little
stream which runs near the town when
hearse and two or three carriages were
aeen approaching by the London road.
"There comes Byron's funeral |"
shouted his companions, and hurrying
on his clothes he rushed off to conve-
nient spot and watched the dismal train
pass by. He afterwards saw the corpse
lying In state In the great room OF the
Red Lion Inn, and thinks now, though
he did not then, that it was something
10 have looked upon the dead face
Of the author Of collide Har-
old's Pilgrimage" His acquaintance
With Mr.. Lasters commenced
ct later day, when that gentleman
vas perhaps 1ifty-6ve years old. Even
at this rather advanced period he was a
magnificent specimen of physical man
hood. Tall, elegantly formed, graceful
In every movement, with strength al
most Herculean, and ga tongue that
could charm the birds of the trees, I"
Jack Musters was known the country
round as the best rider. the best jump
or, the best dancer and the best pugilist
the Nottingham region could produce.
Even now, it is said, the rustics point
cut to strangers the different spots in
the neighborhood where the redoubta
bic Jack, mounted ON his thoroughbred
hunter, made tremendous leaps never
matched before or since. But In "the
manly art of self-defense he once met
more than his match. There was GER
tain "boss chmney-sweep in Noting
ham who prided himself upon his fstic
skill and determined to try conclusions
with his arissocratic rival in that line
of business. To bring about the con-
test he desired, he deliberately went
out to Annesley Hall and sat
down to fish in the private fish pond in
the park, little distance from and in
full view of the mansion. The proprie-
tor, happening to look out of the
window, saw the sooty angler cropping
his line into forbidden waters, and
without hesitation took horsewhip
and proceeded to interview the inter
loper. Mr.. Sweep was evidently ready
to receive company, for at the first cut
OF the lash he hit out from the shoulder
and sent his antagonist i" to grass very
handsomely. Mus.ers arose, laid aside
the whip, threw off his coat, told Sweep
to do likewise, and the battle began
then and there lasted two hours The
chimney professor was victorious, but
the badly mauled Jack bore his defeat
nobly, shook hands with the victor, took
him into the house, gave him glass of
wine, and told Linn he had pre-
emption right to fish in that fish-pond
IS long as he lived. Our Nottingham
reporter visited Annesley often. and on
one occasion was admitted into Mr..
Muster's bedroom. The dress
ing-room was fairly loaded with
the paraphernalia of the toilet
-pomade, oil, rouge, powder, &c.
showing that the veteran beau knew
how to repair the ravages of time, and
had the material to do it with always at
his elbow. But the most singular fea-
ture of the apartment was what might
be termed the Notifications. The win
dows were protected by huge iron graf
ings, and the doors had more locks than
an ordinary prison cell. It was regu-
lar citadel, In fact, from which theoccu-
pant could not be dislolged without q
siege. Why should John Musters go
into this dungeon to sleep? Who and
what was he afraid of? These ques-
tons can be answered briefly and salts
factorily. The husband of Mary
Chaworth was as internal a scoundrel
as ever walked the earth. He had COM
mitted almost every crime in the cal
endar, except, perhaps, highway rob-
berry and murder. He was notorious
roue. and had given half the
husbands and fathers in the vicinity
ample reason to hate him with deadly
hatred. He had horsewhipped his OVID
wife, and subjected her to outrages
compared with which horsewhipping
was the tenderest kindness. No. won
der, then, that this devil in human
shape crawled into an impregnable for;-
ress at night. The wonder is that even
this precaution saved him from the fate
he SO richly merited. But it did save
him; for the last time our informant saw
him he was In admirable preservation,
arrayed in scarlet and top boots, on the
back of a superb horse which he sat
like centaur, galloping through the
archway that led to the court yard of
Annesley Hall. he died quietly in his
bed not many years later-thereby
proving that not all Of the irredeemable
villains are born to lie hanged. Such
was the husband of Byron's Mary. :.
The Death Of Shelley.
II 10 oil vary woll 70 ,ooahnnnh tho