The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-09-06

4
you wish 70 prolong my suffering need
le.sly:"
Sir. you are m,d," answered The
doctor. in despair; but have your own
way am ready to do as you wish"
Everything was ready for the opera
tioa. As soon a. the doctor took up his
instruments the Englishman lighted .
cigar. and declared that be would smoke
until the operation was concluded. he
kept his word. The lifeless leg rested
upon the floor, but the Englishman still
smoked on. The operation had been
Performed in most mastery manner.
aud, thanks 10 DIR. Lefebvre's skill aud
attention. the patient soon bacsme PEI
fectly recovered, although, of course,
he had to be supplied with a wooden
leg. He rewarded the surgeon, whom
he had learned 10 esteem more aud more
every day ; thanked him with tears in
his eyes for the great obligation under
which he had laid him aud in short
time started for England.
About two months after his patients
departure, the surgeon received the fol-
lowing letter from England:
Enclosed you will receive token of
my boundless gratitude-a bill of ex-
change on my banker in Paris for $500
francs. You have rendered me the
happiest of men by ridding me of q
limb which WAS an obstacle In the way
of my Happiness. Learn. then, the rea-
son OF what you termed my madness.
Iou assured me there could be no JUS
tifi,ble motive for 50 singular mutula-
ton. l offered YOU wager. aud think
you were right in refusing it. After my
second return from the East Indies l
became acquainted with Susan Black,
the most accomplished and fascinating
of women. sought her hand in mar
riage Her fortune and family were
such AS met with the entire appreciation
OF my parents. As for me l thought
only of her charms / was soon happy
enough to gain her affections-a fact
which she did not attempt to deny but
she, at the same time firmly refused to
become my wife. In vain did beseech
her TO do So; in vain did her relations
all second my desire. She was inflexi-
bic. For n long time could not dis
cover the reason of her opposition to a
marriage which she herself confessed
would make her happy; until at last
one of her sisters revealed the fatal se-
beGuty. but she was 80 unfortunate as to
have lost u leg, and she had consequent
" condemned herself to eternal celiba-
cv. Ny resolution was quickly formed,
and determined to become like her.
Thanks to you, my dear Lefcbvre. my
wishes were soon accomplished. l re-
turned with my wooden leg to London.
| fastened 10 gain information of Miss
Black-~-The report had been spread,
and / myself had taken care to write to
my Efriends in England TO the same
effect. that had had the misfortune to
fracture my leg. and that amputation
had been found absolutely necessary.
Every one expressed the greatest concern
ut my misfortune. Susan tainted on the
first occasion of my presenting myself.
She was for long time inconsolable,
bat at length she consented to become
my wife 1t was only on the morning
after our marriage that l confessed to
her the sacrifice by means Of which
had at length been enabled to gain her
love. Oh my excellent friend, had l
ten legs to lose, l would give them all
mp for the sake Of my beloved Susan.
So long as live. rely on my gratitude.
If ever you visit England, do not fail to
come here, so that l may make you ac-
quainted with my wife and then tell
me neither or not l was out Of my SEN
sps Tours faithfully &c
ARTHUR OxLEY."
Mons Lef.byre answered the letter
Of his English friend in the following
terms:
SIR: Accept my best thanks for
your very generous present-tor 50
mus, term what you have sent me,
having been previously msgnificently
rcmunerated for my trouble. rs you
were pleased 10 term it. I wish you,
rs wei. as your charming wife all imag-
Unable happiness. True it is that to
give leg for beautiful, tender and
virtuous wife IS not toomuch. provided
that happiness endures. Adam sacriti-
oed one of his ribs to become possessed
of our common mother Eve, and more
than one man has laid down his life.
for the sake of his beloved. Notwith-
standing all this. allow me to adhere to
my former opinion. For the present
YOU are doubtless right, for you are
now in the honeymoon but at some
future time you will acknowledge the
truth of what | have advanced. l beg
Your attention to what am about to
say. fear that in two years you will
regret having had your leg amputated
above the knee joint. You will think
that to have it cut lower down would
have been quite sufficient In three
years you will be persuaded that the
sacrifice Of foot would have answered
MI purposes; in four, that OF q big toe;
In five the little one and, at last, you
will have confessed that 20 have parted
with nail. without necessity. would
have been piece of egregious folly
All this assert without in the slightes,
degree impugning the merit Of your
admirable helpmste. Ia my own youth
ful days | would have, st any time.
given my life for my misterss. but
never my leg for should have feared
repentance for the rest Of MY days
Had | really done 50. should have
every momcn. said TO myself; Lefe-
hvre. voa are mailman With high
c>t consideration. yours, very obedien.-
ly, ETIESSE LEFEvRE.'
II the wear 1898, during the Reign Of
Terror. the surgeon Of Bologne, having
teen accused Of being an aristocrat by
one Of his professional brethren who