The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-02-15
LORD BYRON AND MARY
CHAWORTH.

have been wonderfully entertained
to-day by the story of old j,
Mary ChawOrth's servant, "head-man at
Amnesty Park" l should much like to
know if any one else had been so fortu-
nate as to hear the loquacious old mans
account of Byron and his early love.
When one hears story like this from
the lips of a servant, it is surely worth
while to consider whether, after all,
great reputation are not apt to suffer
from the ill-will of hirelings, and may
not be too readily branded, by the world
as prompt to condemn our failures as to
applaud our attainment. Lord Byron
suffers nothing from J--'sconfession,
but Mistress Chaworth was surely unfor-
tunate in her confident dependence on a
servants faithfulness.
That was a funny sum-total of
J-'s when I asked his opinion of
Bvron's character: ooh, his lordship
was fool. He didna knaW-grass from
grass. An he never gave me naught.
But many's the pun note Mr.. Musters
gle me for chance to speak wi Mary
Chaworth."
So! and who knew if but for the trick
the old man confessed Lord Byron
would not have married one whose at
fectionate disposition and self-immola'
ton fer the object of her devotion might
have saved to the world a pure and
elevated poet unsulIied by the mire OF
wanton despair, and to Mary Chaworth
heart that loved her for herself? John
MINISTER'S triumph was cheaply purchas-
ed. Twill record it all as old j
related it.
"Ay, | remember well when his lord
ship wud come riding like mad into
Amnesty Park, and his two great dogs
flying along wi him. MY word!" old
Mrs. Clark would say, If there doesn't
come his lordshir, and those nasty
brutes are with him to spoil my nict
white counterpanep You see the brutet
always sleepit outside O the covers Oh
his lordship's bed.
One fine day when was laying thu
cloth for dinner, Miss Mary was sitting
in the great hall wi her back to thu
lawn, an she didn't see his lordshil
coming"
Glow was she dressed ?"
ooh, she were dressed in a white sill
gown, very low on the shoulders, an
high belt under her arms, like. An i
were very long behind, an so you coul(
see her wee small feet in tiny slippers il
front.
Well, the great hall window opened Oh
the lawn, an his lordship were quicl
enough to spy Miss Mary sitting there
An he came soft-like through the room
and before she knew it he leaned owe
her and kissed her beautiful white
shoulder.
ooh dear! will l ever forget how SIT
fared? She sprang to her feet, and wi
voice choki. with rage, she said, M!
lord! what does this mean? You neve
have 50 muchas touched the hem of m!
garment, and you never shall. Then
was awful to see the fire in her eyes; sh
were the picture of her grandfather wit
were killed in duel wi his lOrdshlp
grandfather across that very table. Blu
she medina been 80 mad, for his lordshll
were a nice man enough but for his n"
foot Poor fool! she didna know Johl
Musters were only after her money, an
his lordship loved her for herself MI
Musters were a handsome man TOO AM
he always gied me pun note; one n
gied me a fi'-pun note, but l never toll
him saw a five on it when got home
I helped him to get rid o his lordshlF
an | fixed all the meetin's wi his man
You see, I was head man at AnneSS