Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-09-30

horror, For two years l had heard of
nothing out the price of blood, that terrible
Corsican prejudice which binds man to
avenge every injury on the person who
wrought it, his descendants and kinsmen.
I have seen old men murdered and children,
and my head was full of such stories.
learned one day that an Englishman had
just leased for number of years little
villa at the foot of the bay. He had brought
with him French body servant, engaged at
Marseilles as he passed. Everybody was
soon busy with this strange parsonage, who
lived alone, and left his dwelling only to
hunt or fish. He spoke to nobody, never
came to the city, and every morning prac-
ticed shooting for an hour or two with his
pistol or rifle.
There were many stories about him. One
man held that he was of princely rank, and
had fed his country for political reasons;
another affirmed that he was lying in CON
cealment after having committed a fearful
crime, and even related particulars of an
especially horrible nature.
wished, in my capacity of examining
magistrate, to obtain some definite informa-
tion in regard to this man; but could learn
nothing. He gave his name as Sir John
Rowell. I took satisfaction in watching
him near at hand, but no one could point
out to me anything really suspicious about
him.
Since, however, the rumors concerning
him continued, increased, and became more
general, | resolved to make an attempt to
see the stranger myself, and | began to hunt
regularly in the neighborhood Of his estate.
I waited long for my opportunity. 1t
came finally in the shape of partridge
IL, T oLo% ;v,f fbo In ,3e
face. My dog brought it to me, but taking
lack of good manners and beg Sir John
Rowell to accept the bird.
He was large man, with red hair and
beard, very tall and very robust, sort OF
placid and polished Hercules. He had moth
ing of the so-called British stiffness, and
thanked me: cordially, speaking with strong
English accent, for my scrupulousness. AT
the end of month we had talked five or six
times together.
One evening as was passing his door !
saw him in his garden smoking his pipe,
astride of chair. I saluted him, and he
invited me in to take glass of beer with
him. I did not wait to be asked twice.
He received me with scrupulous English
courtesy, eulogized France and Corsica,
and declared that he was warmly attached
to that country and to that particular por-
ton of the coast.
I then, with great caution and under the
guise of a very lively personal interest,
ventured few questions regarding his life
He replied without embarrassment, telling
me that he had travelled extensively in
Africa, India, and America, and that he had
had many adventures.
l then returned to the subject of the
chase, and he gave me many of the most
curious details in regard to hunting the hip
popotamus, the tiger, the elephant, and
even the gorilla.
He smiled.
"Oh, no; man is the most terrible"
He laughed outright, with hearty, con-
tented English laugh, as he further inform
ed me.
81 have also been great hunter of men, :"
Then he tnrned the conversation to the
topic of arms, and invited me to the house
to look at guns of different kinds.
His drawing-room was hung with black
silk embroidered with gold. Large yellow
flowers, rioting over the dark background,
shone like fire. He explained that it was
Japanese fabric.
But, in the middle of the largest panel, a
strange object drew my eye. On square
of red velvet a black object was thrown in
to relief. 1t was hand-a human hand.
Not a skeleton hand, white and clean, but
a dried and blackened hand, with yellow
nails, naked muscles, and traces Of blood
old, clotted blood, where the bones were
cut short off as if with the blow of an axe,
about midway up the forearm. An enor-
nous iron chain, rivetediat the wrist, solder
ed to this unsightly member, attached it to
the wall by ring strong enough to hold an
elephant in leash.
"What is tbat?" asked.
s'That is my worst enemy" replied the
A merica. 1t was cut off with sabre, skim
was pretty good piece of work for me-
I touched that human fragment, which
must have belonged to giant. The fingers,
disproportionately long, were attached by
enormous tendons, to which shreds of skin
still clung. Scorched as it was, it was
frightful thing to behold, suggesting ire
sistibly some savage revenge.
ssHe must have been a very strong man,
said I.
''Oh, yes," said the Englishman, gently.
''But l was stronger than he. 1 had that
chain put on to hold him."
1 thought he WAS jesting, and said:
'The chain is wholly useless now; the
hand will not run away
But he gravely replied:
1.-THE chain was necessary. It was al
ways trying to get away"
With rapid glance l questioned his
countenance, asking myself:
lis he lunatic or an ugly jester?"
But his face remained impenetrable, calm,
and benevolent. I talked of other things,
and admired his guns. noticed that three
loaded revolvers lay on the tables rs if this
man lived in constant fear of an attack.
visited him several times and then went
there no more. People had become accus-
toned to his presence and had grown indif-
ferent.
A whole year passed. Then one morn
ing, toward the end of November, my SER
want awoke me with the announcement that
Sir John Rowell had been assassinated in
the night.
Half an hour later, with the central COM
missary and a captain of soldiery, I entered
the Englishman's house. HIS servant, be-
wiidered and despairing, was weeping be-
fore the door. I suspected him at first, but
he was innocent. The guilty man never
could be found.
AS entered Sir Johns sitting-room /
saw at the first glance his body stretched
out on it's back in the middle of the floor
His waistcoat was torn, one torn sleeve of
his coat was hanging; all told that a terrible
struggle had taken place.
He had died Of strangulation! His terr i
BILE countenance, black and swollen, seemed
to express an abominable fear; he held
something between his set teeth, and his
neck, pierced in hundred spots, as if with
iron points, was covered with blood.
A physician joined US. He examined
long and closely the marks of fingers in the
flesh of the dead mans throat and spoke
these strange words:
"one would say that be had been strang
led by skelton.p
A shudder crept over my back, and I
raised my eyes to the wall, to the place
where had formerly seen the horrible,
shriveled hand. 1t was no longer there
The chain hung broken.
Then leaned over the dead man, and
found in his distorted mouth one of the