Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-18

probably knows more than all the wizards
of antiquity put together, he is at the same
time one OF the best and kindest-hearted OF
men-if common report be worth ANYTHING.
But that fairy-like body-the contrast be-
tween it and the head is certainly very
singular. An ogre and an elf combined to
form a man-that is how you would de-
scribe him. His hands are like a woman's,
white, small, and beautifully shaped; and
he wore on one of his fingers a costly sap
Phire ring, such as lady might wear.
We had been discussing the skull.
''It is a woman's, then?" said 1.
''Yes; and a very lovely woman she was,
too" replied DR.. Hoknagel, in his deep but
exquisitely modulated tones.
"Can you judge from the skull of the
beauty of the face?" 1 exclaimed.
Perhaps not; at any rate, do not in this
case"
"Do YOU mean to say you actually knew
her?'' I demanded, with a chill of the
nerves. Even the most benevolent doctors
will sometimes do odd things that make Or
dinary persons flesh creep.
"Well, at all events, 1 know she was a
beauty" he said. And, after putting at his
pipe while, he continued: tits curious
story, and you might as well hear 1t. You
remember Daventry?"
''Not Daventry who married Miss Salton-
stall, the heiress, and went mad?"
f'That's the man - Edward Daventry
Nv specially is mental diseases, you know,
and l signed the order committing him to
the asylum. That was ten years ago. He
died last week"
"Only last weekl had supposed him
dead for years.
''Death is name applied indiscrimi-
nateIv to several different phenomena. Now
you knew Daventry who married Miss
Saltonstall; but 1 knew him before that
event-long before. And happen to know
that Miss Saltonstall was not the first
lady"
"Ah! An earlier romanceI Do let me
hear about it.
''There is not much to that There was
girl-let us call her Francesca; her family
name does net concern u.s. She was a
lovely creature, of style quite unlike Miss
Saltonstall. Daventry was then barely 20;
she year or two younger. She loved him
with all her heart. He-well, he conceived
a passion for her 1t was understood-she
understood-that they were to be married.
But she took too much for granted, and
granted too much. You know the way of
the world. There are times when the wo-
man is as much to blame as the man. All
will say is, that this was not one of those
times Daventry was then a young fellow
in a country town, with no prospects in par
ticular. An unexpected circumstance gave
him a good opportunity to enter business in
New York, and he went, leaving Francesca
behind. Well, it had to bel And within a
wear he had the satisfaction, such as it was,
of hearing that she was dead"
How the doctors eyes did glowl He
looked terrible at that moment
s-Daventry had 1 believe, already made
the acquaintance of Miss SaltonstalI, and it
haf A,,a--
gaged to be married. There was no ambigu-
ity about that arrangement. You may sup
pose, if you like, that Daventry was really
in love this time. At all events he acted as
if be were. He hardly ever let the girl out OF
his sight. She couldn't complain of lack of
devotion. They were married. great we'd
ding. You remember it. A handsome couple.
Ali New York looking on. All the girls en-
wing her; all the young fellows him. So off
they went on their honeymoon.
The doctor sucked hard and fast at his
black pipe, until he, and the little white
skull. and the pile of antique volumes, were
ali enveloped in gray mist of smoke.
"Daventry became proverbial for work.
Everything be took hold OF went we'll His
v-ife had q million to her dowrv, SO there
was no need for him to work; but be did
work and it was thought greatly to his
credit that be did so. He went into all sorts
of schemes; they all turned to gold as soon
os he touched them. He kept fine house
IN town. another at the seaside, another in
California. He and his wife were always
an the TOP in society, always stirring, al
pavs entertaining; and yet Daventry never
lost his grin on any of his schemes. People
said there lever was such a man; wonderful
head astonishing genius They had no
cIiIdren-children are hardly fashionable
but nronle sometimes asked where all these
millions were going. Never mind; they
kent pjliue up-railroads, telegrsphs, coal,
iron. siIver-all contributing to make Dav-
entry rich. No skeleton in his closet; no
room for one-too full Of gold I Lucky