Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-02-27

1t amputated."
''Sir. I do not know you. At least
produce before me some witness who will
testify to your soundness of intellect"
"Will you accede to my wish, Mons.
Thevenet2'
''Just as soon, sir, as you give me some
defensible ground for your desire to be
mutilated."
~ cannot at the present moment COM
municate to you the truth of the matter.
Perhaps may Go so after the lapse of
year. But am willing to wager you,
monsieur, that year hence you yourself
will affim that the ground upon which
.,ssted the desire to be free of my leg was
the noblest."
~ will not wager, SO long as you do
not give me your name, your place of
residence, your family and your occupa-
tion."
"All that you shall know in the future,
not at present. l pray you, however, to
consider me as a man of honor"
''An honorable man does not menace
his physician with pistol. I will not
mutilate you without there is necessity
for SO doing. l have duties to discharge
even to you-a stranger. If you are
possessed of desire to become the mur-
derer of an innocent man, the father of
family, then shootl"
"Good! Mons. Thevenet," exclaimed
the Briton, seizing the pistol. ~ will
not shoot you, yet will 1 force you to
amputate my leg. What you will not
do for me either out of courtesy or love
of reward CT fear of bullet, you shall
accord through pity"
"How so, sira"
81 will myself, here upon the spot,
before your eyes, shatter my leg with 3
pistol shot,"
The Englishman sat down, seized the
pistol and held the muzzle close against
his knee. Mons. Thevenet was about to
spring towards him to wrest the pistol
flom his hand.
"Do not move" said the Englishman,
''or l will fire. Only answer me one
question: Do you wish unnecess arily to
increase and prolong my suifering4"
"Sir, you are fool! Have your own
way! Twill take you leg off,"
Everything was made ready for the
operation. AS the first cut was about to
made the Englishman lighted his pipe and
swore it should not go out. He kept his
word. Presently the leg lay on the floor.
Tho EnGlishman ooatiuuvu to SMOKE.
Mons. Thevenet accomplished his task
like master. The invalid was, through
his skill, in brief time restored to health.
He rewarded his physician, whom he es-
teemed more highly every day; she'd
tears of joy for the loss of his limb, and
sailed back to England with wooden
leg.
Some eighteen weeks after the English
mans departure, Thevenet received a
letter from England, the contents of
which were the following:
You receive the inclosure as proof of my
most profound gratitude. 1t isa draft for
two hundred and fifty guinens on Mons
Panschaud, banker, in Paris. You have
made me the happiest of earthly mortals in
depriving me of my limb, which stood in the
way of my earthly happiness.
Worthy man, now you may know the
cause of my foolish whim, as you then called
1t. You asserted, on the occasion referred
to. that there could be no reasonable ground
for self-imposed mutilation such as mine. |
offered then to lay you wager. You acted
wisely in not accepting it.
After my second return from the East In
dies made the acquaintance of Emily Har-
ley, the most perfect of women l adored
her. Her wealth, her family connections were
satisfactory to my relatives 70 me her
beauty and angelic disposition were alone at
tractive. mingled in the throng of her adj
mirers. Alas my good Theyenet, l was for
tunate enough to become the most unfortu-
nate of my rivals. She loved me-beyond
any and all men, me. She did not conceal
it; and for that very reason she dismissed
me. In vain / supplicated for her hand. Her
parents and friends all joined with me- In
vain She remained immovable.
For a long time was unable to discover
the ground of her objection to marriage with
me, whom she passionately loved, as she her.
self confessed. AT length one Of her sisters
disclosed to me the secret Miss Harley was
beautiful, but had the misfor-
tune to have been born with one leg, and by
reason of this imperfection she hesitated to
become my wife. She feared would esteem
her less on account of this imperfection.
at once resolved to become like her.
Thanks to you, my good Thevenet, the thing
was accomplished.
l returned to London with my artificial
leg. My first thought was to visit Miss Har-
ley. / had previously written to England
that through fall from my horse had
broken my leg, and that amputation had be-
come necessary. had the sympathy of all,
and Emily swooned the first time she saw
me. She was for a long time inconsolable,
but she became my wife. The day follow
ing our marriage | confided to her my secret
how great a sacrifice my desiI TO possess her
had cost me. She loved me SO much the more
tenderly. Oh! my good Thevanet. if L pos
sessed ten legs to lose, would. without q
sign of regret, give them all for Emily.
Ishall be grateful to you SO long as live.
Come to London and visit us. Learn to
know my glorious wife. and then say again
II am fool" CHARLES TEMPLE.
Mons. Thevenet showed this letter to
his friends, and rotated the incident, and
laughed most heartily as often as he told
the story. "Nevertheless. he is fool"
said he.
The following was Mons. Thevenets
reply:
Sir, thank you for your magnificent pres
ent, for SO | must call it, because l cannot
term it compensation for the small service /
rendered you.
wish you happiness in your marriage
with the most worthy Of English ladies. 1t
is frue a lap is rullch 10 rive for a haautifrI