The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-02-13

. 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 a proof of nv
most profound gratitude. 1t Is draft for
two hundred and fifty gunens on Mons,
Panschaud, banker. in Paris. You haye
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 q self Imposed mutilation such as mine
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. adored
hSi Her wealth, her family connections were
satisfactory to my relatives. To me hesi
beauty and angelic disposition were alone at.
tractive. mingled in the throng of her ad.
m,rers' Alas my good Thevenet, 1 was for
tunate enough to become the most unfortu-
any and all men, me. She did not conceal
IL; and for that very reason she dismissed
me. In vain supplicated for her hand. Her
parents and friends all joined with me. In
Nunl one renamed 1mmOvaDle.
For 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 WINS
marvelously beautiful, but had the misfor-
tune 20 have been born with one leg, ana by
reason OF this imperfection she hesitated to
become my wife. She feared 1 would esteem
her less on account of this imperfection
at once resolved to become like her.
Ihanks to you, my good Thevenet, the thing
was accomplished.
i returned to London with NV artificial
leg. Ny first thought was to visit Miss Har-
ley. L had previously written to England
that through a fall from my horse L had
osossn my leg, and that smputation had be-
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 1 confided to her my secret
how great sacrifice my desire to possess her
had cost me. She loved me so much the moro
tenderly. Oh! my good Thevanet. il pos
sessed ten legs to lose, would. without a
sign of regret, give them all for Emily.
l shall be grateful to you so long as live.
Come to London and visit us. Learn to
know my glorious wife, and then say again
IL 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. Thevenet's
reply:
Sir, thank you for your magnificent pres
ent, for so must call it, because / cannot
term 1t compensation for the small service
rendered you.
l wish you happiness in your marriage
with the most worthy Of English ladies. 1t
Is true leg Is much to give for q beautiful,
virtuous and tender wife; yet not too much,
IL in the end ono does not come to feel that hs
has been cheated in tho exchange. Adam
was obliged to sacrifice rib for his wife:
and it has cost many other men n rib for
their loveS--some head. But after all you
mus permit me, very moderately, to stand
by my opinion Indeed Tor the present mo.
ment you are right. Yea are now in the
paradise Of the spring time Of matrimony.
But am right also, with this difference
only, that my view comes but slowly to be
recognized and accepted, like every truth
which one at first declines to receive.
Have q care, sir; I fear that within two
years you will regret that you had your leg
taken off above the knee.
You will think II would have been much
better below the knee. At the end of three
years you will be convinced that the loss of
foot would have been sufficient In four
years you will affirm that the sacrifice of a
great toe, and in five years, the amputation
end OF six years. you will confess that the
cutting Off the nail would have been suffi.
cient
say all this without any purpose of de-
tracting from the worth of your estimable
wife. In my youth 1 could any day have
sacrificed my life for beautiful woman but
never leg; for that should never NV life
long, have ceased to repent. II I had done
SO, L should to-day say, "Thevanet, thou
vast a fool"
With which / have the honor to be.
Your most obedient servant.
THEVENRT