The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-02-25
before your eyes, shatter my leg with


his knee. Mons. Thevenet was about to
spring towards him to wrest the pistol
from his hand.
DO not move said the Englishman,
''or | will fire. Only answer me one
question: Do you wish unnecessarily to
increase and prolong my suffering?'
Sir, you are a fool. Have your own
way! | will take your leg off,
Mons. Thevenet accomplished his task
like a master. The invalid was,
through his skill, in brief time restored
to health. He rewarded his physician,
whom he esteemed more highly every
day; she'd tears of joy for the loss of his
limb, and sailed back to England with
a wooden leg.
Some eighteen weeks after the En-
glishman's departure, Thevenet re-
ceived a letter from England, the con
tents of which was the following:
You receive the Enclosure as q proof of my
| most profound gratitude. 1t is draft for two
hundred and fifty guineas NJ. Panschand,
banker in Paris. You have made me the hap.
piest of earthly mortals in depriving me Of my
limp, 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 it. You as
| serted, on the occasion referred to. that there
| could be no reasonable ground for self.im
| posed mutiiation such as mine l offered then
! to lay you wager. You acted wisely in not ac
| ceptng it.
| After my second return from the East Indies
l made the acquaintance of Emily Harley, the
| most perfect Of women / adored her. Her
wealth, her family connections were salts.
| factory to my relatives. To me her beauty and
| angelic disposition were alone attractive. l
mingled in the throng of her admirers. Alas
| my good Thevenet, was fortunate enough to
| become the most unfortunate of my rivals She
| loved me-.beyond any and all men, me- She
did not conceal it; and for that very reason she
| dismissed nue.. In vain l duplicated for her
hand Her parents and friends all joined with
me. In vain! She remained immOvable.
! For long time was unable to discover the
ground of her objection to marriage with me-
whom she passionately loved, as she herself
| confessed. At length one of her sisters dis
! closed to me- The secret. Miss Harley was mar
| velously beautiful but had the misfortune 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 ac-
accomplished.
Ireturned to London with my artificial leg.
| My first thought was TO visit Miss Harley. I
had previously written to England that through
a fall from my horse had broken my leg, and
that amputation had become necessary. had
| the sympathy of ALL and Emily swOoned the
first time she saw me. She was for long time
/ 1laf,1 fc1ln 1Nona N1,n
day following cur marriage 1 confded to her
my secret how great a sacrifice my desire to
possess her had cost me. She loved me so much
the more tenderly. Oh! my good Thevenet if 1
possessed ten legs to lose, would, without a
sign Of regret, give them all for Emily.
| shall be grateful to you as long as I live.
| Come to London and visit us. Learn to know
my glorious wife, and then say again Il am q
| 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
a fool" said he.
In the year 1898, during the Reign of
surgeon had caused to be suspected of
being in sympathy with the aristocracy,
fled to London to save his head from
the knife of the all-levelling guillotine.
Either from loneliness or a desire to
seek out acquaintance Thevenet made
inquiries for Sir Charles Temple His
residence was pointed out to HIM. He
called and was admitted. In an easy
chair, by the fireside, with foaming
pot Of porter, surrounded by news
papers, sat fat gentleman. So I'M
wieldy was he that he could with diff
Guilty rise.
''Ah, Mons. Theyenet," cried the fat
gentleman-whow was none other than Sir
pardon me if Idonotrise but
this accursed wooden leg hinders me in
all | would do Friend, you have come
probably to ascertain whether | have
vet come to be of your mind or not"
II come as a fugitive to seek your
protection.
''Then you must take up your quar-
ters with me, for truly, you are a wise
man! You must comfort me. Indeed,
Thevenet, might to-day be an admiral
under the blue flag if this goddess leg
had not made me unfit for the service
of my country. Here | sit and read the