Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-13

suade Mrs. Sneathy to obtain legal sepa-
ration from her husband. She chung to
him, with the excuse-for it was no more
that she hoped to win him to kindness by
submission, and with a pathetic infatua-
ton that seemed to increase as her bodily
strength diminished.
Henry and Robert, as may be supposed
were anything but silent in these circum-
stances. Indeed they broke out violently
again and again, and more than once went
near permanently injuring their worthy
stepfather. Once especially, when Sneathy,
absolutely without provocation, made a
motion to strike his wife in their presence
there was fearful scene. The two sprang
at him like wild beasts. knocked him down
and dragged him to the balcony with the
intention of throwing him out of the win
dow. But Mrs. Sneathy impeded them,
Historically imploring them to desist.
IF you lift your hand to my mother"
throat till his fat face turned blue and
banging his head against the wall, ''if you
lift your hand to my mother again I'll
chop it off will! ri chop it off and drive
We'll do worse said Robert, white and
frantic with passion. Wen hang you
hang you to the door! You're a proved
liar and thief, and you're worse than a
front door for two pencev'
For few days Sneathy was compare
lively quiet, cowed by their violence. Then
he took to venting redoubled spite OF his
unfortunate wife, always in the absence of
her sons. well aware that she would never
inform them. On their part, finding him
apparently better behaved. in consequence
of their attack, they thought to maintain
his wholesome terror, and scarcely passed
him without menace, taking a fiendish
delight In repeating the threats they had
used during the scene. by way of keeping
1t present to his mind.
Take care of your hands. SIR" they
would say. Keep them to yourself, or,
by George, We'll take 'em off with bill
hookr'
But his revenge for all this Sneathy took.
unobsarved. on their mother. Truly
miserable household.
Soon. however, the brothers left home,
and went to London by way of locking for
profession. Henry began a belated study
of medicine, and Robert made a pretense
of reading for the bar. Indeed, their de
parture was as much as anything a con-
sequence of the earnest entreaty of their
sister, who saw that their presence at
home was an evaporation to Sneathy and
aggravated her mothers secret sufferings.
They went, therefore, but at Ranworth
things became worse. Little was allow ed
to be known outside the house, bu- II was
broadly said that Mr.. Sneathy's behavior
had become outrageous beyond description.
Servants left faster than new ones could
be found, and gave their late employer the
character of a raviny maniac. Once, In
deed. he committed himself in the village,
attacking with his walking stick an in
offensive tradesman who had accidentally
brushed against him, and Immediately run
ming home. This assault had to lie COM
pounded for by payment of fifty pounds
And then Henry and Robert Foster re-
cetved most urgent letter from their
sister. requesting their immediate presence
at home.
They went at once, of course, and the
servants account of what occurred was
this: When the brothers arrived Mr.
Sneathy had just left the house. The
brothers were shut up with their mother
and sister for about a quarter of an hour,
and then left them and came out 10 the
stable yard together. The coachman the
was a new man, who had only arrived the
day before) overheard little of their talk
as they stood by the door. Mr.. Henry said
that 1.-The thing must be done, and at once
There are two of US, so that it ought to be
easy enough" And afterward Mr. Robert
said: You'll know best how to go about it.
as doctor" After which Mr.. Henry
came toward the coachman and asked in
what direction Mr. Sneathy had gone The
coachman replied that it was in the direc-
ton of Ratherby wood, by the winding
fo otpath that led through it, But as he
spoke he distinctly, with the corner of his
eye, saw the other brother take a halter
from hook by the stable door and nut
1t into his coat pocket.
So far for the earlier events whereof I
learned later bit by bit. 1t was on the day
of the arrival Of the brothers Foster at
their old home and, indeed, little more
than two hours after the incident last set
Col. Brett's place, where Hewitt and
were sitting and chatting with the colonel
The news was that Mr.. Sneathy had com
mitted suicide-had been found hanging in
fact, to a tree in Ratherby wood lust by
the side Of the footpath.'