Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-27
civilian Makepeace Thackeray, 1s11-1363.
was a famous English novelist His best
known works include "vanity Fair" Pen
dennis and Henry Esmond.')


known works include Vanity Fair Pen
dennis and Henry Esmond.o
For some time after the fatal acct
dent that deprived her of her husband
Mrs. Bluebeard was, as may be inn
agined, in a state of profound grief.
There was not widow in all the
country who went to such an expense
for black bombazine. OF course, she
saw no company except her sister Anne
(whose company was anything but
pleasant to the widow; as for her
brothers, they were always wild, vulgar
young men at the best; but now-now
their presence to her delicate soul was
horror! How could she bear to look on
them after what had occurred? She
thought of the best of husbands ruth
lessly cut down by their cruel, heavy,
cavalry sabers; the kind friend, the
generous landlord, the spotless justice
of peace, in whose family differences
these rude comets of dragons had
dared to interfere, whose venerable
blue hairs they had dragged down
with sorrow to the grave.
Sister Anne was the only person who
refused to wear black. Mrs. Bluebeard
would have parted with her, but she
had no other female relative. And, as
we all know, woman must have q
female relative under any clrcum-
stances Of pain, or pleasure, or proflt--
when she is married, or when she Is
widowed, or when she is in a delicate
situation.
II will never wear mourning for that
odiouS wretch, sister," Anne would
cry.
to use such words in my presence re-
garding the best of husbands, or to
quit the room at once" the WIDOW
would answer.
"Tm sure it's no great pleasure to sit
in it. wonder you don't make use OF
the closet, sister. where the other Mrs.
Bluebeards are"
"Impertinence! They were all en-
balmed. How dare you report the
monstrous calumnieS regarding the
best of men? Take down the family
Bible and read what my blessed saint
SAYS of his wives, read 1t, written III
his own hand:
"'Friday, June 20.-Married my be-
loved wife, Anna Maria Scrogglnsla.
Saturday, August IA bereaved nus
band has scarcely strength to write
down in this chronicle that the dearest
of wives. Anna Maria Scrongginsia, eX-
pired this day of sore throat
There, Anne, can anything be more
convincing than that?" demanded the
widow of Bluebeard. Read again:
Tuesday, September L. This day
I led to the hymeneal altar my souls
blessing, Louisa Matilda Hopkinson.
May this angel supply the place OF her
I have lost. wednesday, October 81
o heavens! Pity the distraction OF
wretch who is obliged to record the
ruin of his dearest hopes and attec-
tons! This day my adored Louisa Ma
tilda Hopkinson gave up the ghost: A
complaint of the head and shoulders
was the sudden cause OF the event
which has rendered the unhappy SUBJ
scriber the most miserable OF men;
Every one of the women are calen-
dared in this delightful, this pathetic,
this truly virtuous and tender way
said Bluebeard's mourning widow, land
can YOU suppose that man who wrote
such sentiments could be murderer,
miss?"
DO you mean to say that he did not
kill them, them" asked Anne.
Gracious goodness, Anne, kill them!
They died as naturally as I hope you
will. My blessed husband was an angel
of goodness and kindness to them. was
it his fault that the doctors could not
cure their maladies? No, that it wasn't!
And when they died the inconsolable
husband had their bodies embalmed in
order that on this side Of the grave he
might never part from them"
"And why did he take you up IN the
tower, pray? And why did you send
me in such hurry to the leads? And
why did he sharpen his long knife, and
roar out to you to come DOWN."
Merely to punish me for my Curl
osity-the dear, good, kind, excellent
creature!" sobbed the widow. over