406 THE ANONYMOUS LETTER. 



stood, I begged to protest that I was mystified that he must be 

 labouring under a mistake. 



" A mistake!" shouted he in that tremendous tone, which for a 

 moment had once appalled the tiger-hearted Tippoo " A mistake, 

 Major Mocassin ! There's no mistake, sirrah ! Will you deny your 

 own hand writing ?" 



So saying he threw the letter in my face and retired, followed by 

 Cahooz 



In another moment the veil was torn asunder. Having never 

 before attempted an anonymous letter, and acting under the influence 

 of confirmed habit, I had concluded the fatal epistle, without disguise, 

 in my customary terms : " Yours, ever, JOHN MOCASSIN ! !" 



NOTE. 



The foregoing paper was drawn up and sent to his cousin in Kentucky by 

 Major Mocassin, a few hours after Colonel Plinth and Baron Cahooz had quitted 

 him. On the inside of the envelop appears the following : " 'Tis now mid- 

 night Rear Admiral Jenkinson has settled every thing with the Baron, to 

 their mutual satisfaction : we are to be on the ground by six in the morning. 

 If I fall " 



After considerable research we have discovered two announcements in the 

 public prints which form valuable appendages to Major Mocassin's document. 

 The first extract is from a London journal published in 1819, the second from 

 a Bath paper of two years later date. 



No. I. 



" Yesterday at his own residence in Wimpole St., by special licence, 

 Colonel Plinth, K. C. B. to Rebecca Louisa Moggs, a native of Masulipatam. 

 The Gallant Colonel went through the ceremony with his only remaining arm 

 in a sling, having a few hours before exchanged shots both of which took 

 effect with Major Mocassin." 



No. II. 



" The busy tongue of fame reports that a Gallant Major, who served 

 with distinction, and lost an arm, under Sir David Baird in the East Indies, is 

 about to lead to the altar the dashing relict and sole legatee of a brave and 

 affluent brother officer who recently died at Cheltenham. A mutual attachment 

 is supposed to have been long in existence ; for the bridegroom elect fought a 

 duel on the lady's account with her late husband, on the very morning of the 

 marriage. Pecuniary motives may perhaps have influenced the fair one in 

 giving her hand on that occasion to the Gallant Major's more fortunate rival." 



A. W. A. 

 W. C. 



