HISTORIC ODDITIES AND STRANGE EVENTS By the same Author. +ARMINELL: A SOCIAL ROMANCE.+ 3 Vols. Cr. 8vo. (_On Nov. 1_). +OLD COUNTRY LIFE.+--With Numerous Illustrations, Initial Letters, &c. Cr. 8vo. (_In October_). +YORKSHIRE ODDITIES.+--New and Cheaper Edition (_In Preparation_). +STRANGE SURVIVALS.+--(_In Preparation_). +HISTORIC ODDITIES.+--Second Series (_In Preparation_). METHUEN & CO. HISTORIC ODDITIES AND STRANGE EVENTS BY S. BARING GOULD, M.A. AUTHOR OF "MEHALAH," "JOHN HERRING," ETC. FIRST SERIES LONDON METHUEN & CO. 18 BURY STREET, W.C. 1889 CONTENTS. PAGE PREFACE, vii THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BATHURST, 1 THE DUCHESS OF KINGSTON, 26 GENERAL MALLET, 51 SCHWEINICHEN'S MEMOIRS, 67 THE LOCKSMITH GAMAIN, 83 ABRAM THE USURER, 103 SOPHIE APITZSCH, 121 PETER NIELSEN, 136 THE WONDER-WORKING PRINCE HOHENLOHE, 164 THE SNAIL TELEGRAPH, 185 THE COUNTESS GOERLITZ, 199 A WAX AND HONEY-MOON, 234 THE ELECTRESS' PLOT, 257 SUESS OPPENHEIM, 271 IGNATIUS FESSLER, 294 PREFACE. A reader of history in its various epochs in different countries, comes upon eccentric individuals and extraordinary events, lightly passed over, may be, as not materially affecting the continuity of history, as not producing any seriously disturbing effect on its course. Such persons, such events have always awakened interest in myself, and when I have come on them, it has been my pleasure to obtain such details concerning them as were available, and which would be out of place in a general history as encumbering it with matter that is unimportant, or of insufficient importance to occupy much space. Two of the narratives contained in this work have appeared already in the "Cornhill Magazine," but I have considerably enlarged them by the addition of fresh material; some of the others came out in the "Gentleman's Magazine," and one in "Belgravia." With only two of them--"Peter Nielsen" and "A Wax and Honey-Moon"--are the authorities somewhat gone beyond and the facts slightly dressed to assume the shape of stories. S. BARING GOULD. LEW TRENCHARD, N. DEVON, _July, 1889_. HISTORIC ODDITIES. The Disappearance of Bathurst.