The Spotted Dog
Julius Mackenzie is a highly educated writer and editor. He is desperate search of a job and so decides to send in a letter of application to the editor of a highly respectable journal. In the letter, Mackenzie expresses his desire to interview for the journal. He addresses the letter to the Editor of the paper. Though he is properly educated, and proficient at his trade, Mackenzie’s life has been troubled by a dangerous marriage and a drinking problem. In spite of his trials and tribulations, the Editor replies to Mackenzie. He explains that he has a manuscript that needs to be indexed. The Editor explains that a local clergyman has spent years on the task and has yet to complete it. To asses Mackenzie’s prowess, ability, and work ethic, the Editor agrees to allow him to tackle the indexing.
Though he is overjoyed to have been tasked with this serious work, Mackenzie grows concerned about taking the manuscript home. He (rather embarrassedly) confesses to the Editor that he is unable to take the manuscript home. When the Editor implores him to explain, Mackenzie continues. He explains that the manuscript would not be safe at his home, namely due to his wife (who is also a drunkard) and his children, who are rascals and undisciplined. In an attempt to accommodate this embarrassment, Mackenzie suggests that his friends, who own a local pub called The Spotted Dog, would be willing to hold the manuscript for him. He offers to work on the manuscript there, where it can be kept away from his family.
After traveling with Mackenzie to the pub, and assessing the situation, the Editor agrees to allow Mackenzie to bring the manuscript to The Spotted Dog. Arrangements are made, and Mackenzie begins work on the indexing. He works tirelessly on the manuscript at The Spotted Dog. Initially, he makes excellent progress—enough so that the Editor grows increasingly confident in Mackenzie’s ability to complete the work, free from the impairments of his home life.
One day, however, Mackenzie’s drunken wife grows suspicion of his increased absences. She follows him to the pub and confronts him. The confrontation soon escalates, and, after an intense argument, both are required to leave by the pub’s owners. The Editor soon hears word of this confrontation. Given what he knows about Mackenzie’s wife, the Editor hurries to Mackenzie’s house. He bursts through the door and balks in horror at what he sees. A fire crackles. In it, is the manuscript Mackenzie had been working so diligently on. It lays half-burned where Mackenzie’s wife had tossed it into the flames. The Editor scans the room and is horrified to find Mackenzie, dead on the floor from apparent suicide. The Editor stands in the carnage, between Mackenzie’s lifeless body and the charred remains of the prized manuscript.
An Eye For An Eye
“An Eye For An Eye” tells the story of Fred Neville. Neville is the heir of the Earl of Scroope and is a lieutenant, stationed in Ireland. Neville is rather considered to be the family embarrassment, namely due to his lack of self-control. It’s made very clear that Neville lacks the constitution to ignore his impulsive thoughts and desires, which has ultimately strained relations with his family. Neville’s father, the Earth, wishes him to marry Sophia Mellerby, a suitable woman of equal class, affluence, grace, and wealth. Ever the rebel, however, Nevillie refuses his father’s wishes. He proclaims that he has fallen in love with a local woman named Kate O’Hara.
Unlike Mellerby, O’Hara is a lower-class citizen, one who lacks the social graces of an affluent woman like Sophia. O’Hara is a young woman whose father abandoned her and her mother. Kate’s father is a known swindler, one who had served many prison sentences, and who fled to France to escape further punishment for other, nefarious crimes. Despite her lower-class status, and her connections to a known criminal, Kate is kind, beautiful, intelligent, and appealing. Kate’s union with Neville was greatly influenced by Kate’s mother, who was aware of the position Fred held and hoped that their union would offer Kate a better life with more opportunities. Kate and Fred soon begin a romantic affair. Soon after, Kate discovers that she is pregnant. As she is sure of Neville’s feelings for her—and his intent to marry her—Kate is not frightened by this news.
When Kate reveals to Neville that she is carrying his child, and after she asks when they shall be married, Neville refuses. He explains that he once promised his uncle that he would never marry a Catholic girl. Though Kate is devastated by Neville’s refusal and his feeble excuses, Fred ignores her sorrow and attempts to distance himself from her. Upon learning of her daughter’s heartache, Kate’s mother—in an emotional rage—attacks Fred. After the two scuffle, Kate manages to push Fred off a cliff. He falls to his death. In the aftermath of Fred’s death, Kate’s mother is tried as a criminal and is found to be insane. She is sent to asylum, where she lives out the remainder of her days. Kate’s baby died shortly after birth. Unable to provide for herself, and disillusioned with her experience in England, Kate travels to France, where she joins her father.
Sir Harry Hotspur Of Humblethwaite
Sir Harry Hotspur is an elderly man, living a rather peaceful and affluent existence. His peaceful and affluent lifestyle is quickly torn apart however, when Hotspur’s only son and heir dies suddenly. As he has no other sons, and as his son had been left all of his inheritance, wealth, and estates, Hotspur is forced to re-write his will. In this new will, all of Hotspur’s estates and wealth is destined to go to George Hotspur, one of Sir Harry’s distant cousins.
This change in plans concerns Sir Harry slightly, namely because—though he is a very charming gentleman—George Hotspur is known for his mishandling of money. In fact, George is a known gambler and money-loser. This sudden change of plans and the re-writing of the will bothers and worries Sir Harry, namely because he had hoped that his daughter, Emily would be the one to inherit his estates and wealth. Furthermore, Sir Harry had hoped that, when Emily married, her husband would adopt the family name and carry on the Hotspur bloodline.
Having gambled all of his money away, George Hotspur is desperate to find another way to make some money. He realizes that, by marrying Sir Harry’s daughter, he will be guaranteed a life of paid affluence and leisure. As a result, George manages to scheme his way into Emily’s heart. She is immediately taken in by George’s easy and handsome charm. Though Emily is aware of George’s scheming and dangerous nature, she convinces herself that she is capable of changing his dark, unholy ways. Though she is confident in her ability to change George, and though she longs to marry him, Emily is forbidden from doing so, as she requires her father’s permission and approval to marry. As Sir Harry is aware of George’s unsavory past, he prohibits Emily from marrying George.
Given his transparent nature, when he realizes that he will never be permitted to marry Emily, George abandons his attempt to obtain the Hotspur family fortune. After he receives generous compensation from the Hotspur family lawyers, George runs away with one of his mistresses—and actress—and eventually marries her. The story concludes with Emily’s death. We learn that her parents brought her to Italy, where she lived out the remainder of her days.
