Book Description
Mr. Glowry was a very consolate widower, with one small child. That child -- a son -- was named Scythrop, after a maternal ancestor who had hanged himself one rainy day in a fit of tedium. The coroner's jury eulogized him with the comprehensive phrase of felo de se -- on which account Mr. Glowry held his memory in high honor, and made a punchbowl of his skull.

Download Description
But when Marionetta hinted that she was to leave the Abbey immediately, Scythrop snatched from its repository his ancestor's skull, filled it with Madeira, and presenting himself before Mr Glowry, threatened to drink off the contents if Mr Glowry did not immediately promise that Marionetta should not be taken from the Abbey without her own consent.