Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-10-19
THE "KEY OF DEATH"

In the collection of curiosi,ies preserved in the
Arsenal at Venice, there is a key, Of which the
following singular tradition is related:
About the year 1000, one Of those dangerous men
in whom extradinary is only fearful source of
crime and wckedness beyond that Of ordinary men,
came to establish himself as merchant and trader
in Venice. The stranger, whose name was Tebal-
10, became enanored of the daughter Of an ancen,
house, already a'lianced TO another. He demanded
her in marriage and was of course rejected. En-.
ragged at this he studied how 10 be revenged: Pro-
found|y skilled in The mechanical arts, he allowed
himself no rest until he had invented the most for.
snidabe weapon that could be imagined. This
was key Of large size, the handle ofwhich was so
constructed that it could be turned round with little
difficulty. When turned it discovered a spring,
which, on pressure, launched from the other end
needle or lancet ofeuch subtle fineness, that it en-
tered into the flesh, and buried itself there without
leaving any external trace. TebaldO waited al the
door oil The church in which the maiden whom he
loved was about 10 receive the nupIial benedclon.
The assassin sent the slender steel, unperceived, into
the breast of the brideg, Dom. The wounded man
had no suspicion Of injury, but seized with sudden
and sharp pain in the midst of the ceremony. he
tainted and was carried 10 his house amid the lam.
cn,atons of The bridal party. Vain was all the
skill Of the physicians, who could not divine the
cause OF this strange illness, and in few days he
expired.
Tebaldp again demanded The l.and of the maiden
from her parents, and received second refusal
They, too, persisted miserably in few days. The
alarm occasioned by these deaths, which appeared
almost miraculous, excited the utmost vigilance 70
the magistrates and when on close examination
OF tie bodies, the small instrl ment was found in
the gangrened flesh, terror was universal every
one feared for his own life. The maiden thus cru
elly orphaned, had passed the frs, months Of hel
mourning in convent, when Iebado, hoping &c
bend her to his will, entrealed TO speak with hel
at the CRATE. The face of The foreigner had beet
ever displeasing TO her, but since the death of al
those most dear 10 her il had become odious, as i
the had presentimen, of his guilt and her repl,
was most decisive in the negative. Teballo, be
yond himself with rage, attempted to wound he
through the CRATE, and succeeded; while the obscu
rity Of the place prevented his movement from
being observed. On her return to her room, the
maiden felt pain in her breast, and uncoyering il
she found it spotted with single drop of blood
The pain increased the surgeons who hasrenet
10 her assistance, taught by the past, wasted NJ
time in conjecture, but cutting deep into the wound
ed part, extracted the needle before any mor,a
mischief had commenced. and saved The life OF III,
lady. The state inquisi,ion used every means I,
discover the hand which dealt these nsidious an,
irresistible blows. The visit Of Tebaldo TO tn
convent caused suspicion to fall heavily upon him
Ibis house was carefully searched-the infamou
invention discovered, and he persisted on the gibbe,
MoMEET.-One moment what an effect
produces upon years One moment !! Virtue
guilt, glory, shame, rapture, wo, rest upon the dc
lDgg oc n mnman,I naa,h itseIf rpnuiras hut