Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-05-09
miscellaneous Artiflcs.
THE KEY OF DEATH.


In the collection Of curiosities pre-
served in the Arsenal at Venice, there is
a key, of which the following singular
tradition is related: -
| About the year 1890, one of those
dangerous men, in whom extraordinary
talent is only the fearful source of crime
and wickedness beyond that of ordinary
men, came to establish himself as a mer-
chant or trader in Venice. The stranger,
whose name was Tebaldo, became en-
amored of the daughter of an ancient
house, already afianced TO another. He
demanded her in marriage, and was of
course rejected. Enraged at this, he
studied how to be revenged. Profoundly
skilled in the mechanical arts, he allowed
himself no rest until he had invented the
most formidable weapon which could be
imagined. This was a key of large size,
the handle of which was so constructed,
that it could be turned round with little
difficulty. When turned, it discovered a
spring, which on pressure, launched from
the outer end a needle or lancet of such
subtle irmness, that it entered into the
flesh, and buried itself there without
leaving any external trace. Tebaldo
waited, in disguise, at the door of the
church in which the maiden whom he
loved was about to receive the nuptial
benediction. The assassin sent the slen-
der steel, unperceived, into the breast of
he bridegroom. The wounded man had
10 suspicion of bis injury, but seized with
sudden and sharp pain in the midst of
he ceremony, he tainted, and was car
led to his house amid the lamentations
't the bridal party. Vain was the skill
IT the physicians, who could not divine
he cause of this strange illness, and in |
ew days he died.
Tebaldo again demanded the hand of
he maiden from her parents, and receiv-
ID a second refusal. They too persisted
niserably in few days. The alarm
which these deaths, which appeared al
most miraculous, occasioned, excited the
Utmost vigilance of the magistrates, and
when, on close examination ofthe bodies,
he small instrument was found in the
5angered flesh, terror was universal, ev-
Try one feared for his own life. The
maiden, thus cruelty orphaned, had pass
ID the first months of her mourning in a
when Tebaldo, hoping to bend
Ter to his will, entreated to speak with
Ter at the gate. The face of the for
'lgner had ever been displeasing to her,
'ut, since the death of those most dear
o her, it had become odious (as though
IS though she had presentiment of his
5uilt) and her reply was most decisive in
he negative. Tebaldo, beyond himself
With rage, attempted to wound her thro'
he CRATE, and succeeded; the obscurity
II the place prevented his movements
rom being observed. On her return to
Ter room the maiden felt a pain in her
reast, and uncovering it, she found it
potted with single drop of blood
he pain increased; the surgeons who
astened to her assistance, taught by the
asst, wasted no time in conjecture, but
utting deep into the wounded part, ex-
racted the needle before any mortal mis-
hlet had commenced, and saved the life
+ the lady. The state inquisition used
very means to discover the hand which
ealt these insidious and irresistible
lows. The visit of Tebaldo to the con-
ent caused suspicion to fall heavily upon
I'M His house was carefully searched.
he infamous invention discovered, and he
erished on the gibbet.
4