The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-09-03
50 90 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE.

That day will surrey come; what have t
do then, with wife or chi!dren-with
wife whom I should leave widow-witl
children whom should leave faith srless
What have to do with settling ng-with com
fort, or a home? shall have home whel
the ol-bullet sends me to my grave, be
side my friend. shall 60 home, them
'.My revolver was sent back to me repaires
and as was just about to start away on
short Journey into the enyirons, and was il
some haste, set off without trying it.
SIN the course of the day, however, partl,
wishing to ascertain how far my pistol wa
restored to condition of usefulness, ans
partly from desire to bring down a birt
which saw on the wing, apparently within
pistol shot, lifted my revolver to let fly a
him. --.. .....-.
"The weapon missed fire.
s'On examination, found that the defec
this time was precisely the reverse of wha
it had been before. The lock went so loosely
now, and had so little spring in it,, that The
hammer did not fall upon the CAP with sui.
6cient force to explode it. | tried the pisto
several times, and finding it useless, sent j,
again, on my return to Jerusalem, to ths
German looksmi,h, charging my servant te
explain to him its new defect, and above al
things to caution him as to its being loaded
as had done myself on the former occa.
sion.
"Mark how that pistol played with the
mans life! Mark how it returns to him
again and again! Why not have done its
work at once? .-..s. --.,.. ..- r.
'sThe revolver was brought home to me-
the next day in state, as l was told, OF
perfect repair.
'.This time took it into the garden to
try it. The first time it went of we'll enough,
but at the next time-for / was determined
to prove it thoroughly found that its
original defect had returned, and the lock
would not stir, pull at the trigger as might
s.. There is something radically wrong
here,' said. q will 60 myself and see the
German locksmith about it without delay
"' That pistol, again. said the locksmith,
looking up, as | entered his miserable
abode.
"What would I not have given to have
been able to say anything that would have
altered the expression of that haggard
countenance. But it was impossible.
made some attempts to draw the poor fell
low into conversation, though | felt that
even if these had not proved (as they did)
wholly useless, my comparative Ignorance
cf his language would have stood in the
way Of saying anything that could have
been of any service. Our conversation,
then, limited itself to the matter in hand.
and we agreed that the only thing to be
done with the pistol now, was to take its
lock off, and make a perfectly new one in
imitation of it. Ibis, however, would take
some time, and it would be necessary that
the locksmith should keep the weapon by
him for three or four days at least. He
took it from my hands as he told me So,
and placed it carefully on a shelf at the
back Of his shor.
"Above all things l sa d, as left
the house., bove all thingsr m nj r that
the revolver is loaded
'''I shall not forget it, be said, turning
round to me witn a ghastly smile.
"Ths, then, was the third time that that
pistol was taken back to the German lock-
smith for repair.
at was the last.
81 can soe,' continued the narrator OF
this strange story, looking round on US,
after pause--s'I can see that you all know
what happened, and that have only to tell
you how the fatal termination Of my story
was brought about.
"The German !ocksmith, being very much
occupied, owing to the reputation he had
obta ned as clever workman, had taken
into his employment sort of apprentice
or assistant, to help him in tho simple and
more mechanical part of his trade. lie was
not of much use. A stupid, lille, tri. g
fellow at best. One day, soon after had
left my revolver, for the last time, to be
mended, this lad came in from executing
some errand, aud, standing idly about the
place, took down my pistol from the shelf
on which it lay, and began to look at 1t with
some curiosity, not being accustomed to the
sight of revolver.
The locksmth; turning round from his
work, saw the lad thus occupied, and hastily
told him to put the pistol back in the place
be had taken itfrom. He had not had time
to attend to it yet. 1t was loaded, and 1t
was dangerous 10 pull Is"hout IN that man
ner. Having said this the German lock-
smith turned round, and went on with what
he was about. u3th has bact tocdrds the,
lad whom he had Just cautioned, and who,
be naturally supposed. had restored the
pistol at once to its shelf. n
s'The boys curiosity, however, was excl
ted by the revolver, and, instead Of doing
as he was bid, he retained i. in his hand,
and went on prying into it, examining how
the lock acted, and what were its defects.
1.-The poor German was going on with his
work, muttering to himself, Strange, how
that pistol returns TO me again..
"The words were not out of his lips when
the fatal moment, SO long expected, arrived,
and the charge from my revolver entered
his back. He fell forward in moment,
saying as he fell, AT last
s'The foolish boy rushed out Of the shop
with the pistol in his hand, screaming for
assistance so loudly that the neighbors were
soon alarmed, and hastened in crowd to
the house of the poor locksmith. =.
''My friend the surgeon was instantly sent
For, and from him l gained the particulars
which follow: ~. .-'...'' 81 n
''Turnins the poor fellow over on his
face, and cutting open his garments to ex-
anime the wound, the surgeon said to those
who were standing around: 'The ball has
entered his back: If by chance it should
have glanced off and passed round by the
ribs, as will sometimes happen, this would
not be fatal.'
est is fatal. said the wounded man, with
a sudden effort. 'Haye | been waiting for
this stroke so long, and shall it fail to do
its work when it comes? 1t is fatal,' he
sasped again, 'and ! shall debut not
here.'
"ihave to relate a horrible ant. incredible
thing, which, impossible as it seems, is yet
truo.
"The German locksmith started up from
where he lay, pushing aside all those who
stood around him with an unnatural and
strength. His body swayed
for an instant from side to side, and then
he darted forward. The crowd gave way
before him, and he rushed from the house.
He tore along the streets-the few people
whom he met, giving way before him in
horror as he flew along-his clothes cut
open at the back, blood stained and drip
ping, and with death in his regard. Not
one pause, not an abatement in his speed
till be reached the infrmary, passed the
man who kept the door, and up the stairs
he few, nor stopped till he camo to bsd
which stands beneath the window, and
across WHICH the shadow Of cypress falls
when the sun begins to sink. = Gs1 e.. S.e
s.It was the bed on which his friend had