Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-11-05

me now remark that the pleura proper
consists of two membranes, one of which
lines the interior surface of the ribs, and
the other touches the lung. Pleura, lung,
med iastine, and heart, such is the quad
ripple combination that forms totality
which we term life. This article was in
the pleura."
This explanation had hopelessly dark
ened the whole affair for me. How could
so large an object introduce itself into
the heart? How could it be there for a
moment without causing the most terri
bic disorder, if not immediate death
Then, above all, what was it?
The doctor continued:
"This deceased friend of mine was
forty years of age. We had gone
through college together. Fifteen wears
ago, be fell desperately, sincerely, in love
with young girl. Both were free, but
his whole family bitterly opposed the
idea of his marrying lady whose peGi-
gree they asserted was stained with
crime, and the condition of affairs sur
rounding him was such that he had to
defer to their opinion, Cor the time at
least, yet under protest. aud looking
forward to the day when he should
be absolutely independent, and could
make his bride happy in comfortable
home.
But the poor girl was consumptive,
and her chargin at the ind,guity put up
on her by the relatives of her preferred
lover was such as to hasten the progress
of her malady. In few months, she
died, leaving him utterly desolate. Still.
he did not weep. Alas, the fountains of
bis tears were sealed by so paralyzing a
sorrow. He watched by the dead; as
sisted with quiet dignity at her burial;
and then, turning away from her grave
with a face ghastly yet stern, was seen
no more in his accustomed haunts for
several days. Some said that he bad
gone upon a long journey. But, about
week afterward. he was found lying in
remote pant of wood, some thirty
miles from -, with discharged pis-
FOL on the grass beside him. He had
fired ball, as every one believed, into
his heart. Yet there were signs Of life
about him, and W. S brought to the near
est town, where CHANGED to DE at the
country house of an old patient. The
local physician and surgeon happened to
be absent, and | was summoned in haste
to the inn to which the dying man had
been conveyed. Brief examination con
WINGED me that not only was the wound
ed man still living, bnt there was even a
possibility of his recovery. His hand
b not been steady. and the bullet must
have passed the most vital portion of the
heart without injuring it. l tended him
as one tends favorite brother. He was
restored to consciousness, but it was i'm
possible to extract the bullet. A pleurisy
set in with the worst symptoms; but l
saved him.
His first question was, whether | had
removed the bullet. | could but &C
knowledge that to do so was beyond my
power, when, to nv surprise, he smiled,
and shook me warmly by the hand. AT
ter that he recovered sufficiently to move
about and mingle with the world; but
he, thenceforth, lived utterly retired and
alone, never joining in any festivity, and
hardly ever seen to smile.
This sort of existence continued for
nearly fifteen years, and everybody re-
spected the great sorrow that made him
a recluse. At length. fortnight since,
he sent for me, and, when called on
him, be said: I'm going to die, sir; she
beckons me to join her.
"This peculiar announcement did not
understand, although | knew what he
meant when he said She
"His ailment was again pleurisy. !
did my best but in vain. Day before
yesterday be asked me whether he was
dying.
Eyes l replied, for, as told you, I
loved the man and [ could not tell him
an untruth.
"' Them he rejoined, 'when l am
dead you will extract the ball, and-you
will keep it, won't you?
al promised that / would; my friend
died, and l did as he had requested.
"I searched for the bullet, and found
it in the place that described to you.
But, here it is, and, as you see. it is not
bullet in the proper sense of the word,
but sheath, and it is not lead, but SOL
dered platinum. The soldering, as you
may know, could be effected only at an
extraordinary white heat. How was it
done? and what mystery does this case
conceal? Science must inform u.s."
By this time night had set in with re-
doubled gloom, and the chandeliers with
in having been noiselessly lighted by a
servant, while we were both intent upon
the narrative, we withdrew from the bal
cony and assembled to a den up stairs,
where. IN the lower tier Of a lofty turret
of solid masonry, have all the appara-
tus and material of thorough chemical
laboratory, and above it telescopes and
night glasses to sweep the starry heavens
may, even the foggy atmosphere.
The doctor at once went to work, and
quickly succeeded in opening the little
cylindrical sheath. Two things fell out
of ia little pinch of whitish dust and
battered ring. The latter was painly
of pure gold. The electric heat had not
reached it directly, but it had softened.