Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-13

dull place. went up one street and down another, and stopped to look at a shop which struck me, not from anything in itself, but because it was the only shop in the street with the shutters closed.
 A bill was posted on the shutters announc- ing that the place was to let The outgoing tradesman's name and business, announced in the customary painted letters, ran thus: James Wycomb, cutler, etc
 For the first time it occurred to me that in distributing our photographs of the knife we had none of us srenemberedthat certain pro portion of cutters might be placed by cir cumstances out of our reach, either by re- tiring from business or by becoming bank rupt. I always carried a copy of the photo graph about me, and I thought to myself, Here is the ghost of a chance of tracing the knife to Mir. Delucr'
 The shop door was opened, after I had twice rung the bell, by on old man, very dirty and very deaf. He said, You had better go up stairs and speak to Mir. Scorriar top of the house."
 At the top of the house found Mir. Scor- riar, engaged in engraving q brass door plate. He was a middle aged man, with cadaver- ous face, and dull, dim eyes. After the nee essary apologies, produced my photograph.
 May ask, sir, if you know anything of the inscription on that knife!' said.
 He took his magnifying glass to look at it.
 This is curious, " he remarked, quietly. II remember the queer name-Zebedee. Yes, sir; did the engraving, as far as 1t goes. wonder what prevented me from finishing it."
 The name of Zebedee, and unfinished in- scription on the knife, had appeared in every English newspaper. He took the matter so coolly that was doubtful how to interpret his answer. Was it possible that he had not H l. an accomplice with prodigious powers of self controli
 Excuse me-" I said, do you read the newspapers?'
 'Never, My eyesight is failing me. I abstain from reading in tho interests of my occupation
 >Have you not heard the name of Zebedee mentioned, particularly by people who do read the newSpapers?'
 "Very likely; but I didn't attend to it When the days work is donc take my walk, then havc my supper, my drop of grog and my pipe Then l go to bed. A dull exist ence you think, daro say! had miser- able life, sir, when I was young ! bare sub sistence, and rest, before the last perfect rest in the grave-thatS all 1 want, The world has gone by me long ago. So mech the bet ter.n
 The poor man spoke honestly. I was ashamed of having doubted him. I returned to the subject of the knife.
 Do you know where it was purchased and by whomf" I asked
 My memory is bad" he said; but have got something that helps it. think can tell you"
 He took from cupboard dirty old scrap book. Strips of paper, with writing on them, were pasted on the pages, as well as could see. He turned to an index or table of con- tents and opened a page. Something like animation suddenly showed itself on his cadaverous face
 ''Ha! now 1 remember,n he said. Tho knife was bought of my lato brother-in-law, in the shop down stairs, And, oh, Lord what an alarming person burst into this very room, and snatched it away from me, when I only half way through the inscrip- tionr'
 I felt that was now close on discovery.
 May see what it is that has assisted your memoryf' l said.
 "Oh, yes You must know, sir lived by engraving inscriptions and addresses, and paste in this book tho manuscript instruc- tions which receive, with marks of my own on the margin. For ono thing they serve as reference to new customers. And for another thing, they do certainly help my memory"
 He turned the book towards me, and pointed to slip of paper which occupied the lower half of . page.
 read the complete Inscription, intended