The record-union., 1891-06-20

tho table by the window which looked
into the courtyard, quite dead, his head
and shoulders on the table, the pistol
resting beside them.
a thin stream Of blood oozed from his
mouth, and had run to the edge of the
table, whence it fell slowly. drop by drop,
on to the floor.
Here is a paper, sir, with writing"
said HeEmsdorfs soldier servant, who
was standing by crying.
This was what was written there:
Good by, dear boys! Sorry to leave
you, but there is no way out of it. l
have come to gri ef, and nothing can put
me right in this world. l don't know
about the next.
"Tell Dolby I am sorry about the
money! l don't know exactly how much
is short.
81 got my accounts wrong soon after /
took over and never could get them right
again. Good by! How slow old Will
Jams is! He is lighting my lamp first.
l do not remember anything for some
days after this.
1t seems that / swooned after reading
the letter, and was carried to my room.
1t surprised no one that | should be so
much moved by the terrible end of one
who was well known to have been my
dearest friend.
ne llISO SUDSGtu uGllG event L IGtOl1Htl
is lying on the sofa in my room, the kind
old regimental surgeon by my side, bath
ing my head.
THE Colonel agrees with me; trip
home will do you good, my boy. You
have been too long out here, and you
know you have not been quite so steady
in your habits as you might have been,"
he added, with a look full of meaning,
though full of kindness.
You're to be put on board to-morrow
the shock has tried you good deal.''
But, doctor" l added with a shudder,
is hep Have they? l mean the fu-
neral"
The old surgeons face grew very sad.
There was no funeral, poor lad" he
said gravely. THE coroner's inquest
which sat found a verdict Of felo de Sc.
tried to show that he could not have been
in his right mind at the time. Indeed, l
don't think he was. The letter was very
incoherent, and l pointed this out to the
court when l gave my evidence. No
sane man would write about the lamp
lighter being slow at such time and
talking about his lamp being lighted!
What could he mean? But no one will
ever know what the poor fellow meant
now," he added, signing.
After pause he continued: Il did my
best, but it was useless. The money was
wrong beyond doubt, and we could not
get any evidence to show he was not sane
except the letter. so far as it went, and
they said they could not conscientiously
give verdict other than the one they
gave 5000
gasped. what does it mean-their ver-
dict?"
at explains" said the old doctor,
sadly, why there was no funeral. Poor
Helmsdorf did felon's deed, and be lies
in felon's grave. They carried him out
last night at midnight and buried him
beyond the lines But what a fool l
how terribly was agitated. Calm your
no woman could have soothed me more
kindly or more patiently.
My story is done. | need not go on to
say how, when 1 reached home, found
the love | so little deserved awaiting me
unchanged; nor how, to escape terrible
memories, exchanged to another regi-
ment, and, changed man in heart and
soul, strove to live a nobler and worthier
life.
1t has stirred me, as l have written this,
more than have ever been stirred since
the awful day itself, but it may be for my
good.
l look up once more at the outward
signs of honors and successes of life.
see the miniatures of the little faces of my
children's children, and every sign and
symptom of happy and honorable old
age, but the pages l have just written,
still wet with tears (for [ have wept as [
have written}, remind mo of what, but
for Gods mercy and goodness to me,
might have been.-The Cornhill.