Year: 1859

FROM All lle rear hOuuO. 1


A STORY OF PREsENTIMENT.


Abut four years ago party of travel
ers arrived at q certain convent in Jerusa-
lem, at which you can put up for the night
and be entertained very much, rs Europe
an travellers who are crossing the Alps are
received at the Great St. Bernard. Among
the party who had newly arrived was one
who-as had been the case with myself
had got the lock of his pistol so deranged
that it was impossible TO stir it, and as he,
like myself, and most other Eastern travel
ers, very much disliked the idea of pro-
ceeding on his journey unarmed, he was
anxious to have the defect in his weapon
attended to at once. 1t was easier to feel
this want than to get it supplied, there be
ing no one at that time in Jerusalem who
would be at all likely to understand the
pistol in question, which was revolver,
and furnished with all the latest improve
ments. AT length, however, after much
consideration and casting about as to what
was to be done, one of the lay brothers of
the convent suggested way out of the
difficulty which seemed promising enough.
There were. he said, couple of German
travellers sleeping that night in the convent
who were locksmiths by trade, and he had
little doubt that one of them would be able
to do what was necessary to the pistol, if
anybody could. The weapon was handed
over to the lay brother, who at once took
it to the room which the two Germans oc-
cupied, and, explaining to them what was
amiss, asked if they would undertake to
set itright. The traveller, he added, would
pay them literally for then trouble.


The two Germans were sitting at supper
when the lay brother came in with the pis-
tol in his hand. The elder of them, whose
name was Max, getting up from the table,
took the weapon from the monk, and car
red it to the window, Gas the light was fad
ing, that he might examine it more CON-
pletely. His friend remained at table sit
ting with his back towards Max, finishing
his supper in a philosophical manner
enough. The German who was examining
the pistol had not been so occupied more
than two minutes when it went off with
loud noise. At that moment, the poor fel-
low who was sitting eating his supper at
the table, fell forward without uttering a
sound. The charge had entered his back.


He fell upon his face on the ground, and
when my friend, who told me the story
and who, as surgeon to the embassy, was
sent for at once-when he arrived, it SEEM
ed to him at first as if two men had been
killed instead of one, for both the Ger
mans were stretched upon the floor, and he
who was to be the survivor, holding the
other locked in his arms, wore upon his
CHASTITY countenance the deadlier look of
the two. 1t was quite difficult thing to
separate them. The wounded man had
got the others hand in his, as if by that
to reassure him that he loved him all the
same.


The surgeon caused the wounded man
it was but too evident that he had not long
to live-to be removed to the infrmary
and laid upon a bed to die. 1t was bed
that stood beneath window, and across
which, when the sun was setting, the shad-
ow of cypress fell. A very brief exam
ination showed that any attempt to relieve
the dying man would be useless, and they
could only staunch the blood that flowed
from his wound and watch him with that
breatbless eagerness-there is none like it
with which men watch their brother,
when each short breath, drawn less and
less often, seems as though it were the last
As for the other German, he was sunk in
heap upon the ground, beside the bed, in
speechless stupefaction. One Of his hands
was on the couch, and the expiring effort
of the dying man was to take this passive
hand in his. Those who were around him,
seeing then change upon his face, leant
hastily over him, for they heard him whis-
per, family.


"Poor Max he said" poor Max"
The last act of the man who died was to
pity the man who lived.


And well he might.


For some time it was very uncertain
whether the man who had thus slain his
best and dearest friend would not speedily
follow him into another world, SO fearfuIly
was he affected. For a still longer period
it was doubtful in the last degree whether
he would retain his reason. And, indeed.
at the time when the story was told me, he
could hardly be said to be altogether of
sound mind. At that very time the man
was haunted by fixed presentiment that
he should die one day as his friend had
died. No reasoning with him had the
least effect; the presentiment had taken
hold upon his mind which nothing could
y shake Those who wished him Well--and