Year: 1860

1t was the last.


The German loeksmith, being very much
occupied, owing to the reputation he had
obtained as a clever workman had taken
into his employment sort Of apprentice
or assistant, to help him in the simple and
more mechanical parts of his trade He
was not Of much use. a stupid, idle, tri-
fling fellow at best. One day, soon after I
had left my revolver for the last time to be
mended, this lad came in from executing
some errand, and, standing idly about the
place, took down my pistol from the shelf
on which it lay, and began to lock at it with
some curiosity, not being accustomed to the
sight of revolver.


The locksmith turning around from his
work, saw the lad occupied, and hastily
told him to put the pistol back in the place
where he had taken it from He had not
time he said to attend to it yet. 1t was
loaded, and it was dangerous to pull it about
in that manner Having said this, the
German locksmith turned around, and went
on with what he was about, with his back
toward the lad whom he had just cautioned,
and who, he naturally supposed had restor-
ed the pistol at once to its shelf


The boys curiosity, however, was excl
ted by the revolver, and instead Of doing
as lie was told went on prying into it, ex-
amining how the lock acted, and what were
its defects


The poor German was going on with his
work muttcring to himself, Strange how
that pistol returns to me, again and again


The words were not out of his lips when
the fatal moment, so long expected, arriv-
ed, and when the charge from my revolver
entered his back. He fell forward in a
moment, saying, as he telI, At lastr


The foolish boy rushed out of the shop
with pistol in his hand, screaming for as
sistance so loudly that the neighbors were
soon alarmed and hastened in a crowd to
the house of the poor locksmith.


My friend, the surgeon, was instantly
sent for, and from him l gained the par
ticulars which follow:


Turning over the poor fellow on his
face, and cutting open the garments to
examine the wound said to those who were
standing around: 'The ball has entered
his back if by chance it should have pass
ed around by his ribs, as will sometimes
happen, this wound is not to be fatal


1T is fatal, said the wounded man, with
a sudden effort. Have [ been waiting for
this stroke so long, and shall it fail to do
its work when it comes? 1t is fatal he
gasped again and | shall debut not
here


[ have to relate horrible and incredi-
BILE thing which, impossible as it seems, Is
yet true.


The German locksmi:h started up iro.n
where he lay, pushing aside all those who
stood around him with unnatural 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, and after him with horror as
he flew along-his clothes cut open at the
back bloodstained and dripping, and with
death in his face Not one pause, not an
abatement in his speed till he reached the
Intirmary, passed the man who kept the
door and up the stairs he flew, nor stopped
till he came to bed which stands beneath
the window and across which the shadow
of cypress fell, when the sun begins to
sink.


1t was the bed on which his friend had
breathed his last


must die here, said the German lock
smith, as he fell upon it. 1t is here that
must die


And there he died. The haunting
thought which had made his existence a
living death was justified The PRESENT.
ment had come true at last; and when the
thunder cloud, which had charged bis bolt
upon his head, it seemed to us as if the
earth were then lighter, for the shade had
passed away.


Is death the name for a release like this?
Who could look upon his happy face, as he
lay upon that bed, and say so?


1t was not the end Of a lif9-but the
beginning