BISMARCK'S COURAGE.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3091, 14 January 1879, Page 1

BISMARCK'S COURAGE.

It wai ia 1866, Bismarck—then Count Bismarck — was returning from the Palace, where he had been to see the King. While passing through the large street of Berlin called Unterden Linden, and quite near the place where Hoedel and .Nobiling hare since attempted the life of Emperor William, he suddenly heard a shot fired closed behind him. He turned sharply around, and saw a young 4 <xian who, with a smoking reTolter wai aiming at him. 1 He strode at one* up to tit c man, and seized the arm that held tht

moire, while with his other hand he grasped the throat of the would-be murderer, who, however, had had time to pass his weapon on to his left hand, and now fired three shots in quick succession. Bismarck felt himself hurt in his shoulder and one of his ribs, but he held his furious assailant fast till some soldiers came up and took hold of him. Then Bismarck walked home at a brisk pace, and reached his own house long before anybody there could know what had happened. The Countess had some friend* with her when her husband entered the drawing room. He greeted all in a friendly manner, and begged to be excused for ft few minutes, as he had some tome urgent business to attend to. He then walked into the next room where his desk stood, and wrote to inform the King of the accident. Having attended to this duty, he returned to the drawingroom and made one of his little standing jokes, ignoring his own unpunctuality, and saying to his wife, " Well, are we to have no dinner to-day ? You always ktep me waiting." He sat down and partook heartily of the dishes set before him. and it was only when the dinner was over that he walked up to the Countess, kissed her on the forehead, wished her in the old German way, " Gesegnete Mahlsieit!" (May your meal be blessed!) and then added : " You see I am quite well." She looked up at him. " Well," he continued, "you must not be anxious, my child. Somebody has fired at me; but it is nothing as you see."—Blackwood's Magazine.