In Twain's "The Private History of a campaign that failed," Smith, the blacksmith's apprentice, is given the "ultimate credit" for sticking up to the war, where he was killed.
Below is the exact quotation derived from Twain's story about Smith, the blacksmith's apprentice:
<span>"However, he had one ultimate credit to his account which some of us hadn't. He stuck to the war and was killed in battle at last."</span>
The
stanza evokes a peaceful sense of completion.
<span>It
kindles the feeling of going home, or in a more profound way, finding rest in
dying.
The “footprints in the sands” is a metaphor for the life that the
speaker lived, and the “tide” is a metaphor for death, wiping away the
footprints.
The last line “And the tide rises the tide falls,” implies
that the speaker believes there is life after death.</span>
