Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-10-19
MzSCEIEAKA II n.

A RHINE sK FITCH.

SuSannah ReisaC.ar was one oi those bar
dy, straight forward, strong built, and sober
iuinded childrea that We meet with now and
then and at the first glance we assure our
selves that, be their condition what il may
they will Inevitably make the best oft. and
ahrive progressively through life, without
any other distinction than that OF always do,
ing their duty. Susannah fully bore uui ;he
promise Of her countensnce. She was enc Of
the most diiigeni aud ordinary schslars of
SSashaCh schonl the most attentive 10 the du-
ties ct h0usehad affairs, aud steady beyond
comparison in those she owed 10 hsr old "a
Their and her elderly aunt. She was twelve
gears old when she tirs, attracted my notice;
and her father had been Jerry man Of Sashach,
ia the sisiric; or parish Of Breisach, for moro
than dsuhIs that number OF years A nd il
must I've confessed that eid Resacber had the
appearance al one who had been blown about
nv the east wiods OF lite. lie looked more
"srs than bIS thread>bdre grey Jacket, and
5at tssTe was An air OF prec8ution and econo-
my about him, that promised an unusual
length of days both To himself and TO his
wardrobe. lie was the oracle of his village.
""d remarkable man in his way. He could
ascertain When dog or Cow had been look
ed at = an evil eye. and if rnYpked would
esunierAct the spell, by burning certain
wiibered leaYesat midnight, in the presence
of the afflicted qusdruped. He could, more.
over. stop the gaping mouths of Insignificant
wounds. by The mysterious utterance of two
or three instances, which no one ever heard:
aad these, when assisted by cohwebs or
certain chewed leaves, had been knowa 10
produce miraculous results.
But must not trust myself with the pre-
else detail OF his many superfluous accom-
plishnents. Let tkose already mentioned
suffice; and lei him stand out in my picture
e n ri rG l.
does not firm the principal fgure-an al.
Jnnct OF that deep rolling river on which my
scene Is laid, in which he enthusiastically
SlorIed, from n conviction that he somehow
he knew not how, belopged To i, or II to him
he often used 10 say, as he Iank ed on it in is
angry moods, that ii was "gr0esslich schoen"
which IL, beng incorporated, "horribly
beautiful" and such ii certainly was on the
day that farms the epoch oil roy ketch
Ii was within lew minutes, more or less
jest four o'clock, on The 18th of September
1881, when | resolved 10 cross by the Sashach
ferry, and resume my evening walk on the
other Side oil the river; for the mid day meal
had been long over, and like all eaten bread
soon iorgoitep But on approaching the
well known boat, paused to observe the it,
neceni appropriation OF the hour on the part
nf my old acquaintance, and his young atieR-
dani. There stood Susannah IN the middle
ol the boa--het iect ard legs unconscious Of
shoes and stockings; and there sat old Jahsn,
al one end @: it, Indulging in all the garru-
JoUs greetings Common To the proprieiurs of
wrinkles and grey hairs. The coffee Jug,
which he al times applied TO his lips, seemed
70 iIquidze his Imagination, and from his
smiles and gestures, could fancy him in a
diluted state OF feeling altogether amiahe.
The sch,cGrS-trod remsiued beside him for
4rsveF discussion But just at this moment
was fortunately perceired, and the meal
came 10 nm uutimely end.
~ iih all the ready hustle ofone " no " Use
~ and ha5jtusiIy considers his business az Of
more importance than bis ease, friend Reisa.
cher rose from his seat, laid his hands on the
oar, declared himself ready with his us;Ia |
obsiinatc activity and on my stepping into
the boat, he proceeded 10 make his angular
transit, FIRST against the current and then
With with geomeirical precision; ard in FIVE
minutes we were at the opposite side OF the
river, which moved on in sullen swell, re-
hectIng the dark and heavy autumn clouds
That rolled slowly above. During these FIVE
minutes bad succeeded in tempting the We
neIaoie connotsScur 10 accompany me TO the
village, not quite half league from the fer
Ty, Tor the purpose OF looIsing . woodran-
ger horse, WHICH, making liberal allowance
tor The errors Of its education and its pofatoe
diet, was very much the sort OF an animal
that han mind TO purchase.
o ask the opinion Of Johan Reisacher on
such a matter, was 10 bind him 10 you forev.
err. But scarcely know what unluck ,
Dophesy or abOTiive jmprecation might have
followed The rejection Of his advice if once
solicited. There was sslf,opinionated stub.
boIness ABOUT him, that never Gorgavea Sigh
offered TO bis Judgment. But | sm agar