Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1843-12-07
AdOlpfl Brllner.
BY HORACE GREELEY, ESQ.

MrpN1GHr-one; two; three; had been Sue
ccssively tolled by all the clocks OF GIttcnSen
the most inveterate bookwormS had forborne,
for that night, the further prosecution OF their
studies-the hardest jewellers had reeled to
their turbid slumbcrs solemn dizziness Of
the most wakeful among the Professors had
bowed to the invincible soporifc of his own
mcIitatons. Nature and man were alike burl-
ed in darkness and repose; yet from single
window cleaned the taper of student who
seemed to outwatch the stars! Yet 1t was
not study, nor gaming, nor dissipation, nor the
last new romance, that thus had driven sleep
from his eyellds. Uniieed;~S-immo
unconscious even of himself and his loneliness
he s,t in his narrow chamber, his face rest
in. on his hand, and his eye, with intensest
gaze devouring vacancy, while the silence
within and the war of elements without the
scholastic pile he tenanted, were, alike with
the books which seemed looking down from
their shelves in wonder at his unwonfed alb
straction-as things which were not or hao
never been.
Not that tn. abstraction Of the intense
thouyhtfulness was, of itself. so foreign to ms
nature and his habits Adolph Bruner had
been dreamer from his infancy Born to PEN
ury and rugged fortune, his life had been rem
dered endurable not less by its waking dreams
than its stern exertions. From child ms
thirst had been to know-stren5thened and
d.epened as the field of knowledge, attainanic
to human energy, opened wider and wider upon
his mental vision, and a consciousness OF the
godlike ends to which its mastery may be rem
dered subservient, had possessed his whole
moral being. Step by step he had won Is way
aided by that good Providence which men IT.
reyerently miscal Fortune-from the ignorance
and restitution Of his infancy to the higher
sources of knowledge and instruction-to the
most learned University of Germany. Here ms
I,:o hut rI1 liant ne
gle-hearted, enthusiastic, and dcvoted-with
no prospects in life but such as flowed from or
entwined themselves with his achievements as
a scholar-his progress had been most rapid,
and his Experiment such as to win for MIN the
undisguised appreciation of his superiors, and
admiration of his fellows. He had not enc
mics for he interfered with the pursuits or
aims of none, hut the devoted followers OF
knowledge; and the true votary OF SCIENCE
though an ardent, is seldom an envious COM
pctitor for her honors. He struck out ike
strong and bold swimmer into the great ocean
of Truths one to whom the very exertion IS
a pleasure, independent of the emerald islets
which form the goal to which he is tending.
Yet now the thoughts of Adolph. more i'm
petuous and engrossing in their Wild career,
had found channel far different from that
which they had hitherto traversed. An INCL
dent had occurred the evening previous which
threatened to influence the whole of his after
life.
Returning that evening from his usual walk,
in which he was accustomed to rambe wher-
ever accident or fancy should suggest, ne had
been at first an involuntary spectator OF, and
ultimately participation in, scene not likely
to he soon efaced from his memory. young
female-alone, and obviously stranger to the
city-was approaching it from abroad, and per-
picked and bewildered by the darkness closing
In upon her novel and unfriended conditioh,
had addressed some natural inquiry to three OF
the most graceless of the young coileglans.
whom she happened to meet. The object OF
this INQUIRY and the character Of the lar ques-
TONER, it had suited those accosted TO miSuh,
derstand and, their inSolence being repeheo
with indignation, they were fired to more UNI
pardonable rudeness and insult.
"Those pretty lips shall answer for that I'M
audience with kiss" exclaimed the ringlead-
eY: we will see if their sweetness Is equal to
tartness," and, with a single spring, he had
caught her 80 tightly in his arms, as to rePress
the Shrek of mingled indignation and terror
that rose to and died upon her lips.
Adolph stood for one moment rooted IN
amazement to the earth-for one moment only
did his faculties forsake him, as ne looked 10
see the ruffian hurled to the earth by his COM
rades. and looked-shame to manhood that we
should saw tin vain They were evidently
far more inclined to share in, than to punish
the meditated outrage. The next instant he
had bounded with an exclamation Of rage and
horror into the midst Of the group, and the IN
furiated villain felt himself hurled With hon