Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-09-26

Madame Goetzenberger's Christmas Eve
BIT MARY HOWITT.
CHATTER |.

were not, and as you know nothing aoout H.
the best thing can do is to tell you exactly
how it was, who was there, and what came OF
it,
Old Frau Goetzenbergcr lived, or rather lives
but we will speak OF 1t IN the past tense
she lived, say, in an old University town IN
the south of Germany; very old fashioned
town it was, with all sorts Of old memories and
traditions connected with it. The University,
with its tall, red roof, looked as dark and an
cient as the church. which had tall, red root
TO correspond and the church looked quite as
old as the gray limestone rocks which stood
I'D, like huge, frownng w'ils, round the little
Not far from the University stood large,
heavy, disma-looking stone building, like a
rrcat. gloomy town-hlll; the lower front win
5ows, which looked upon the street, were all
guarded with strong iron-work composed OF
upright bars, with iron scrolls among them,
which gave it very much the appearance OF a
prison. In the center of this building was
wide, round arched gateway, IN the projecting
key-stone of which grnned stone face. Inc
face protruded it's tongue from its leerng
mouth, its nose was curled up, and It's ears were
of an unusual length. 1t was upon the whole,
as ugly face as you would wish to see, and
it seemed to grin down upon everybody who
approached the gateway. So wide was tbs
gateway that coach-and four might have drlv-
en- into it; and, on either hand soon after you
entered, you came to wide, stone staircase,
with iron balustrades, which led up to the
dwellings of many familles-of n dozen, at
least-who inhabited this great, old house,
most of them being professors, or students, be-
longing to the University.
B.tween this old house and the University
lay large garden, full of trees and walks, and
with fountain which fell into great stone
basin, in the middle Of grass plat, which was
not, | am sorry to say, by any means neatly
kent. for two or three milk women cut the grass
with sickles for their cows. This garden, to a
certain extent, was public that is, was com
mon to about dozen different houses opening
into it, and which were all occupied more OF
less, bv people connected with the University
who had thus as 1t were, privileged private
entrance either to the great University library
or to ordinary lectures and classes. Hence Il
was that the houses opening mo this Cnirersr
tats Garien, as it was called, brought hghe
rent than any others, and the people residing
there were looked upon as the elite 1t was, II
fact, the Belgruvia of the the town.
On the principal floor of that great, ol,
house with the grlnning face over the door
lived the most celebrated professor in til,
fessor of Roman Law; very learned man
whose fame extended over all Germany. 5,
great, indeed, was he, that the King, not manl
years before, had presented him with Il plten
Of nobility, and hence it was that he had IOn
before his name. lie was, in fact, the Her
Baron Won Hoffman; but he preferred bcin)
called simply the Herr Professor because n
had more pleasure in being great teache
than in being Baron He was not, however
an old man; he was only a little turned forty
and this was his first year at the famous o.
University, when | Introduce him to you
knowledge.
He was very quiet, domestic man, wa
this Professor Won ofnan, and there wa
nothing in the world wlch he wished s
much for as a swect-tempercd, good little wife
and dear, happy family of pretty children.
When he was only twenty and a student a
the old University of Greitswald. his doncstl
wishes were Just the same. But he was yer
poor man in those days; nevertheless he mad
up his mind to marry soon as he was able t
maintain wife and family; and more TIN
that, to marry no one else thln the pretty Id
the Youngest daughter of old Professor Schm
idt. under whom he had studied Ronln Law
and the swect-tempercd and Iretty Ida ha
promised to be his wife whenever he should b
ready to cticr her home. But things did nC
fall out as either the student Eberhard or hi
fair Ida hoped Old roiessor Schmidt woul
not consent to part with his daughter Ida, VIII
was his favorlte. lie was, unfortunately.
very sour-cnpcrcd, obstinate old gentleman
he said t. at Eberhlrd was too poor to Inlrr,
and could not afford to have wife. In tn
way year after year went on; lda's sister NJ
ria married, ana went away to her husband
home and her mother, the old Professors WI
~ 81. ,h,,l,, latt To-,
after him but poor Ida, and what was worst
all the old gentlemans temper grew more al
more tyrannical because he now suffered 5
much from rheumatism and toothache.
There did not now seem to be the lea
chance in the world that Ida could ever lea,
her father. Eberlard had been away tw
years, and he grew very impatient. lie hc
risen from prirnt decent, without any salary,
be Professor OF Roman Law in the Universi
of Tubingen. He now could abundanty Il
ford to ina alntaln that dear little wife th It W
only wanted to complete his happiness; so
wrote to Ida, saying that she must consent
marry MIN at once, and that. to make all ca
and agreeable, the old gentleman, her flthe
should 1--we with them. Ida was delighted wi
the proposal; not so the old Professor. +
what WAS he to leave Grelfswald? No,
had no intention Of leaving 1t! lie had n
many years to live, and he was not going to
torn up by the roots for anybody 1t would
the death of him. No no! he should stop
Grelfswai, and Ida might leave him. if s.
liked; but he would never give his blessing
al undutful child
1t was very hard both on Ida and her lovt
They waited yet while longer; but Tubi
gen was very dull place, and all the Prott
sors there were married, excepting EberhlI
So at last he wrote to Ida, saving that if 81
could not marry him he must look out for a
other wife. He quite expected that this won
have determined Ida, by one means or anoth,
TO obtain her fathers consent; but, instead
that, Ida, who was the most generous hcartc
and most scf-forgetting creature in the wor
could not again anger and distress her {
father by urging her wishes; and, as she kn'
what loving, domestic heart was Eherhlrd
and that without family life he could not
happy, she wrote in reply, that, though IT bro
her heart she must give him up, that,
leave her old father in his present state, "
impossible She returned to him, thereto
the betro'hal ring winch she had faithful