Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-11-11

ty, my conversation with him was, therefore, so
confused and horrid, that shall never forget it
lcng as I live. The fellow looked frightiully be-
sides, wi,h his yellow peaked face and bacI, brist-
ly hair.
My friend" said l. as we were wadng
through the deep mud, q can you tell me whether
you know Herr Burkhardt !''
The old Starosty! answered Peter.
Just so my friend, but you know wish to
see the tax-gatherer, Herr Burkhardt''
The Oh Starosty.
"Ve : well but what have I to do in your
old Starosty
q Die
''The devil take i'll have no idea of that y
. Die, dead, killed."
why 2? what have done then =
. 'Prussian, not Pole"
q am Prussian."
q know it."
why must die, then Wit do yor
mean 90
So and SO and so.'' said the fellow, thrusting
his clcnched fist out towards mo as if he had a
dagger in it, then pointing to his breast and roll
ing up his eyes in ghastly manner. I began
10 feel rather uneasy. Peter could not have been
crazy, for how could crazy people be employed
at the post-of -!
We DO not seem to Understand each ether
very well, charming friend" I commenced a
GAIN q What do you mean by dying?"
To make dead, XIII, and he squinted at me
slyly.
What dead =
when night is
"Night7 Tonight You are not in your
right wits"
Good Cor Pole, for Prussian not good.
1 shook my head and was silent. Itwas plain
that we did not understand each other. And
yet there was something horrible in what the in
soIcnt fellow said. For was well aware that
the Poles hated the Germans, or what was the
same thing, the Prussians. I had heard Of cases
in which this hatred had brought about deeds Of
violence. What, if the fellow had wished to
warn me? What, if the bIunderhoad had, by
reason Of his arrogance, betrayed a deadly plot to
murder all the Prussians in thenight? became
reflective, and had concluded to communicate
the matter to my friend and countrymon. Burk-
hardt, when we arrived at the so-called old Star
osty. Itwas a tai old stone building, in quiet
retired street. Before we came up to it obser-
yed that those vino passed it east fearful stolen
gIances at the dark grey building. Ny guide did
so also. lie said not a word more, but pointed
with his finger 10 ;ho from door, and ran away
as il he had been shot Al.
Altogether my entrance and reception III Brccz-
Wczmcisi had not been very agreeable or inviting.
The first persons that greeted me, the unpolite
lady in the doorway, the uncivil postmaster and
the gibberish talking Pruss;anized Pole had ia
ken from me all liking for my new place ofabcde
and my Office. ] thought myself fortunate, final
ly, to reach a man who bad at least once before
brcathed the same air with me. Herr Bmkhardt
had not enjoyed the best reputation at home, to
be sure but how much our opinions of men are
altered by change of circumstance. Is not char
ac,er the effect of circumstance The weak /
man in agony becomes a giant, the cowardly
man on the battlefield becomes hero, and Her
cules among women spinner OF fax. Whatev
cr may have been the past character of the chief
gocd-naturcd tippler was much bet
ter than noseless skeleton with tongue run
out, light-minded gambler than insulting
and courageous fighter and bully
was much better company than dissatisfied
Pole Indeed, the last named Of Burkhardt's S
vices served rather as a recommendation of him
to me, for-betwecn ourselyes-ny gentle, mod /.
est, bashful character, which Mama had so often
praised might in case of instruction. cause
my most ignominious destruction. There arc
virtues that become vices in another place, and
vices which become virtues Everything is not
the same always, although it remains the same.
As entered the so-calIed old Starosty through
the spacious door, was very much PerpleXed as
to where | should find my dear old friend Bark
hardt. The house was very large. The Shrek
IN -r ..-4-- loo, 3,ire-ae orhned
whole building, yet no one came TO see VINO Was
there boldly ascended the broad stairs.
AsI observed a chamber door at the left,
knocked softly on it. No one answered with a
friendly come in. knocked louder. All was
silent. My knocking awakened the echoes in the
third and fourth stories of the house. became
impatient. Ilonged to embrace my dear hearts S
friend, Burkhardt / opened the door, entered,
and saw in the middle Of the room coffin. 1t
would have been impossible, to be sure, for the
person that lay in it, to have welcomed ne with
q friendly q come in.
am, by nature, very polite TO the living much
more so to the dead. | was about to withdraw
as quietly as possible, when perceived that the
sleeper in the coffin was no other than the chief
tax-gatherer, Burkhardt. There be lay, careless
of his wine-glass and cards, and looking so earn
est and solemn that l hardly presumed to think Of
his favorite anusements. In his countenance
was 9 foreicuess to human life, as if he had never
had ANYTHING to do whit. | believe that when
the unseen Almighty hand lifts the veil from be-
fore the other world, the outward eye breaks and
the inward eye receives sight, all earthly life must
appear trifing and Insignificant enough, and the
attention be entirely drawn away from IT.