Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-16


promise that we would not betray linn,
as he was preparing capital joke to play
Oft op, the councillor.
We all met at the table d'hote earlier
than usual, and besieged the windows
An old tumble-down carriage, drawn by
two blind steeds,, came crawling down the
street: it stopped before the hotel
There's ,lIasentreffer, was echoed by every
mouth; and we were filled with extrava-
CANT merriment when we saw the little
man get out, neatly. powdered, dressed in
an iron-gray sllrtpuswith huge meer-
schaum in hand. ,S..An escort of at least
ten servants followed him in, and in this
guise he entered the dining groom.
We sat down .at,once. have seldom
laughed as. much as |, did then for the
old chap ipsistedNath great coolness, that
he came direct from Carrel, and that he
had six days before been extremely well
entertained at the Swan Inn at Frankfort.
Barigni must have disappeared before the
dessert, for when the councillor left the
table, and the other guests, full of curl
osity, initiated his example, Barigni was
no where to be seen.
The councillor took his seat at the
window; we all followed his example,
and watched his movements. The house
opposite seemed desolate and uninhabited
Grass grew on the Threshold the shut
ters were closed, and on some of them,
birds seemed to have built their nests.
GA tips house. opposite" said the old
man to our. host, who kept standing be-
hind and in third position. WHO does
it belong; to !as>1s']~
''To the. Councillor of State, Hasen-
treffer, at your Excellency's service'
"Ah, indeed !, that must be the same
one that was fellow-student with me-"
exclaimed he; "he would never forgive
me if was not tto inform him that was
here" lie opened the window-"I IIa-
ascntreffer-Ha Ha asentrefieri" cried he,
in a hoarse voice. But who can paint
our terror, when opposite, in the empty
house, which we knew was firmly locked
and bolted, a window shutter was slowly
raised, a window opened, and out of it
peered the Councillor Of State, Iasentref-
fer, in his chintz morning gown and white
nightcap, under which few thin gray
locks were visible this, this exactly, was
his usual morning costume. Down to
the minutest wrinkle on the pallid visage,
the figure across the street was precisely
the same as the one that stood by our
side. But a panic seized us, when the
figure IN the. morning gown called out
across the street, in Just the same hoarse
voice, "What do you want? who are you
calling too, hey"
"Are you the councillor of State,
aesentretter g said the one on our side
of the way, pale as death, in trembling
voice. and quaking as he leaned against
the window for support.
I'm the man. squaked the other, and
nodded his head in friendly way ''have
you any commands for me {"
But I'm the man too" said our friend
mournfully, chow can it be possible 2"
"Iou are mistaken my dear friend, I"
answered he across the way, 'you are the
thirteenth, be good enough to step across
the street to my house, and let me twist
your neck for you it is by no means
painful"
.'Waiter. my hat and stick" said the
Councillor pale as death, and his voice
escaped in mournful tones from his hollow
chest. ''Thc devil is in my house and
seeks my soul; pleasant evening to you,
gentlemen, added he turning to US with
polite bow, and left the room.
"What does this mean?'' we asked
each other: are we all beside ourselves 2"
The gentleman in the morning gown
kept looking quietly out of the window.
while our good silly friend crossed the
street at his usual formal place. At the
front door, he pulled huge bunch of
keys out of his pocket, unlocked the
heavy creaking door--he Of the morning
sown looking carelessly on, and walked in.
The latter now withdrew from the win
dow, and we saw him go forward to
meet our acquaintance at the room door.
p Our. host and the ten walters were all
paie: with fear and trembled. "Gentle-
men" SAID 1.-The former, " God pity poor
Hassentretfer, for one of those two mast
| be the devil In human shape" We elaugh-
ed at our host, and tried to persuade our
sekes. that it was joke Of Barigni's; but
ouxaost assured us that no one could
h&obtained access to the house except
-he was in possession of the Counsellor's