Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-10-13
EVENING STAR.
THE DOCTORS DOG OR, BLIND oBERoN
BY PROFESSOR SCHUBERT, OF MUyIc

where each house has growing before the door
fir and linden tree, the united symbols Of
grief and JOY keeping watch at the Threshold
The air there Is pure, and The women beauti-
fu, and the old men 60 down to the grave
without suffering from those infirnities COM
mon to the aged. A physician might have
chosen more promising field for action but
L was induced by the beauty Of the place
and the salubrity of the atmosphere to settle
myself there; besides there was no particular
| reason 20 take me elsewhere, therefore, took
up my abode at Ofenbach, hoping that my
profession wcpld always enable me to procure
at least bread and salt, the luxuries to which
l dared to aspire
On arriving in the town. my first visit was
| to the doctor already established there-a man
Of dry cold calculating disposition, who
would scarcely deign to speak 10 me. Obsery-
| ing me close, whilst the interview lasted Ii
was easy for Inc to perceive that my intention
OF locating myself at Offenbach inspired him
with any thing rather than kindly feelings
towards me, and that instead Of a confrsre,
had found an enemy.
| OF what great consequence is it to me after
all, thought L. He cannot cause the air If
Ofenbach to grow colder towards me, nor rem
| der the country less pictures sque in by eyes
| L was very tar from seeing to what extent the
Jealousy of this coveJous man could be car
| rled In remote country place like Ofen-
| bach every man who travels Is looked upon
\
| synonymous with impostor OF adventurer
| was unknown, uncOmmunicative, and con-
| Sequently became an object of suspicion. In
| very short time | fe.t that the inhabitants Cf
| this little town reposed no confidence in me.
No dealer Of any kind would furnish me with
the smallest article without presenting bill
with 1t, and my hostess eXacted payment in
| advance. L had made the acquaintance of
| ono or two nelghbOrs, but by degrees their
| visits grew rare, and III time their intercourse
| ceased altogether. Thus / could perceive o5-
stacles rising round me without being able 70
| divine the cause.
BY quitting the town, l might have put an
| end to so much unpleasantaess; but wounded
| pride prevented me. L ScOrned the idea ofde-
| parting whilst shadow of doubt hung over
my reputation. A trivial incident occurred to
| increase the universal feeling Of distrust The
doctor having spread a report that I was no
| physician, the judge of the canton had me
summoned TO appear before him. in order that
| might produce my credentials. | showed
| him my diplomas, which he examined and re-
turned to me with many apologies Being
aware at Ofenbach that L had been cited be-
| fore the Judge, each person put what colOring
| he pleased on the circumstance. To crown
| ALL my isolated situation left me no means of
| elucidating doubts offered no opportunity of
| ObvlatlnS prCJudlces. presented no favorable
| occasion OF winning public esteem; and. in
| short my position became more and more irk-
| some every day. 4 sort OF cOrROn SaRitaire
| was drawn round me-I was separated from
| my kind, my fellow men kept aiOuf from me-
and L found myself aloof in the world igno-
| rant Of the malady was suspected of having
l Whichever j made my appearance in the
| streets. the children would stop their games TO
| gaze at Inc; and if L chanced 10 smile at one
Of the rosy-cheeked urchins, or strokei his
hair with my hand, Immediately he would
move away. hanging his head. But ought l
to confess II, Wiihehn-ought t. tell you that
! there was one thing which disturbed my peace
! more than ought beside futile though it
| was, II gives ME pain to refer 10 it. The old
! doctor had dog, called OberOn; q fine animal
| that Was much beloved aid caressef by all
! W neither 1t was that his master had taught
| HIM to know NE, or that my lonely habits dis
| pleased him, the dog never met without pur-
suing me. Bitter against me without a cause.
| he perSonited public opinion. The moment
he observed me, his barking attracted the Of
fenbach people to their doors, and it appeared
| to nc that the expression Of every cOunte-
| nance manifested much delight. 0berons
| antipathy was the most cruel blow | had re-
celred; 1t panied he beyond description |
| knew that the dislike of the animal. naturally
| loving ana doeile, is regarded by the ignorant
| as Indicative ct no good. Therefore when
| ever espied Oberon in the distance [ made
for an opposite direction, to avoid coming in
| contact with him. You can scarcely believe
| il, Wilhelm, nevertheless j. is true, perfectly
| true; all other trials and humiliutiOns [ s1r-
| ported with courage, if not with calmness, but
| that dog tried my patience to the utmost; his
| bearing towards me was more insupportabIc
| than all the SANDER 10 which | was subjected.
| To HE he was most detestabIe, insomucb that
| one could neither seek satisfaction from such
an enemy, nCr have the consolation of despis-
| ing him.
One evening rs | was returning from a ram
| bic IN the eIVirons, with my gun ever my
| shoulder, not much pleased with nv success
in the chase, and exceedingly out of humor
| because of some fresh calumnies lately circu-
| lated by the Old doctor, met, at turn in the
| road, the very parsonage who occupied my
| thoughts face to face both he and I turned
| pale-he with fear, and L from anger Yet
| would l have passed him in silence, had not
| Oberon darted forward, barking furiOusly-
Call off your dog, sir!' L cried, lowering
my fowling piece. L do not know what the
doctor imagined, but he quickened his pace
without needing me. The dog continued to
| bark louder and louder still, turning ut me
| and showing his teeth; then, ieveling my gun
at him, repeated: ''Call off your dog, sir
and almost at the instant the gun went off
| There was a long plaintiff cry, and Oberon lay
weltering in his blood. The old doctor stood
| aghast 1t is your fault, sir, / said, in an
| altered tone; - asked you TO call him away"
| and turning on my heel l continued my route
| at rapid pace.
| Having reached my home | threw myself
| into a chair, trembling all over L was as
| much agitsted as if l had committed great
| crime. 0beron, as he lay rolling in the dust
| was continually before my eyes. L went to
| bed, hoping to rid myself of the painful night;
but slept badly, disturbed during the III ght
| by feverish restessness.
The next day L rose earlier than usual. |
| tried TO write-tO study in vain endeavored
| to fix my attention. L wished to go out, but
shIsnk from passing through the town, expect
| ing to meet reproaehful glances on every side
No one would make allowance for the action
| Of the previous evening, and the doctor would
undoubtedly make use of it to my disadvant-
| age. Exclusively Of that, conscience whisp
| cred that had stopped to a mean revenge
| and l really felt ashamed of the deed
Toward night, however, L yentured into the
| streets, and it seemed TO me, as L drew near
| the square, that all the children had disap-
peared on my approach whereabouts, tco il