Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-09-04
BlWGR A lp III y.
CAsPAR HAUsER.

NR04 <44s x4RVpGAs
In the year 1928, q great sensation
was created throughout tho civilized
world, by the story Of Casper Hauser
This. as it appears, was in substance o.
f,llows -
On the twentieth Of May, in the yea
above named, as q citizen of Nuremberg
in Bavaris, was proceeding along ont
Of the streets. he happened to see I
young man, in the dress OF a peasant
who was standing like one intoxicated
attempting TO move forward yet appear
ing hardly 10 have command Of his legs
On the approach Of the citizen, tbi.
stranger held out to him a letter direct
ed TO a well.known and respectable
military officer, living in Nuremberg.
As the house Of this person lay in
the direction Of the citizens walk. he
took the youth thither with him. When
1.-The servant opened the door, the strange,
put the letter into his hand, utterins
some uniniellisible words. The variou.
questions which were asked as TO bis
name, whence he came, &C.. ho seemed
not to comprehend. He appsred ex.
cessively faiisued, staggered, as il ex;
hausted, and pointed 10 his feet, shedding
tears, apparently from pain. AS he
seemed to be suffering from hunger, q
piece Of meat was given TO him, but
scarcely had he tasted it, when he spat
it out, and shuddsred as if with abhor.
renee. He manifested the same aversion
TO beer. He ate some bread, and drank
water, with signs Of satisfaction.
Meanwhile, all attempts 10 gain any
information from him were fruitless.-
TO every question he answered with the
same unintelligible jarson. He seemed
10 hear, without undersla anding, and 10
see. without perceiving. He shed many
tears, and his whole language seemed to
consist Of means AMI uuinle!ligible
sounds.
The letter 10 the officer above.mertion.
ed contained no satisfactory inlorma.
lion. II stated that the writer was a
poor day.laborer, with a family Of ten
children I; that the bearer had been left
with him in October, 1912, and he had
never since been suffered 10 leave his
house that he had received Christian
education, been baptized, &c. He was
sent TO this officer with the request that
he might be taken care Of till seventeen
years old, and then be made a trooper,
and placed in tho sixth regiment, as his
father had been Of that corps. This let.
ter was supposed, Of course, to be de.
signed to mislead, and no reliance was
placed upon it.
The officer, suspecting some imposi.
ton, sent the stranger TO the police
To all inquiries the latter replied as be.
fore, displaying a childish simplicity,
and awkward dulness. He was con.
tinually whmpering. and pointing to
his feet. While he had the size Of a
young man, his face had the expression
of a child.i When writing materials
were placed before him, he took the
pen with alacrity, and wrote Kasper
Hauser. This SO contrasted with his
previous signs Of ignorance and dulness,
as to excite suspicious Of imposture,
and he was therefore committed 10 a
tower used for the confinement OF rogues
and vagabonds. In going to this place,
he sank down, groaning at every step.
The body Of Caspar seemed perfectly
formed, but his face bore decided as
pect Of vulgarity. When in state o.
iranqillity, It was either destitute Of ex'
preston, or had look Of british in
difference. The formation Of his face,
however, charged in few months, and
rapidly gained in expression and anima
ton. His feet bore no marks Of having
been confined by shoes, and. we're fney
formed |; the soles were soft as the palms
of his hands. His gate was waddling
to,tcring progress, gropins with hi
hands as he went, and often falling a
the slightest impediment. He coul'
not, for a long time, 60 up and dow
stairs without assistance. He used hi
hands with the greatest awk wardness.-
In all these respects, however, he rapidl
improved.
Casper Hausar soon ceased to be cor
sidered either an idiot or an imposter.-
The mildness, good nature, and obed
ence he display ::precluded the idea th'
he had grown up with the beasts Of tn
forest. Yet he was destitute Of word
and seemed TO be dissusted with most
the customs and habits Of cizlzed lif
All the circumstance combined 10 crea
belief that he had been brought up
a state Of complete Imprisonment en-
seclusion, during the previous part ofh
existance.
He now became an object Of gener'
interest, and hundreds Of persons cam
to see him. He could be persuaded
taste no other food than bread and waite
Even tho smell Of most articles Of foe
was sufficient TO make him shudder.-
When hs first saw lighted candle, !
appered greatly delighted, and uususpec
ingly put his fingers into the blaze
When mirror was shown him, he lool
ed behind, to find the image it refecte
Like a child, he greedily reached f
, every glittering object, and cried VIII,
any desired thing was denied him. II
whole vocabulary seemed hardly
exceed dozen words, and that Of 70
|(horsel answered for all quadruped
such as horses, dogs, and cats. Whe
0 at length, a wooden horse was given