Litchfield enquirer., 1855-04-19
Nisceliapy.
Abridged from the German of Stolling. THE HOUSE IN THE FOREST.
A TALE OF SECOND SIGHT.

! A TALE OF SECOND SIGHT.
 It is nearly sixty years since the events I am about to narrate took place. was then in my third year at the University of Gotten gen, and merry, idle, thoughtless lad I was. Of course, had many acquainsan- ces, both amorg the students and the towns folk. But there was only two whom could call friends. One of them was a Scotch l man, named Macdonald. The name of the other, German, was Laurenberg. They I were both students.
 It was the summer vacation, and we three resolved to make pedestrian tour together. So, after some discussion, we decided on visiting the great Thuringian forest. and one fine morning off we set. Just as we had got beyond the town, Macdonald said, My dear brothers, let us return; this ex- petition will bring us no good" You would almost make one think you were prophet" said Laurenberg, with mock grav- itv. "And what if be !" cried the other quickly. "Why, then, don't be prophet of evil-that is to say unless you cannot help it. Come, my dear feilow"-e. tell you," interrupted Macdonald, |" that if we 20 on, one of us will never see Gottingen again; and, Laurenberg, my beloved Lau- renberg, it is you who will be that one, you will never return unless you return now" " Nonsense, nonsense" laughed the other, "pray, how do you know that !" It seem- ed to me that Macdonald slightly shuddered at the question, but he went on as if not hearing 1t: '' He of us three who first left the house is destined never to enter it again and that was the reason why tried to get out after you. You, Laurenberg, in your folly, ran past me, and it is thus on you that the lot has fallen. Laugh if you will. If you had let me go before you should have said nothing. But as it is, say, laugh if you will, and call me dreamer, or what you please, only return, my friends, return. Let it's 20 back.' "Let us go on. For warJs,n cried Laurenberg: "I do not laugh at you my brother, but think J ou are scarce ly reasonable; for either you have truly fore seen what is to happen, or you have not. If you have, then what is to happen piH hap pen, and we cauaot avoid it; if you have not, why then it will not happen, and that is all. Either you toresse my destiny-." He was going on. but Macdonald interrupt ed him {" It ia by such reasoning that men lose themselves in this world and the next" "Oho, dear school fox," returned tfe other, "we have not undertaken our march to chop logic and wind metaphysics but on the con trary, to be merry and enjoy ourselves. So -" and he sung:
 There wandered ,hrse Barschsn along by the Rhine
 A. the door of wine-aouse they knocked. and went m;
 Landady have you good beer and wine "Laurenberg, your gaiety is oppressive,' interrupted Macdonald. "Why sing that song You know that there is death in it." "I. is true," replied L;urenberg. somewhat gravely, "ths poor little daughter of the landlady lies in her coffin. Another stave, then, if you like it hetter,-
 Up, brothers, up enjoy your lie"
 And so on he went with that obstreperous song.
 Notwithstanding all his singing, Lauren berg was evidently more impressed by our companion's words than he was willing to own; and as for me, was much struch by them, for the young Scotsman was indeed no common man. But all that soon wore off. Even Macdonald seemed to forget his own l forebodings. We marched on right cheer fully. That night we stopped al Heiigen- stadt, very tired, for 1t Was a long way for lads SO little used to walking as we were. The next night we slept at Dinglestadt 1; and remember that at supper Laurcnberg knocked over the salt-cellar, and that Mac donald said, "See, told you! Everything shows it." Next night We were at Mulhau- sen, making short journeys; for, after all our object was to enjoy, not to tire ourselves.
 The next afternoon we got to place whose name was Langelsalza; and the following day we arrived at Gotha, and lodged at the sign of the "Giant" in the market.place. Here we made acquaintance with three tour ists, students from Jena. They were each of different country. One was French man; one Pole; the third alone was Ger. man. They were makiug sort pilgrimage to the different places remarkable for events in the life of Luther,-had been at Erfurt, to see his cell in the Orphan-house there, and were now going to Eisenach and the
 War.burg to visit the Patmos of bunker
 George" However, on hearing that we
 proposed marching through the Thuringian
 forest, they gave up their original plan. and agreed to join us, which pleased us much,
 for all three were fine fellows. That night we got to .Ohrdruff, and the next day we set off for Suhl. But we were not d-slin- ed ever to reach that town. About noon,
 Laurenberg said, Come, brothess, do you
 not find this road tiresome! This is the
 way everybody goes. Suppose we strike off the road, and take this footpath through
 the wood. If all we wanted was to walk
 along road, why, there are better roads
 near Go,tingen. Into the wood, then, say Fl! Who knows but there may be an ad-
 venture before us ! Follow me :" Macjo- nald would have demonstrated, but our new
 friends, and also, am sorry to say felt much
 as Laurenhcrg did, so we took the footpatt,
 and plunged into the forest. We soon
 thought ourseves repaid. The solitude
 seemed to deepen as we proceeded. Excep, 1, the almost impercepuble footpath, every.
 thing bespoke the pnrest state of nature. The enormous pines that lowered over oul
 heads seemed the growth of ages. Grea, rcd deer stared at us from a distance through h
 the glades, as if they had never before seer such animals as we. and then bounded away in herds. As We pushed merrily onward the glen in which we found ourselves grad , ually opened out into plain. But the foot I t f.. ... IA n L.j