New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-03-24
THE DOPP Ell G A N G e r
4 HIcs,neric Mystery.

Albert Lachncr was my particular friend and ie
low-student We studied together at Heidelberg; we
lived together; we had no secrets from each othcr
we called each other by the endearng Of brother
On leaving the university, Albert decided follow
ing the profession of medicine. was possessed Of
moderate competence and little estate at Ems, on
the Lahn so devoted myself to the tranquil life of
a propyietare and book dreamer. Albert went to
reside with physician, as pupil and assistant at the
little town Of Cassel. l established myself in my III
heritance.
was delighted with my home; with my garden,
slopina down to the rushy margin of the river: with
the view of Ems, the turleted old Kurhaus, the
pension bridge, and, further away, the bridge Of
boats and the dark wooded hills, closing in the little
colony on every side. I planted my garden in the
English style; fitted up my library and snokingroom;
and furnished one bed-cbamber especially for my
friend. This room overlooked the water and IL Gle
mats grew up round the window. I placed there
bookcase and filled it with his tavorite books; hung
the walls with engravings which knew he admired,
and chose draperes of his avorite color When all was
complete, l wrote to him, and babe him come and
spend his summer-holiday with me at Ems.
He came; but found him greatly altered. He was
pale, dark man. Always somewhat tacituln and
sickly, he was now paler, more silent, delicate
than ever. He seemed subject to fits of melancholy
abstraction, and appeared as if some all-absorbing
subject weighed upon his mnd-some haunting care
| from even which was excluded
| He had never been gay, it is true; he had never
mingled in our Heidelberg extravagances-
fought duel at the Hrschgasse-never been one Of
the fellowhood of FoXes-never boated and quar-
relied and gambed like the rest of u.s. wild boys as
we were! But then, he consttutionally untitled
for such violent sports; and lameness which dated
from his early childhood, proved eftectua bar to
the practice Of all those athletic exercises which Sc
cure to youth the in corporc sano. Still,
he was strangely altered; and it cut to the heart
to see him so sad and not to be permitted to parake
of his anxietes AT first, l thought he had been
studying too closely but this he protested not
! the case. Sometimes | anced that he was in love;
/ hut convinced IN Hp
changed-but how, or why, found it impossible to
discover
After he had been with me about week, CHANGED
| one day to alude to the rapid progress that was
making everywhere in favor of mesnerisnl and added
| some light words of ncredulity as | spoke To my
surprise, he expressed his absolute faith in every de
partment of the science, and defended all its phe-
n0mena, even to clairvoyance and mesmeric revela-
tions with the fervor of determined believer
| found his views on the subject more extended
than any I had previously heard 10 mesmeric in
uences, he attributed all those spectral appearances,
such as ghosts, wraiths and dopplegangels; all those
noises and troubled spirits; all those bansees or iami
y ASPIRATIONS all those hauntngs and miscellane-
| GUS phenomena, which have from the earliest ages
occupied the fears, the thoughts and the inquiries of
| the human race.
After about three weeks stay, he left me and re-
turned to his medical studies at Cassel promising to
visit me in the autumn when the glapeharvest
should be in progress His parting words earnest
and remarkable: Farewell, Heinrich, mein bruder;
farewell till the gathering season. In thought shall
I be often with your
!, He was holding my hands in both his own as lie
said this and peculiar expression fitted across his
countenance; the next moment, he had stepped into
the diligence, and gone. Feeling disturbed yet
without knowing why, made my way slowly back
to my cottage. This visit Of Alberts had strangely
unsettled me, and found that for days after his
departure could not return to the old quiet round of
studies which had been my occupation and delight
before he came. Somehow our long arguments dwclt
unpleasantly upon my mind, and induced nervous
sensation of which | felt ashamed l had no wish to
belieye struggled against conviction, and the very
struggle caused me to think of it the at last
| the effect wore away; and when my friend had been
gone about fortnight returned almost insensibly
to my former routine of thought and occupation.
Thus the season slowly advanced. Ems became
crowded with tourists attracted thither by the fame
of our medicinal springs and what with frequenting
concerts, promenades and gardens reading receiving
a few friends, occasionally taking part in music
meetings which are much the fashion here and en-
ering altogether into little society than had
hitherto been my habit, succeeded in hanshng en-
trey from my mind the doubts and reflections which
had so much disturbed me.
One evening, as was returning homeward from the
house of friend i'll the town. Experienced delusion
which, to say the least Of it, caused me very dsa
grecable sensation. l have stated that my cottage
situated the banks of the river and was sur
rounded by garden. The entrance lay st the other