The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-16
/ A PLEASANT NIGHT or Irl.

IIChohNi MUM Uf III !!
What q vary happy period Of my life that
was when l was supposed to be studying Ro.
man law at the feet of the great Professor Nit.
termaier at Heidelberg. Little did nv fond
pasents reek the way in which L spent NV
nights, or the mad scenss of which wss char
er, among the feather. Drained Burschen. I had
had only recently quilted Cam bridge, after four
years Of college experiences and fofgetfulness of
what bad learned at school, and the contrast
German university presented was lost stri-
KING, Still took to the new mode of life very
kindly, and BY the time I was able to express
nay wants and wishes in fearfully broken Ger.
man, 1 vas perfectly happy for life is 50 pleas.
ant ct twenty - g
Perhaps, though, / enjoyed my vacations
| even more than ! did my terms, for I was nv
own master, and could wander whither pleas.
ed. had q passport in my pocket and re
spectsbie amount of fcrins, and With knepsack
on back, trudged through the whole Of the
Black Forest, learning Germax (ofi a sort, it IL
rnel rapidly on the road, and meeting with
VARIOUS queer adventures. One of the queer.
est, however, that befel me was in The vosees,
and may as well nsrrate it here. as another
instance of those strange things which travel.
lers sometimes see. l had ever prediction
tor Alsace, for in that happy land the quart
bottle holds not merely quart, which is rar.
ny, but Just three pints, which is q marvel.
nor 10 the quality Of the wine deprecated by
1ne quantity; on the contrary, Chablis is not
ps1cn upon the white vines that grow on the
sunny slopes of the Vosges. at you doubt
what say, take bumper and try:n which
you can easily do, reader, on your next visit TO
Stresbourg, By calling in at the Rebstock, and
ssking for litre of white vine with the ochre
SEAL However, as knew that was going
fanto the country where the delectabIe wine
grew, did not daily at Srasbourg, but strobe
manfully away toward the Vosges, sull of elori
Gus antieipAtions, and casefully studying the
patois by converting with every peasant I fell
IN with. There is Q very simple plan, however,
to make yourself comprehended in Alsace al.
ways use French word and German word
alternately; it is wonderful what success you
meet with. An infallible rule to make yourself
liked is, by Juggling in the name of Napoleon
lie Grand on every possible occasion, and, il
you are sufficiently cosmopolitan, you may
iaeleiy ascent to the fact that he won the battle
of Waterloo. g-'-I -
There is only one defect connected with AL.
sace: when it rains there, there is no mistake
abost 1t. was fated to discover this interest.
ing meteorological fact at the expense of a
thorough wettipg. / had dined at q little vii.
lage: Inn on the inevitable cold veal and pics led
piu.ns, and when set out on my jsunt to M
nights quarters, seventeen miles OF, the clouds
wefs beginning to collect ominously in the
wesi. buttoned my blouse round me. and
trutged manfuliy onward along q road which
had not been traversed by respectable con.
veyance within the memory of man. 1t was
full OF ruts, hard enough at first, but which the
perhlstent rain, which had commenced by this
time to fall, converted into so many pitfalls.
into which 1 was continually clipping. To add
totay troubles, night set in with that rapidity
peculiar to Southern Germany, and there was
no sign OF the village at which intended 10
spend the night. Not creature did / meet
gsaRoaSu 5af oessiSit; making about halt mile
an boar. aid growing very savage-whether the
result OF the wetting, or of indig sston, really
cannot cay. My brandy flask had long been
emptied there was no chance of filing it, and
l was wearied-so wearied that could have
lain down to sleep in q dry ditch, had there
been one handy; but against that tie elements
had carefully guarded. There was no hope for
it; must trudge onward.
Suddenly, through the rain, fancied could
see light glimmering short distance from
The road. l stopped, and looked steadily; it
was no Willo'the-w isp, and by 9 sudden i'm.
pulse bounded over the low hedge, and went
stumbling over q ploughed field toward the
house, as now felt certain it was Up to the
present, had regarded the peasants cabins
with considerable aversion, and pour cause
there were the dirtiest places imaginable, and
had no desire to sleep in them 90 long as an
duberge could be found. But now would have
gladly paid handsome sum for the use of
dog kennel, so long as it sheltered me from the
pitlless rain, and held out the prospect of q
glass OF brandy 10 warm my inner man, which
| n N NM in cd nf IL
1 soon approached the cabin, which stood
beneath the shade of some gloomy trees, and
the light, which probably came from the FIRE,
burned 80 dimly, that hesitated for moment !;
all appeared 80 unutterably wretched about the
house, that had q nervous timidity about sp-
preaching it. / am not constisutionally fear.
iul on the contrary, / am usually too prone
to run into foolhardluess; but now, whether it
was the soaking or the veal, felt horribly
nervous. A moment, however, suficed 10 re-
cover me, and walked ocross the yard, and
knocked boldly at the door. All remained per.
fectly quiet in the house, except that fancied
could hear the growing of q huge dog, Ike
distant thunder; then / knocked again come.
what more loudly, and dog began barking
violently. At the came time, however, had
the satisfaction OF hearing footsteps approach
| the door.
Who is Without" voice was heard say
ing, in execrable Jewish German; sis it you,
Benjamin Z" .F t.
"'Tis stranger" shouted, fearing lest any
hesitation might render my friend inside Gus.
pjcious / want shelter for the night, and
will pay you handsomely for it."
| "Are you alonef" the voice asked again.
(" Quiet, Nero down dog what do you mean
by growing when I did not order you to watch
himfr
can alone, but as wet as if had been dip
ped 10 the river"
"Youd be clever to keep yourself dry this
day." he said, a. be pulled back the bolts, and
opened the door slowly and cautiously. "Come
in-the dog won't hurt you when Tn with you.
What weather Come to the fire, and dry
! yourself"
He walked in front of me to the FIRE, stirred
up the smouldering wood, and threw q few
sticks upon it. All this while could notice
be was taking quick, sharp chances at me !,
then he went up to my knapsack, which had
laid on chair, appeared TO feel lie weight for
moment, and brought it up to The FIRE to dry
as we'll as myself. has.
"And you're hungry, too, suppose out fer
pleasure, Ell? Young blood young blood y.
and be grinned in q manner to ne quite dis.
bolical. He then went to the table, spread q
very dirty tablecloth, on which be placed q
Loaf of black bread, stuck knife into it, and
then produced large green glass jar, contain.
ing the much desired 6uid. After filing an
iron saucepan with hot water, and putting it on
the wood, he Quilted the room for while.
During his absence, surveyed the room 10
which l was seated, and the very sight of it
made me uncomfortable. 1t was quite dealt
tute of furniture, contrary to the usual fashion
Of the psasantfy, and I shuddered involuntari.
y. But, nonsense, it could only be the cold
and the moisture the FIRE WAS dfawing out of
my clothes, ard yet for ell that, began to