The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-03-22
THE OLD WATCH TOWER.
From Once a Week.

LON TT lS usGd iOi lt4io Hoi BOoSt - -
should by any cbance break oat, wAesAe
by day or by night, the Waterman is sur
to observe it, if he is, as he should be, a
his post, and lie forthwith tolls a bell whlcs
sets all the large bells III the town going II
an incredibly short space OF time lhls II
called Sturm Clock, and doubtless many
song of the bell could he written abou
it, since Schiller composed his poem Whlcf
forcibly describes a calamity SO often occur
ring, yet bringing with it ever new terror
and dismay The outburst Of these dread
ed tongues is followed in many places as II
Sax Weimar, by the firing Of cannon, two
such siguis being gwen if the accident
happens III the town Itself aud one Gully u
beyond the gatrs. or III a neighboring VII
Iage IN the former cast tins explosion Ie
succeeded by blowing Of trnnpets shouting
and barking II dogs as after a wuile tbs
dutch concert Is Somewhat droA liz - NJ
bassnou-ilke rumbliug Of the heavy h
engines drawn by their four or six black
steeds along the rough pitched stone pave
ment 10 be thus awAkeneo. after one
first sleep, is, 1t is needless to s'y Tar from
agreeable; it MAS long before eouid com
nose myself to rrst .az.,'ft afttI my first ex
perience Ia tins ), ls .lile w.,fctnian VITA
his family, if lac s,nuid ,.ssess one, lives
rent free iii his AIRY ste. rs supplied viii
fire wood and lights, and rs allowed a Ger
tain stipend Those vino have been acCus-
toned to the tower to do not often wiling
ly descend to take up their abode with tue
Ordinary mortals have been told 10y az Oh
couple. who had given up the watch To tdhe
up some more lucrative occupation, that the
change of air agreed with them SO ILL., AMI
that they they had SO strong an impression
that they must be sutfocated If they remain
ed below, as to induce them TO return to
their home III the clouds. The woman told
me that her mother had been born, married
and died III d tower, and That she had fol-
lowed III her steps IN two instances, and
hoped to do so III the third, When her time
came Down in the town said she, there
is always so much gosslping and backbltlng
going on, and dare say that | should be
come as bad as the rest if | lived there !,
but up in my loft there is peace and fresh
air, and we do not trouble ourselves about
our neighbors indeed, we scarcely feel
that we have any to trouble about.
/ happened III the early part of autumn to
be visiting the chief town OF Ober Hessen,
Giessep, whose university | was wishing to
see; and after satisfying my curiosity as
to that ancient receptacle OF learning, L
turned my steps towards the still more an
Gent watch tower, from whose height | am
told, should get good view OF the sur
rounding scenery, so justly. esteemed for its
beauty. On reaching the dwelling part of
the building, was greeted Oy the observ-
ant occupant himself WHO at my
request escorted me to the gallery, which
was wide one; and arranged in rows around
the outer side, stood number of Towering
shrubs and plants This sudden and unex-
pected burst of brightness was a glad sur
prise to the eye after resting so long upon
the cold grey gloom of the stone walls and
stems during the ascent, and it was with
something Of the same kind Of feeling that
a released prisoner must experience when
he steps from his dungeon into the free air
of heaven, that | stepped out upon this lit
tie garden of fresh verdure and brilliant
blossoms, hanging as 1t were IN the sky :
and the view here was a still greater sur
prise, for indeed it is fine comprehensive
one. To the night. the Schiffenberg, with
its old church rising bare from behind It's
HOOuSu dSCCIIL, "hOoS
paths the townsfoIks love to disport them
selves on Sundays and feast days. Toward
the left, Gleiberg, on whose summit stands
an ancient, though lately repaired tower, the
SiebeH Hugeln, and the river Lain flowing
round by the bill and ruin Of Badenburg; III
the middle distance fruit orchards lying
warm aud ruddy i'll the ripening August
sun. The Germans call this month, ''der
koch mouat the grapes being then sup
posed to undergo ii process which turns
their sour juice INTO the subht nectar which
wine is capable of representing After
feasting my eyes on the landscape below /
turned towards the Keeper of the little pa;
adise on which | was standing, and comph
mented him upon the good taste which led
him to adorn his balcony, SO as to render it
SO attractive
Eyes madame, this is indeed pleasant
place TO sit down .epose IT.. Mhen get
up here, away from the heat and hustle OF
the noisy, dusty world 'l~neath. My wife
brought the coffee here Iur brt aktast. after
which meal ! smoked my pip., aud enjoyed
the fresh morning air ALI, III sprlng-tlne
how delicious were t lose early hours lIste
ing to the singing birds, beginning With
their solos and twitteriugs and at length
breaking into one gush Of song. les, those
MAY mornings are delightful, the fruit
trees one sheet of blossom, whose odor rising
on the breeze exces any toilet perfumes
that know of. Here, too, on Sunday at
ternoons and evenings in summer, how
charming it has been TO sit, with my wife
and children around me, Watching the ia
ding sky and the staIs twinkle out one by
one. and then when all is hushed and the
world below is hushed, and the world below
asleep, Oh how | love to lie here and watch
not only the town, as is my duty, but the
moon as she glides behind the cloud or sheds
down her unveiled light from the deep vault
above me. How often do pity the poo
townspeopIe, who have to breathe the thick,
smoky, ill-smeliiug atmosphere under me
whilst am inhaling the pure breath o
Heaven A friend of mine has remarked
to me, that when he has anything of a per
picking nature to think about, or to deter
mine, he likes to come up here, where apar
from all that distracts attention in the un
der-world, he can more readily come to
conclusion; and Herrn HIGHLANDER" th'
Dickens of Germany, you must know read
er,) "who once came up to look about him
told me, that this round balcony would b.
worth thousands of guilders year to him
Yes, the place is nice enough to live in--but,
continued the watcliman, with a sigh, wv
cannot remain in it. / am going to remov
my furniture; my wife and the children ar
already gone"
what is the reason p inquired |, be
coming interested in the man.
1--WE have had so many frights, and sue
a fearful accident here, that my poor wife
nerves are quite broken down, and fea
for her intellect, if she We're to live i'll thi
tower any longer. She and the little one
are lodging with some neighbors, if | ca
call those such who live so far beneath us
and out of our range as it were. They sha
never put foot in this place again. W
have had now three frights, and 1t is IN cor
sequence of the last, and the accident whic
caused it, that came to the decision of r.
moving as soon as possible"
Twill you tell me about the three occ,
sions on which you aud your wife were {
Il, I aSi-ad