Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-14
SGlfftea Gale.
HE TWO SISTERS OF
COLOGNE,

MORE than forty years ago I was
poor artstudent, journeying over
Europe, with knapsack ON my back,
having resolved to visit, if possible,
every gallery worth a painters study
started with but few shillings in
my pocket; but | had colors and
brushes, strength of limb, and deter
mination Of heart. 1t was my prac-
tice, on entering town, to offer to
paint portrait, in exchange for so
many days bed and board ; or, when
| found no mans vanity to be thus
played upon, | applied at all the like
hest shops, and | seldom failed of
work. Thus | was enabled to carry
out my scheme, while most of my fel-
low-students were negotiating where
| had left them, with minds unenlarg-
ed by contact with the men and the
arts of other countries. Though [
left England with a heavy heart
for / was leaving behind me the hope
and promise of my life, and though
| was away on my walk through Eu-
rope more than two years, Gin weari
ness ...and in fastings often"
vet never envied the unambitious
routine, the ingloriOus repose, of my
less enterprising friends. | was con-
stantly obliged to go without din
ner, when a turn of ill-luck (some
temporary illness, or the artistic OBJ
tuseness of a whole city, had drained
my purse very low; but | seldom lost
courage courage and confident hope
IN the future.
| was nearly in this plight, howev-
er, when l entered Cologne late one
evening in September. l had been
laid up at Dusseldorf for many days,
with low fever, and the belt in which
| carried my thalers round my waist
had been much lightened in conse-
quence. My illness had left me weak;
and | crawled into the town dusty
and footsore. Twilight was gather
ing around the many spires and tow
ers as | crossed the bridge of boats {;
a dark ruddy light alone remained in
the calm river, where purple shadows
were fast deepening into black ; and
the refexion of candle here and
there fickered in long scales of gold
upon the water. 1t was very hot. |
sat down on a stone outside the ca
thedral, too exhausted to go from pill
lar to post, bargaining for bed, as
was my wont. pulled my crust and
bunch Of grapes from my wallet
Vespers were going forward, as l
knew from seeing few devout old
women hobbling up the steps, and
disappearing through the heavy leath-
ern door. In no like spirit it occurred
to me, after a while, to follow them.
1t would be pleasanter than outside
the soothing influence of music, the
whiff of incense, the luxury of straw
bottOmed chair,-these were the at
fractions, l fear, that drew me in
Heaven knows, | was properly pun
ished, inasmuch as | can never again
hear Cologne Cathedral named with
out a shudder.
There were but few persons pres
ent, and those were huddled together
in one of the side-chapels, ,dimly light
ed by the flare Of half a dozen can
dies upon the altar where a priest
was officiating The only other light
throughout the great shadowy pile
was given forth by feeble lamp or
votive candle here and there, burning
its little life away before the Mother
of Seven Sorrows, or the presiding
saint of some smaller betinselled
shrine, and struggling out into the
great sea Of darkness fast gathering
over all. The chairs were piled away
in blocks, except a few, left for the
use of the devout, near the altar. l
preferred Sinking into a confessional
against the wall, where no ray of
light penetrated I laid Dsy head up
on my knapsack. | heard the priests
monotonOus drone, the tinkle of the
little bell, the low, heavenly murmur
of the organ, and then-I fell asleep.
Did | dream what follows? AS |
am telling you as simply and truth
fully as | can all that | know of the
matter, begin by saying that have
never been able to satisfy myself en-
ire upon this point Assuredly, the
strangcness is no way lessened, but
rather increased twofold, as the Sc
quel will show,if one can believe that
the strong and painful impression left
upon my brain produced while was
asleep.
| wOke-that is to say,my own dis
tinct impression is that l woke-just
as the service was finished. In half
an hour the cathedral would be silent
and deserted then it would be lock-
ed up for the night. If possible, why
not pass the night here, instead of
seeking and paying for bed else
where? Ny legs felt nightly disin-
clined to carry me yard farther. At
dawn, when the doors were opened, |
should rise up refreshed to seek for
work. But, even while l revolved
these things in my mind, saw a
light coming down the aisle where |
was,-nearer and nearer. | skunk as
far back as possible into the corner
of the confessional, hoping to escape
detection. But it was not to be- The
sacristan was upon his rounds, to see
that there were no loiterers in the sa-
cred building; his vigilant eye spied
me. He laid hand on my shoulder;
he shook me, Il must move off With
heavy sigh rose, and then, for the
first time, perceived two young wo-
men standing behind the sacristan,
their eyes fixed upon me. No doubt
they were leaving the cathedral, and
had stopped, arrested at the sight of