Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-04-10
dMiseellamu.
Prom III the Year Round.
The Two Sisters of Cologne.

The Two Sisters of Cologne.
More than forty years ago | was a poor
lrt--tudent. journeying over Europe, with
anap-ack on my back, having resolved
@, visit. if possible, every gallery worth
Iainter', study | started with but few
-hilIine- in my pocket but | had colors
and brushes, strength of limb, and deter
uiuatiou OF heart. 1t was my practice,
ou entering a town. to offer TO paint a por-
trait. In exchange for 50 many days bed
.nd board or. when | found no mans
vanity To- be thus played upon, | applied at
..ll the likcliest shops, and seldom failed of
..ork. Thus | was enabled TO carry out
NV scheme. while most Of my fellowship
.Ieut~ We're vcgctating where | had left
th.m. with minds unenlarged by contact
,,rh the men and the arts of other coun-
-rir- Though left England with heavy
byart-for | was leaving behind me the
hoIr and promise Of my lite-and though
+ Vas away on my walk through Europe
uur. than two wears, =. in weariness :
and in tastings often vet | never
,tvied the unambitious routine, the inglo-
-iou- rcro-e. Of my less enterprising friends.
was constantly obliged to 20 without my
.Isnuor. when turn of ill-luck (some tenn
rarary illness. or the artistic obtuseness OF
whole city had drained my purse very
.aw but | seldom lost courage-courage
and confident hope in the future.
vas nearly in this plight, however
when [ entered Cologne late one evening
u September | had been laid up a
Dusseldorf for many days, with low fever
and the belt IN which | carried my thaler
round nav waist had been much lighteneC
iI consequence. Ny illness had left M
soak and crawled into the town dusty
anI f,ot-orc Twi light was gatherin.
around the many spires and towers as
crossed the bridge of boats dark rudd
Ii.hr alone remained in the calm river
where purple shadows were fast deepening
-u-p black and the reflection Of candl
iar. and there fickcrcd in long scales o
-.o.d upon the water. 1t was very hot.
-st down on "a stone outside the cathedral
roo exhausted to 20 from pillar to post
r.r-.-airua for bed as was my wont.
rmlel q crust and bunch of grapes fror
uy wallet. Nespers were going forward
a- knew from seeing few devout oil
women hohbline mp the steps, and disaT
rvsriug through the heavy leathern door
H. uo Ike spirit 1t occurred to me, afte
a while. no follow them. 1t would b
f'ca~autcr than outside the soothing il
fuenr, ST music the Whit of incense, tn
luxury OF q ~traw-bottomed chair,-thes
were the attractions. | fear. that drew N
fu. Heaven knows | was properly pun
i-h,l. iua-rnuch a. can never hear Co
n-u,. Cathedral named without a shudder.
There were hut few persons present. an
those were huddled together in one Of ii
side chapel~. dimly lighted by the fare
half 20 dozen candles upon the altar whel
g. priest was officiating. The only ligl
throughout the great shadowv pile was gl'
,.u forth by feeble lamp or votive cand
here and there burning it, little life ava
before the Mother Of Seven Sorrows,
fh, presiding saint of some smaller beti
~.llrl shrine. and struggling out in Il
great sea OF darkness fast gathering ov
uli The chairs were piled away III block
except "a few left for the use of the devOu
near the altar. and preferred slinkii
AWAY into 4 confessional against the wa
where no ray Of light penetrated. | la
mv head upon my knapsack. heard t
priests monotonous drone the tinkle
the little bell, the low heavenly murmur
tire organ. and them fell asleep.
Did ! dream what follows? As | a
telling YOU "a simply and truthfully as
canal that know Of the matter, | beg
b, saving that have been able to salts
myself upon this point. Assuredly, t
-trauseucss i i'll no way lessened, /
rather increased. as the sequel will sho
ri one can believe that the strong and pa
ful impression left upon my brain was pl
duced while | was asleep.
woke-that Is to say, my own dlstil
impression j. that | woke-just as the $
vie, wa~ finished In half an hour /
cathedral would be silent and deserte
then it would be locked up for
night. If possible, why not pass
ui,,lt here. instead of seeking and payi
for a bed elsewhere ? My legs felt migl
di~jnclned to carry me mile farther.
dawn. when the doors were opened
should rise NJ refreshed TO seek for wo
But. even while revolved these things
riv mind. saw light coming down
aisle where | was.-nearer and nearer.
Sunk back a. far a possible into the
neg Of the confessional. hoping to csc
detection. But it was not 10 be.
>acri~tan was upon his rounds 10 see
there. were no loiterers i'll the sacred bu
ine: his vigilant eye spied me. lie
q hand upon my shoulder; he shook IN
must move off. With heavy sig
rose. and then. for the first time percel
two Young women standing behind the
tristan. their eyes fixed upon me.
doubt they were leaving the cathedral,
had stopped, arrested at the sight
Young man being unearthed from con
>ional.
1t was impossible to mistake that
were sisters, though one was shorter,
much less well-favored than the 9th
but they had the same grey piercing e
fair skins. and hair which was sometl
beyond f1axen-it was almost white. L
hair was worn in strange fashion, W
cannot describe though | see 1t