Middletown transcript., 1868-07-11
Aopular GaIes.
THE TWO APPARITTONS.

In my youth l was passionatcly fond Of
the stage, and had particular rage fol-
the horrible. Being mush disposed to tray
el, and tolerably fluent in the German Ian
guage, l onefne morning, accompanied
by my carpet-bag, set off on trip to Ger
many, determined to crafty my favorite
propensity by seeing all the wild and i'm.
sginative traditions of that country got up
in manner ofwhich we have no idea here.
l was amply rewarded for my pains, and
spent several months wandering about from
one town to the other in search of novelty.
In one ofthese ramhles / stopped at small
village called Kirscheim, in Alsace, as /
had seen a flaming red bill stuck up against
the first cottage came to, announcing that
the company belonging to Henry Spell
mann would perform that night, at the ho-
tel called the Golden Fleece, 1.-THE Rob
bers," drama by Schiller, and "The
Tower of Nesle," translated into German
for the benefit of the country people.
Delighted at the idea of such treat,
hastened to seek an inn, but having gone
twice around the village in about ten min
utes, l found there was but the one, where
the performance was to take place.
was vexed at this: would rather not
have seen the actors before they appeared
in their respective characters on the stage.
of course | should have to dine with them,
which would destroy all the illusion; be-
sides the country people had assembled in
crowds at the door, and stared with open
mouths at the actors who had just arrived.
However, contrived to elbow my way
through them, and entered the principal
room of the Golden Fleece.
There strange sight met my eyes,
All the inns or hotels in Alsace are nearly
the same. They have very long rooms fur
nished on each side with wooden tables
and benches. In the middle of the apart
ment stands an enormous cast-iron stove.
But, at that moment, the room was in
the greatest disorder. 1t was completely
filled with people, who pressed round a ta-
BILE, on which lay extended the body of
man, who had hardly been dead an hour,
as the blood yet streamed from deep
wound in the heart and inundated the floor
Everybody talked, screamed aad gestic-
'ulated, and the host, Maitre Kehl, the
loudest of all. I at last understood that
buo ucCedSeu Ildu killed. himself, winch naQ
much shocked the order and regularity of
the inhabitants of Kirscheim, where ,as
the principal brewer informed me such a
thing as suicide had not happened for three
hundred years at least.
The magistrate at length arrived, took
cognlzance of the event, dispersed the mob,
and ordered the deceased to be removed
to the apartment which he had occupied
previous to the event. Then took an
opportunity of asking the host if he could
accommodate me with room.
81 have not one left" said he. sstbe
whole place is taken up by Maitre Spell
mann and his company, and that is no tri-
fe; Notwithstanding, they are very accom-
odating people, and FIVE in the same room
They have taken all, even the barn. where
the splendid performance you have. seen
advertised is to take place.
Eyes" said / but the dead person
can you not give me the room he occu-
piedf'
And whore would you have me put the