The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-04-11

TIE EMISTERIOUS MURDER.

At the corner OF the Rue deS Trabans
opposite the chapel 81 Saint Svbald, il
Nuremberg, there stands little ion, tall and
narrow, with notched gables, and dim win
dow par 5, ane il roof Surmounted by a
plaster virgin. In this inn | passed The
saddest days IF nv life | had gone to
Nuremberg to study the Old German mas
tiers, but The want of monev mad compelled
me To havs recourse " painting portraits
and such portraits Fat gossps, with their
cats Oh their knees, aldermen N perukes,
5mgomasters in three-c0rneFed bats, etc.
Al. brilliant with ochre and vermlrion.
From portraits [ descended to sketches,
then to proiles at last, e-en these failed
me.
There ls nothing more pitable than 70
have constantly a. your heels a landlord
With thin lips, screaming voice, and an
impudent air, VINO never loses a chance to
cal out. "Are you going 10 pay me soon,
monsieur Do you know how much your
bill amounts to, mODsieur' ? Oh, no of
course tins does not trouble YOU. Monsieur
eals, drinks, and sleeps quietly. The good
Lord takes care Of the little sparrows Mon
sieur only owes two hundred forms and ten
kreutIers. A mere tribe, not worth the
trouble Of mentioning"
Those who have never heard this gamut
sounded 10 their ears, can form no idea of
the hO-ror IT it. The love or art, imagina-
tion, the lofty enthusiasm for the beautiful
whittier at the very breath Of such a rascal.
Yc1 become weak and iimid; you lose
even the sentiment a your personal dignity,
and salute at distance, and respectfully,
the most clownish Of burgomasters.
One night, not having sou in my pocket,
and being threatened with prison by the
worthy master, Rapp, | sat Gown on my
truckle- aed and gave myself up 10 reflection.
The thought Of suicide entered my head;
and the more | reelected the more desirable
such an exit from my troubles appeared "a
my mind SO numerous ard convincing
were the arguh ents IN its favor which
thronged upon me, that dared not look up
% u.y razor ,est the irresistible force oi
lugic should compel me TO commit bank
fuptcy by cutting my throat at length |
blew out my candle, and threw my sell or
the bed, with determination to come to Z
secisiOn the next day.
Nv dreams were usually Of the abomiuablc
Ramp: my one '"sire, to get money that
might rid mys 3 Of his odious presence
But this night a singular revolution took
place ii nv mind. In about al hour rose
and wrapping mvSelf IN an old gray coat.
began 10 trace oil paper rapid sketch 10 IA,
Dutch style--seinething strange, fantastic
quite apart RON my habitual conceptions.
Imagine 10 yourself a s0mhre court, in
closed by high, deiapidated walls. These
walls. garnished with hooks seven or eight
feet from the ground, suggest at once, q
slaughter house. On the left, through q
trellis-work Of Iaths, you discern quartered
OK, suspended by strong pulieys from the
ceiling; drops Of blood triokling from it col
lect in a gutter Instructed oy the refuse oi
the shambles. The light in the court come.
from above, where cnImneyS, ana weather
cocks, and stored roofs OF houses are re-
lieyed against an angle of the sky. At tht
extremity is a shed beneath il a wood-ple
upon which isa ladder; and seatterei around
are seen ropes, bundles Of straw, rabbit.
hut, and hen -cOops, past service.
How did these heterogeneous details come
into nav head | cannot tell | had 10 re-
membrance Of any such place, and yet every
stroke u the pencil seemed by is truthful
mes. an exact copy. Nothing was wanting
remained bare. did not know what to pu
there; but ! was disqueted, asitated, as
looked upon It. Suddenly saw foot; bu
il was in reverse position, and detached
from the ground. Spite OF its improbability
| followed the inspiration, and sketched it
without stopping to account for nv fancy
Then the leg appeared, and portion Of tn,
d-ass At length the whole tigure-an olc
woman, hsgsard, wan, disheved, thrown
down OF lhe edge of wall, strugglin,
against q strong hand, which grasped be
| throat.
Ii was a murder that sketching
I The crayon fell from my hands. The oil
| Soman-her face contracted BY terror, be
form ben. over the margin Of the wall, bot
hands grasping the arm Of her murderer
| terrified me I dared not look at her b.
/ the inan--the murderer-tO whom the arr
! beiongedI | could not see him. 1t was in
possible TO finish my sketch.
The sweat drops stood upon my brow.
am fatigued," | said. "But little remains I
be done. l will complete it tomorrow !;
and, terrified by the vision, lay down agai
upon the bed, and in five minutes slept pr,
foundly.
The next day, as | was about to resum
my work, knock resoundsd at the door.
"Come in" called ont; and man som
what advanced in years, tail, thin, and dres
ed in black, appeared upon the threshold
Ths whole ply ysiOgnomy Of the man-h
closely approximating eyes, his large aqu
line bose, bis lofty, broad, and bony brow
had something severe aad imposing. Z
saluted me gravely.
IN. Christian Venius, the artist" he sal
ssThat is my name, sir"
He bowed again, adding,
"rhe Baron Frederic Van Spreckdal."
The apparition in my poor garret Of th
rich amateur, judge Of the criminal coul
. impressed me strongly. threw a CLAN
upon my worm-eaten furniture, tattered DIR
: peries, and dirty fioor, and felt humillate
bat Van Srrsckdal appeared 70 pay no I
tention 10 these details.