Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-04-25

sunlight. Before , had recovered my
self-possession sufficiently TO speak, he
sprangs to his feet and hurried away;
as the trees hid him from my sight, |
saw him cast the old fearful look over
his shoulder.
There was something about the Incl
dent that, in spite of the bright sum
shine, gave me a strange superstltlous
feeling. After long cogitation | could
come to only one conclusion, that the
German was mad and that his saturnine
servant was his keeper.
A week passed away, and | saw no
more of Korner, beyond heeting
glance as he passed my window on his
way to the forest. In the mean time |
had visit from my college chums of
| few miles off, to whom | related my
German experiences, and thereby in
| famed their imaginations with the
most outrageous ideas. He was one of
Schillers robbers, Mephistopheles,
| Werter, the wild huntsman, Salathiel,
banished count, and know not what.
Ensconced behind my window curtains,
they waited his passing to catch a
glimpse of him, and the sight of his
strange, gloomy face made them almos.s
seriously incline to those ideas that had
been but jests before. The object of
their visit was to induce me to go with
them to ball that was to come off in a
fortnight at Southampton. But heroi.
cally resisted all entreaties so they left
me to my studies in disgust.
Great was my surprise one evening,
just as the twilight was closing in, at re-
ceiving this message from Mrs. Adams
=" Would Mr.. Serle honor Mr.. Korner
by his company, and sup with him that
EVENING"" The old lady was all in a
flutter as she spoke the words. We ex-
changed looks. My curiosity was
aroused to see the sanetorum that none
had beheld, and instantly accepted.
When | entered the room, felt 81
most surprised to find that there was
nothing peculiar in it, except that il
was peculiarly comfortable. Although
the weather was warm, cheerful fire
burned in the CRATE, and three large
lamps illumined every part of the large
sombre room.
~ like plenty of light" he said, after
cordially greeting me; " l hate dark
corners"
So it seemed, thought. Our con
versation was upon German literature
which the translations of Scott, Coleridg &c
, and others, and the imitation of host
of English writers, were bringing into
fashion. His mind was deeply impreg
mated with its mystic and metaphysical
character. | found him to be a pro
found believer in the widest dreams Of
the Rosicrucian and the demonologist
Our conversation had naturally, al
though almost imperceptibly, driftec
into this channel, and could not helr
remarking the strange forced manner
in which he spoke upon the subject
as though compelled to talk of il
by some occult power against his will
ventured to be skeptical, and shall
never forget the look with which be
turned on me-
Your philosophy" he said, bitterly
"rejects all things that do not come
within the scope of its narrow reason
ings, regardless of the fact that every
object that exists contains within itselt
unsolvable mysteries. OF the nature OF
our souls, of their condition or desti
nation, after they are freed from theii
bodies, we know nothing. Can we con
ceiye eternity can we conceive illimit
able space? space before matter? the
principles of our own being? We know
these things are, but we cannot bring
them within the petty circle of our rea
son. In the face of these mighty mys
teries, and of the yet mightier mystic
ries of the Christian faith, how dare
man arrogantly assert that aught ca,
not be? One of your poets says, 'Wher,
ignorance is bliss, it's folly to be wise.
Wisdom is usually purchased at bite
cost"
There was something in his name
that deeply impressed me, and would
have continued the conversation, bu
he skillfully changed the subject, an,
we were soon deep in the discussion O
the comparative merits of ancient an'
! modern literature. In this agreeabl
: discourse, aided by an excellent supper
: some equally good wine and cigars
! time glided on almost imperceptibly.
It was just upon the stroke of lively
:. when I wished him good night. AS
opened the door, l fancied heard
? sound like the rustling of a woman
: dress. Thinking it was Mrs. Adams
= !. who was the only female in the house
y coming up to speak to me, turned m
head; but there was no one upon til
landing or on the staircase. The SCUM
: passed me, and there was futter i
:. the air, as though It were disturbed b
y some moving body. Following its SUI
: posed direction, my eyes fell upon Ko
= . ner. In few seconds CHASTITY chang
:, = had fallen upon him. His face W;
:. = deadly pale, his eyes fixed with loo
e of horror, his hands convulsively clutcl
- ing the arms of the chair upon whic
" he sat. was advancing to him, thinl
ing he was i'll, when hand laid upe
my shoulder held me back. I turne
e. and saw the German servant, who
le word and gesture requested my absenc
IN The next moment found myself on
st side the door, and heard the key turn,
10 in the lock.
ID A week elapsed, during which l al
ae Korner never once met. | had be.
ne hard at my books, had complete
er shaken off my late superstitious terro
p, retaken to skepticism, and had the
'e, oughly made up my mind that t
Mt German was the victim of some paint
all disease, of which | had witnessed t
p paroxysms.
1t was the night of the ball, which