Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-02
THE MUMMY OF GOTTINGEN.


a rude table at his elbow were assem-
bled the ittis appliances necessary to
his comfort, on the evening of this, his
first day of office-a huge jug Of beer
and an ample tobacco pouch.
what shabby, loose slippers covered
with roses in carpet-stitch, the work of
of some good Bertha or Matilda, and
smoking cap with long tassel, which
hung down over a thoughtful, contem-
plative face-a face that should have
belonged to studious professor, rather
than to man whose calling led him
into the busy walks of life.
Rath Marquardsen was young man,
little over thirty; his talent had raised
him thus early to the honorable position
he held in Gottingen. 1t seemed to
him but yesterday that he was student
in the venerable university, taking notes
of the lawyers lectures in the great saai
of the college, or strolling the streets
arm-in-arm with his chosen comrade,
the captain of the Prussian corps, their
white and green caps stuck jauntily on
their heads, and their great dogs follow
ing closely. The streets were as full of
Russians, red-capped Vandals, and yell
low-crested Swabians as ever they sang
the old drinking songs, in their rich
voices, bass and alto and mellow tenor,
SO sweet that the rath was fain to pause
moment in his administration of jus.
tice, while the singers streamed past the
windows of the courthouse.
The books he used to study were piled
in confusion on the floor Of his parlor,
L. L. l..
trunk on the day of his arrival. He
had neither wife nor sister to arrange
them for him, so there they would in
all probability remain.
He was halfminded to refresh him.
self with little reading, but was too
lazy to get up and fetch book.
Just then came knock at his door,
.'Herein y called Rath Marquardsen,
and the old clerk of the courthouse en-
tered, staggering under the weight of
pile of old musty volumes.
You babe me clean out the drawers,
and bring you these old books to look
over, Herr Rath,'' said the clerk.
Here they are, the records of justice in
Gottingen for the last hundred years.
Surely your worship won't be troubled
to read those old things? Better let
me throw them into the stove"
And ne tossed the books upon the
table, with a gesture of disdain.
But the rath regarded them with very
different eyes.
Pray leave them there" cried he,
spreading his hands over them, as
though to guard treasure. "Ah, that
will do. Wilt thou try my beer and to-
baeco 2"
The clerk went away muttering, when
the herr rath has been as long about the
court as l have been, he will not care
for law books out of business hours
Antiquity had an immense charm for
the rath; the worm eaten calf-skin bind
ings, blackened edges of the leaves, and
musty smell of the ancient books, helped
him to call up the vanished generations
who had used them. They began to
pass before the eye of his fancy in shad.
owy rows, reacting the tragic or tranquil
scenes of their little day on earth.
Therefore, the moment the clerk was
gone, he drew the lamp near him, and
began to turn over the yellow pages Of
the records.
They were not particularly interest
ing. Most of them were meagre notes
of trials, compressed into as few words
as possible; but at length, in examining
the very oldest book of all, he came
upon an entry which interested him 81
much that he read it over and ovel
again. This page was headed, T" Tria
Of Jacob Winterwerb for Forgery" anC
at the bottom of the leaf was pasted
sheet of crumpled letter-paper, closel.
written in curious, grabbed, but sufh
GENTLY legible hand.
Our bookworm pounced upon thi
ancient manuscript as a gold-digge
might pounce upon nugget, or goul
mand upon chef d euvrs of Seyer. Put
ting on his specialization, like man
Germans, he was troubled with veal
eyes-he began to read the faded yelloV
writing.
Aug. 7, 1751.-I have returned hom
after long, tiresome day in the court
house commenced the manuscript
but. weary although l am, | cannc
sleep; cannot forget the events of TIL
day. A strange gloom hangs over ms
A fearful curse, which was uttered !
my hearing, keeps obtruding itself uro
my memory, and some power that al
totally unable to control or resist, in
pels me to write it down.
Yet surely it was enough that the r
cording angel should mark Jacob VIII
terwerb's imprecation must his fellow
sinner record it, too? As rath OF 60
tingen, have had to try my old neigl
Dor Jacob for the bark crime of forger.
1t was hard for me to try him, but tn
extreme hardness of my case is, that
still believe him to be guilty, slthoug
his countrymen have acquitted him.
l have had more opportunity for o.
serving his daily conduct than any oth'
man in Gottingen, and what have n
ticed makes me fear he has forswor
himself to-day, "He would plead b
own cause-he would defend himself
Yes, he was quite clever enough to G
it we'll We were boys together, Jacc
and L, and, wicked though he be, be-
him kindness still. / cannot endul
to let my mind dwell upon his etern
lossl am impelled to write it dow
Probably every one else who was presel