The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-04-26

sunll4ut. DcloIc hdu lNNONtl'o AAiJ
self possession sufficiently to speak, he
sprang 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 sun
shine, gave me strange superstltious
feeling. After long cogitaiion | 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 a fleeting
glance as he passed my window on his
way to the forest. In the mean time L
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
Sohiller's robbers, Mephistopheles, a
Werter, the wild huntsman, Salathiel, a
banished count, and | know not what.
Ensconced behind my window.curtalns,
they waited his passing to catch a
glimpse of him, and the sight of his
strange, gloomy face made them almost
seriously incline to those ideas that had
been but tests before. The object Of
their visit was TO induce me to 90 with
them TO ball that was TO come oil in
fortnight at Southampton But | heroi-
cally resisted all entreaties so they left
me TO my studies in disgust.
Great was my surprise one evening,
lust as the twilight was closing in, at re-
ceiying this message from Mrs. Adams
-! Would Mr. Sefle honor Mr.. Korncr
by his company, and sup with him that
EVENING"" The old lady was all in a
hutter as she Spoke the words. We eX.
changed looks. My curiosity was
aroused to see the sanctorum that none
had beheld, and | instantly accepted.
When | entered the room, felt al
most surprised to find that there was
nothing peculiar in it, except that it
was peculiarly comfortable. Although
the weather was warm, cheerful fire
burned in the CRATE, and three large
lamps illumined every part Of the large,
.ombre room.
~ like plenty of light" he said, after
cordially greeting me; 81 hate dark
Corners
So it seemed, thought. Our con-
versation was upon German literature,
which the TRANSACTIONS Of Scott, Coleridge
and others, and the imitation of host
of English writer's, 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, drifted
into this channel, and could not help
remarking the strange forced manner
in which he spoke upon the subject.
as though compelled to talk of it
by some occult power against his will.
| ventured to be skeptical, and shall
never forget the look with which he
turned on me.
"Your philosophy" he said, bitterly,
"rejects all things that do not come
within the scope Cf its narrow reason.
ings, regardless of the fact that every
object that exists contains within itself
unsolvable mysteries. OF the nature of
our souls, Of their condition or desti-
nation, after they are freed from their
bodies, we know nothing. Can we con.
ceive 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 can
not be? One Of your poets says, where
ignorance is bliss, It's folly 10 be wise
Wisdom is usually purchased at a bitter
COST
There was something in his manner
that deeply impressed me- and would
have continued the conversation, but
he skillfully changed the subject, and
we were soon deep in the discussion of
the comparative merits Of ancient and
modern literature. In this agreeable
discourse, aided by an excellent supper,
some equally good vino and cigars,
time glided on almost imperceptibly.
1t was Just upon the stroke of twelve
when | wished him good night. As |
opened the door, | fancied | heard a
SOunu ike the TuStllHg OF WOllan
dre.s. Thinking it was Mrs. Adams,
who was the only female in the house,
coming up to speak to me, turned my
head but there was no one upon the
landing or on the staircase. The sound
passed me, and there was flutter in
the air, as though it were disturbed by
some moving bo1y. Following its sup
posed direction, my eyes fell upon Kor-
ner. In few seconds CHASTITY change
had fallen upon him. His face was
deadly pale, his eyes fixed with look
of horror, his hands convulsively clutch
ing the arms of the chair upon which
he sat. was advancing to him, think
ing he was i'll, when a hand laid upon
my shoulder held me back. | turned,
and saw the German servant, who by
word and gesture requested my absence.
The next moment | found myself out.
side the door, and heard the key turned
in the lock.
A week elapsed, during which | and
korner never once met. | had been
hard at my books, had completely
shaken off my late superstitious terrors
retaken 10 skepticism, and had thor
oughly made up my mind that the
German was the victim OF some painful