Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-10-14
flistelIang.
Prom the Gentleman's Magazine.
'KASPER HAUSER.'

On the 26th OF May. in the year 1928.
a citizen of the ancient town Of Nureln'
berg, standing at his own door drinking
in the pure evening air through long
tobacco pipe. beheld advancing towards
him a youth OF singular aspect. The
object OF the citizens iesarl was "'liFed
in pan,aoons oil gray cloth. waistcoat
of spotted red material much the worse
for wear, aud jacket which had plainly
seen service rs the upper part of irock
coat. Round the youths neck was a
black silk neckcloth, his head was rOoied
by "a coarse felt hat, aud the toes OF his
>,ockiEgless Iect peeped forth from 4 pair
ol heavy boots, which. like each OF the
other articles OF his motley attire, had
never been designed FOR the use OF the
present wcarer. More singular than his
medley of clothing were his motions.
which, though NO, those of drunken
man. rcSembled them. iusomuch that
the Youths spiri, was evidently willing 10
gain the other end of the street, his flesh
truly was weak, and as 10 the legs
altogether ugovclnabIe The citizen
Noticed with amazcmcEt that they gave
way alternately rs the weight OF the
+ Youths body rested upon tbem IL turns
il hI, painful cudea,urs 90 progress. aud
that They showcds disposition To dlSper"e
/ in any direction save that in which the
owner desired 20 proceed. The youths
progress being under these circumstances
necessarily slow. the citizen advanced,
aud giving him greeting. inquired II he
might in any way aid him. The youth
answered in ill.prouounccd German, i
would be n rider ~ my father was and
held out letter which hc carried in hi
hand. aul which was addressed To hs
llouor the Captain of the 4lh Esgatarm
oi the Shwolishaz Regiment, Nuremberg.
The good citizen offered 10 guide him to
The captains quarters, ard would have
be.uilcd the WAY with cnnvrr iaton. But
To all las observations The strange youth
uSwetcd only. i would be a rider aS my
father was and his inlerlocuIor. pres
emily arriving Mt the conclusion that the
youth With Tie weak legs must he tor
eiguer. desisted from further attempts at
conversation Arrived at the captains
house. the youth presented the letter to
the servant. and piteously pointing TO his
swollen feet, moaned his moan, Il would
DO rider as nv father was The SER
want falling. a. the citizen had failed, TO
get any iulthcr speech irom him. admitted
him 10 the kitchen, pending his masters
return, aud being touched bY his sorrow
. tai condition placed meat and beer before
him. The youth eagerly seized piece
of the meat and jhrus II into his mouth;
bat scarcely bad i, touched his lips than
f he shook from head 10 foot, the muscles
ol his lace became horribly cOnvulsed,
and he spat out the morsel with every
taken of disgust. Similar symptoms
/ following upon his tasting the beer, the
captains servant. not iceiing altogether
a, home in The company ot 50 singular n
youth. cautiously conducted him to The
stable, where he lay down upon The straw
aud instantly fell asleep.
On the captains return the letter was
handed 10 him, with an account of the
bearers conduct, which lost nothing OF
us siusulariy in the reporting. The
mi>siye, on being opened, Was found TO
ue dated with some indehniteness, From
a place near the Bayarian frontier which
shall Oc namcless, 1925 The letter
proceeded To set forth that tho bearer was
lett in the house of the writer on the 9Th
of October, 1912, and that be bad never
been able TO discover who the waits
mother was. The writer added that he
himself was poor day laborer, with ten
children. and but little wherewilh 10
maintain them; that he had never per.
miIled the lad to take step ont OF his
house, and that he was thus in total igno.
rance uf its locality, and so, good hr.
Captain need not try to lind out The
letter concluded by commcnding the
bearer to the captains care, but adding
That if he did not desire to keep the boy
he might kill him or hang him up in the
chimney This mysterious episIle was
written in German characters, but
enclosed was note written in Latin,
enjoning the captain to send the boy
when he was seventeen years OF age to
L. Nuremberg to the 9th Regiment of Light
Horse, for there his father also was.
!; Here was delicate aud a dangerous
position for II captain of Light Horse. and
| married man withal. to be placed in
But the captain of the 4th Esgatarm was
| man of action, and straightway pro.
ceeded To the stable. determined to get al
! the bottom of what was most probably
= the weak invention OF some female
enemy. In this intention he was, how
ever hopelessly baffied Whenever be
paused Tor reply to his volley of ques-
. ,ions his guest answered only, Il would
be rider as my father was words ol
| whose meaning he seemed to have no
more intelligent conception than had
Poe's raven or the 'Evermore' 1t VAS
won, to croak from it, position on the
palIid bust of Pailas just above the poets
l.. li.,