The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-03-06
tFrom the st. Louis Republican,
FITz BlMLER'S CHARM.

of South st. Louis. The name is a
little odd, and it designates an odd
sort of a man. But Bimler is q fam
lily man, and prosperous one, and
) his idiosyncrasies have generally
: been overlooked, in consideration of
his many admirable qualities as man
and citizen, in which relations he
: sustains worthy part. Bimler was
an industrious man, in his way, and
managed to provide literally for his
wife, children and cats, of which last
he always kept large number about.
He had his weakness, else how could
he be man of genius, which he was.
Now, his admiration for black cats,
strange and unaccountable as it was,
is not his only foible. Bimler had
an idea that, somewhere in nature
there were elements, which, if rightly
employed, would enable one man to
read the thoughts of another. It is,
or rather it was, a favorite theory of
his that he should one day find this
valuable property of matter, and have
his name blazoned hs a scientist of
great renown. This thought was the
darling offspring of his mind, and
Fritz Bimler drew the foaming drink
of Gambrinus, talked with his custo-
mers, fed his cats and was happy
But poor innocent that he wasl In
his moments of exaltation he had un-
Willingly revealed all his aspirations
to his next neighbor, Hans.Hirscher.
What evil came of that revelation the
sequel will show.
The facts were not propitious to
poor Bimler. When he found his
magic charm he said he would "Yust
know dot fellar which would do to
drust not mooch; und den he would
yust schtop off and not give him no
trink of peer" It was to be useful
as well as scientific, this charm Of
Bimler's search.
Now, things after while didn't
run smooth in the Bimler household.
There came q pleasant-faced, fair
haired Saxon youth to Bimler's
"gasthaus" and made his home there.
In process Of time he learnedto be
suspicious and thought ''Dot oder
feller, he stay too mooch NIT mein
frau-I no like dot" Now, if
there was one thing in all nature
capable of creating an intense feeling
of unrest in the mind of Hans Hir-
scher that one thing was a cat. 1t
was matter of infinite satisfaction
that he heard of his friends awaken
ed suspicious, So he proceeded to
practice on that friends credulity.-
He suggested a discovery he had
made, and wished Bimler to try the
experiment, and if successful they
would then enlighten the world
Hans hada motive, but he kept it to
himself, while he proceeded to reveal
to his distressed neighbor the exist
ence of a powerful charm which would
enable him to oTead the deepest secrets
Of others. We now approach the Sc
quel. The two friends were snugly
seated over a glass of lager in BIN
ler's saloon. They discussed the
whole subject. The tragedy came in
afterwards, then the farce.
Hirscher revealed to Bimler under
a most solemn promise of secrecy
that if he would catch black cat at
midnight, and without binding it or
in any manner lettering its freedom
of action, lay it on its back and cut
its heart out, then pluck out its left
eye, that these charmed members Of
the feline system if applied to the
right eye and left temple of any
sleeper it would cause them to reveal
all their secrets. It was accepted as
an act of devoted friendship this rev.
elation of Hans Hirscher, and Fritz
thought that such good news would
give him and his friend an appetite for
another glass of lager AS they sip
ped the foaming beverage Hans said:
81 yust dells you, Fritz, dot will
reveal eberydings NIT your frau
"Dot is eberydings for mich I dells
you. l yust don't likes poorly much
vot dat oder fellar likes mine frau"
$50, den yust you do vat hate
dells you"
"In die mitternacht?"
"Ya, yust So"
And the two friends parted.
That night Fritz, Bimler watched
his cats with u painful interest. Old ]
Lutzow, the patriarch among all the
screechers of that vicinage, |
and the favorite caterwauler of his
master, the night-wakener, whose ]
dissonant tones had disturbed the I
fairest dreams Of sfumbers for mile
round, was to be the sacrifice. In
fact, when old Lutzow was ON the
prowl no earthly sound could match
his terrible cries. But his master
him as a priceless posses
sion now. That cat, which had so ,
long distressed the neighborhood,
was to bring comfort to his master at :
last.
Wicked Hans, to plot the death Of .
SO noble howler as old Lutzow. But ,
the doom of the old cat was fixed. q,
Sly Bimler caught his pet in closet ,
by a treat of cheese, and closed
the door on his prisoner. Lutzow :
was to be sacrificed to the frienzied /
folly of his master, to appease the {
of his worst enemy. Hans !,
rejoiced. Bimler was sad, and Lut- :
zow, through the long hours, sang :
MS death-song. !
Midnight came at last. Lutzow in t
MS prison-closet didn't dream of the q
hours when he had walked Hans /
Hirscher from his slumbers; but he t
sang at the top of his voice the iden- 4
ical song which he used to sing all \
,round Herr Hirscher's domicile. - {,
Frau Bimler slept the peaceful sleep il
q Aka fnnaoorA r,~If1n Io,-,- 1ls.,1hv