The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-04-10
VOLUME l.
MISCELLANY.

MISCELLANY.
THE SECRET OF THE SPRING.
The thermal waters of Spinbronn, sit
uated in the Hundsruck, several leagues
from Pismasens, formerly enjoyed q
magnificent reputation. The savage as
pect of the country did not prevent peo-
pie afflicted with disease from coming
from all parts of Germany to test
the efficacy of its springs. They lodged
in the pretty cottages at the bottom OF
the defile; they bathed in the cascade,
which fell in large clouds of foam from
the SUBMITS of the rocks; they drank
one or two glasses of mineral water a
day, and the doctor Of the place, Daniel
Haselnoss, who distributed his prescrip-
tions dressed in peruke and in chestnut
colored clothes, did an excellent busi-
ness.
To-day the waters of Spinbronn figure
no longer in the dispensatory in this
poor village only miserable wood cutters
are to be seen, and, sad thing 10 say, DR..
Haselnoss has departed.
All this resulted from a succession of
very singular events, which the Council
lor Bremen, of Pirmasens. related to me
the other evening.
II.
You know, Master Frantz," said he
to me, " that the source of the Spinbronn
comes from kind of cavern about five
feet high and from twelve to fifteen feet
wide; the heat of the water is sixty-sev-
ven degrees centigrade; it is saline. As
regards the cavern, which is covered on
the outside with moss, stones, and brush
wood, the depth of it is not known,
since the thermal exhalations which
come from it efectually prevent any one
from penetrating it.
However, singular thing had been
remarked, that since the last century
birds of the surrounding districts had
disappeared in great numbers-thrushes,
doves, hawks-and people were in doubt
to what mysterious influence this should
be attributed.
ain 1901, during the season Of the
waters, by some inexplicable reason the
source became more abundant, and the
bathers who were one morning walking
below upon the green turf saw falling
from the cascade a human skeleton,
white as the driven snow.
You may judge, Master Frantz, Of
the general fright: it was naturally be-
Iieved that a murder had been commit
ted some preceding year at Spinbronn,
and that the BODY of the victim had been
thrown into the spring. But the skele-
ton did not weigh more than twelve
pounds, a d Haselnoss concluded from
| this that it must have been buried in
the sand for more than three centuries
to have become SO reduced to this state
of desiccation.
"This very plausible reasoning did
not prevent a number of bathers, dis
gusted with having drank of the saline
water, from departing at the close of the
day. Those who were seriously i'll con-
soled themselves. But the downfall con-
tanned of debris, of lime and of detritus
was disgorged in the following days; q
veritable ossuary descended from the
mountain; skeletons of animals of al
sorts-of quadrupeds, of birds, of rep
tiles-in short, all that which horrible
fancy could conceive.
"Haselnoss Immediately wrote an ar
ticle demonstrating that all these bones
belonged to an antediluvian period tina
they were fossils which had been accum
ulating since the universal deluge-tha
is, four thousand years before the birtf
of Christ-and that consequently they
should be regarded as veritable stones
which indeed they really were. Scarce
ly had the remaining invalids becom,
reassured by this explanation when tn,
body of fox and then that of a dove
with all its feathers, fell from the cas-
eade.
Impossible to assert that these re
mains were anterior to the deluge. Th'
disgust was now so great that all has
tened to prepare for final departure.
"' How HORRIBLE cried the fine ladies
Shocking! This is what causes tn
virtue of these mineral waters. All
sooner die than be cured by such rem
edy.'
"At the end of eight days there re
mained at the Spinbronn only larg
Englishman afflicted with the gout i
both hands and feet, who was called 81
Thomas Hawerburch, Commodore, an,
who lived in much style and with grea
retinue of servants, according to the Gus
tom of British subjects in strang
country. This person, large, corpulen
with horid complexion, but with hi
; hands literally knotted up with the gou
udu Vi lllO uSCOCllOH SkS1elO
for the benefit of his health. He laughe
much at the desertion of the other il
> valids, and installing himself in th
prettiest chalet, half way down the hill
announced his intention of passing tt
winter at Spinbronn."
= Here the Councillor Bremen absorbe
slowly large piece of tobacco in ordC
to quicken his recollections, and shakin
out the ruffles of his shirt with the Ell
of his finger, continued:
Give or six years before the revolt
tion of 1889, young physician of Pi
III masens, named Christian Weber, ha
n departed for Santo Domingo in the hol
e of making fortune there. He hs
Is amassed about one hundred thousar
ST francs in the exercise of his professio
n when the revolt of the negroes broI
10 out.
If at is unnecessary for me to recall
l. your mind the barbarous treatment whit