Litchfield enquirer., 1874-11-26
From Old and New.l 4GtsTf
 AGAINST TiME."
BY ERNEST PAPENDIEX.


 penal code of Japan. Those were pip ing times of peace;" and tie storm which was to break so shortly had given no signs of life.
 It was a terrace of large hotel in South Germany, summer hotel in little wa tsFing-place near large capital The opening day of the season the band play ed in the gardens for the first time. Our little party-three American Students, and like number of young German cavalry oficers-was the remnant of 8 much larger one which had never let a Wednesday slip away, the season before, but had in- variably met on this terrace to listen to the music, and afterwards join the dan cers inside. We started with the deter imitation of doing likewise this season.
 Our conversation had been of very versatile nature. Many subjects had been taken up and laid aside, when our ''heavy man," Second Lieut.. Won Hayn, looking down the road, espied an officer of infantry walking along, and ''thanked God he was in the cavalry
 He said it with so much satisfaction for his own lot, and so much commiseration and real pity for the luckless infantry man in his voice, that it struck us as very ludicrous. Jim Wade asked him why he thought himself better off.
 .'Why! doesn't he have to walk, poor devil, while can ride?"
 Certainly. But perhaps your poor ] devil prefers walking" E
 s'Prefers it! We'll, perhaps if he's such fool as that, it's we'll that he is grena- dier."
 Harry Pendleton, who was something of "walkist" himself, here broke in, and l spoke at some length, and with consider able zeal, in favor of walking considered aa a science, of pedestrianism as 8 fine art and ended by asking the company what they thought of hundred-mile walk in less than twenty-four hours,-a feat which Weston had recently accomplished at home.
 The answer came from Baron Won Leur- man, who was of the opinion that such a thing was an impossibility. Even allow ing, for the sake of argument, the feasi- 1 bility of it, he held that any man was an idiot who would undertake it, and should l take great satisfaction in seeing one-half the feat, say fifty miles, In twenty-four hours.
 Harry let himself out at once. Do you mean what you say? Will you risk a bet. that one of us Americans at this ta- ble cannot do more than that?-over hilly country roads too, and not oL carefully prepared track"
 The baron promptly: Certainly, will bet dinner for the party here, that you cannot produce him."
 Harry turned to me in 8 moment. 'sYou have just returned from a walk in the Black Forest How far is it from here to Baden -Baden?' "About seventy miles-not far from that one way or the other by the road; but you can save mile or two here and there by paths in the forest"
 "What sort of q sroad2 Hard walk
 sHilly enough, but pretty fair general H. Comparatively level from here to Well, then very hilly, and often rough, till you reach the Murg. You can save something there by going over the hill, instead of around it to Baden. The short cuts are generally pretty rough Harry was quiet for moment; then, turning to the baron, "I will double the stakes, and increase the distance" he said. -'t0ne of us three (of course, knew he meant himselD shall walk from here to Baden, taking any road that he may deem best, and shall step on the Kursaal ter race there within twenty-four hours from the time of starting from the Konigbau here, or lose."
 "I accept" said the baron, "on the condition that the trial takes place be- tween the 10th and 2Oth of May. I shall get furlough; and so, believe, can Lo- benstein," turning to the officer, who had not spoken as yet.
 '.I think I shall be able to get away then," he answered, land should enjoy this immensely. I have been promising myself @ trip to Baden anyway; and this episode will be sure to make it enjoyable Is it bargain, gentleman" "It is.''
 "Tm agreed" ''But what, asked the baron, ''do you mean, MT. Pendleton, by doubling the stakes? I said dinner for the party; what should we six do with dinner for twelve?"
 s.Ask our friends, of course We could make either stagparty. or be joined by six ladies. incline to the latter arrange ment.'" So did we all; and it was decided to choose our company then and there; for, as Jim Wade remarked, the bet being made. the dinner became certainty; for, if Harry failed to name his man, or his man failed to do what was expected of him, of course we dined with Harry. Should he succeed, why, then we should be happy to be the guests of our mutual friend, Won Leurman.
 A hat was placed on the table. and each man threw 8 name into 1t. The result was, Mss Ada Pendleton, Miss Annie TyrelI, Miss Lillie Tyrell, Miss Eva Wade, Miss Alice Gray, Miss Nellie Da- wis. As these names were read out, 1t occur red to me, that conventionality required a chaper0fae on all such occasions. I ex- postulated
 '.Boys, this won't do: we must have some married ladies'"
 'Fact! But who is to be left out?" There was the rub! Finally we decided to put names back in the hat, and let Won Hayn take out one, who should stay at home. I think every one of us breathed hard as he did so; know I felt easier when the paper was unfolded. and Nellie DGVis, in Won Hayn's own handwriting, appeared.
 Rather rough on you too, Won Haynr' was Jim's consoling remark; while the bellicose second lieutenant sat back in his chair, and tried, by nonchalantly curl ing his microscopical mustache, to ap- pear as if he didn't care.
 Mrs. Pendleton's name took the vacant place by unanimous consent to my sug- gestion to that effect
 The demands of Mrs. Grundy were of course satisfied; and, as no one present had any objection to being thirteen at the table, Mrs. Tyrell of Baltimore was also added to the list, we intending to ask her to act as judge, and to receive the pedes- trian at Baden on his arrival.
 ''Garcon!" called Jim Wade. s.Fin up these gentlemen's glasses, and bring me 8 big sheet of paper, and some pens and ink"
 Whats up now. Jim?" asked.
 I'm going to draw up paper, regis tering this bet. and setting down any con ditions which may suggest themselves to any of us. don't propose to lose any chance for feast because something is not regular" We all thought we'll of the idea; and af- ter sunday RuRgestions, and some little