, 1874-04-11
THE SECRET CT THE SPRING.

formerly enjoyed magnificent reputation. Tht
savage aspect Of the country did not prevent
people afflicted with disease from coming from
| all paEts Of Germany to test the efficacy of it,
springs. They lodged in the pretty cottages Al
the bottom Of the dehle; they bathed IN the
cascade, which fell in large clouds Of foam from
the submits Of the rocks; they drank ona or two
glasses OF mineral water day, and the doctor o1
the place, Daniel Hnselnoss, who distributed his
prescriptions dressed IN q peruke and in chest
| nut-colored clothes, did an excellent business.
| To-day the waters of Spinbronn figure nc
| onger in the dispensatory; in this poor village
| only miserable wood-cutters nre to be seen, and,
sad thing to say,
DE-. HAsELHoss HAS DEPARTED!
! All this resulted from succession OF very
singular events, which the Councillor Bremen,
| OF Pirmxsens, related to me- the other evening.
II.
"You know, Master Frantz," said he to me,
that the source OF the Spinbroun comes from
kind OF cavern about five feet high and from
| twelve to fftoen feet vide; the heat Of the
| water is si1tJ-seven 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 il not known, since the
thermal exhalations which como from it effect
ually prevent any one from penetrating it.
"Howeyer. q singular thing had been remark
ed, that since the last century birds Of the sur
rounding districts had disappeared in grest num-
bors, ,-thrushes doves hawk, and people were
in doubt to what mysterious influences this
should be attributed.
In 1901, during the season Of the waters, by
some ine1plicable reason tho source became
more abundant, and the bathers Who wero one
morning walking below upon the green turf saw
falling from the cascade
HUMAN SKELETON,
whito as the driven Dno~.
"You may Judge, Master Frantz OF tho gen.
eral fright; it was naturally behaved that anlur-
der had been committed some preceding year st
Spnbronn. and that the body Of tho victim
had been thrown into the spring. But tho
skeleton dia lot weigh moro than twelve pounds
and Hnsolnoss concluded from this that it m1Bt
lavo been buried IN the sand mora than tAres
centuries to have become reduced to this state
OF desiccation.
"Tlis very plausible reasoning did not pre-
vent number Of bathera, disgusted with haying
drank VI the saline water, from departing at the
close Of the day. Thoae who were seriously III
consoled themselves. But tho downfall con-
tiuued; all THAI which the cavern contained Of
debria, OF lime and OF detritus, was disgorged in
the following days; vezita5ao ossuary descend
ed from the mountain skeletons Of animals of
all sorts, s,-of quadrupeds, OF birds, Of 1eptiles,-
conceive.
..Haseinoss Immediately wrote an article
demonstrating that all these bones belonged to
an antediluvian period; that they wero fossils
deluge-that il, 1900 years before the birth OF
Christ-and that consequently they should be
regarded as veritable stones, which indeed they
really were. Scarcely had the remaining invalidA
become roasgured by this explanation, when the
body OF = fox and then that OF dove,
WITH ALL IT'S TEATuER3,
fell from the cascade.
% tsImpossiblo to assert thst these remains were
anterior to tho de1uge! The disgust vaa now
10 great that all hastaned to prepare for final
departure.
s'.How houible!' cried the fine ladies'.
Shocking! This ls what cauBe5 the virtue OF
these mineral waters! All sooner die than be
cured by such remedy
"At tho end OF eight days there remained at
Spinbronn only largo English1nan afflicted with
the sout in both hands and feet, who was called
Sir Thomas Hawerburch, Commodore. and who
lived in much styl and With great rotinua OF
servants, according to the custom OF British sub
jects in strange country. This persou, large,
corpuient. with = do1id complexion, but with
his hands literally knotted up with the gout
had drank Of the decoction De skeleton for
the benefit OF his health He laughed much at
the desezton Of the other invatids, and, INSTALL
ing himself IN the prettiest e}1le, half way down
the hill, announced hi8 intention OF passing the
winter At Splnbronn.
Hore the Councillor Bremen absorbed slowly q
large piece OF tobacco i'll order to quicken his
reco]lccEons, and shaking out the ruftles OF his
shirt With the end Of his fingers. he continued:
- Tiyo or Elk years. before tho revolution OF
1889 yonng physician Of Pi1masens, namod
CHRISTIAN WEBER,
had departed for Santo Domingo in the hope Of
making fortune there Ho had amassoG about
1O0. 600 frauca in the exercise OF his profession
WHOM the revolt OF the negroes broke out.
"It is unnecessary for no to recall to your
mind the baEbArous treatment WHICH our un-
fortunate compatriots endured at Hayti. Dr..
and to eava portion OF his fortune. In 1901 he
returned to Pirunasens and established himself
ut Spinbronn, where Dr. Hasoinosa sold to him
his house and his practice.
old negress called Agatha - frightful creature,
with = broken nose, lips ~ largo as your
hand, and hex head envoloped in 5 triple
fold OF the most gorgeous co!ored silk
This poor old woman adored red; She
wore earrings in links which fell upon
her Shoulders, aud the mouutaineers OF
Huudsruck came to see her from
elx leagues azound- As for the Doctor. he vas
man largo aud thin, invariably dressed in a
blue Goa. and breeohes made OF deerskin. He
wore lat Of flexible Btraw and top-boots OF
bright yellow upon the front Of which hung tro
tassels Of silver. He said httlo, laughed ner-
vously, and his gray eyes, usually calm and
thoughtful, beaned with singular light at the
ing be took walk il the mountains, leaving his
horse to follow on behind him at will and
chanting, always in the sa1no tone, some air OF
negro melody. This original man brought from
HaYti number Of boxes filed With NJ sorts OF
ODD 1FaEcIS- |
soma black and Soma brown, large as hon's eggs; |
others small and brilliant sparks of hight. He |
seemed to be more Interested in them than in
his patients aud oftentines returnin. from his |
walks no would have the bfim OF his hat filed |
With butterflies
$50 soon As he WIS established in the large |
house of Haeenoes be stocked tho lovcr-court |
with strange fowls-with Darbary geese, with
their scarlet gils with Guinea hens, and with |
d white peacock, perched usually upon the wall |
of tho garden, and who shared, with the uegrezs, |
tho admiration OF the mountalneers.
.If / havo entered too much into details, Mas
ter Frantz, it is because they bring to my mind
the days OF my youth. DR.. Weber was at once
my cousin and my tutor, and upon his return
to Germany had installed me with him at
Spinbronn. Tho black Agatha inspired me at
first with some fear; her irregular features in
terested but repcl1ed mo. However, she was 80
good-natured, she knew so well how to make
swect-cakes, sho hummed with her cultural
voice such strange little songs, clapping her
hands aud keeping time With her large limbs.
that ended b. taking her into my confidence