Litchfield enquirer., 1874-11-26
At midnight we pass through a little viii


 lage, all asleep, where I call halt of twenty minutes, and bathe my feet at the town fountain, rubbing: them afterwards with little whiskey, and then, for fear of becoming stiff. move about while munehing cracker. By half-past twelve we are well under way again. I shave made about twenty one miles so far.
 How quiet everything is! We do not meet a person, or see light, ln any Of the quaint old towns through which we pass.
 Just after sunrise we pass through the town where Kepler the astronomer was born, being, perhaps, the first strangers who have seen the statue to him, which has only been unvailed within the week. Lobenstien would like to stop for break fast, but, as call no halt, is obliged to keep on, reluctantly, enough. Six-forty we pass through Hengstett. am one hour and forty minutes ahead of Harry's time! Half an hoar later call halt for breakfast at the pretty little village of Hirscau.
 l doubt whether any of our party are better pleased at the stop than the horse is. We take our breakfast-eggs. cold meat, black bread, and most nauseating connection of beans, called cofee-at the ''Waldhorn," opposite the ruined monas- tery: that over,I I bathe my feet, rub them, and put on 8 fresh pair of woolen socks; then turn in for an hours nap, Jim promising to wake me promptly. He pounds me we'll first, as show him, us ing the sides of his hands as in Russian bath, then goes out to telegraph progress to Harry.
 Jim calls me promptly when the hour is p,and I go to the door of the inn, feeling somewhat stiff and tired,-go out to find the whole populace waiting to see the wonderful American, and Franz holding forth to them, telling some of the most atrocious lies he can concoct. All are there, from the schoolmaster to the vil- lage idiot. My walklng-costume, which they suppose to>be the national dress of my benighted country, is examined with great interest. The dominic is the spokes- man, and asks many questions. The worthy man cannot be made to compre- bend that am walking because l prefer 1t. Have heard of the new railroad? why, then don't come that way? 1 real iy prefer to walk. Unmitigated amaze. ment at this from the populace, who be- gin to think am insane: some move of The schoolmaster shakes his head sol emnly: No; but they are strange peo- pie, those Americans.
 Jim has brought round the wagon, with a new horse; and Franz, lighting fresh cigar,-say the sixteenth since we started, gets in. The smell of it is tantalizing enough to me; but know better than to waste my breath that way: those hills ahead will take all the wind I can spare. I solace myself, however, with glass of sherry. and offer one to the dominic, who raises his hat to me as he drinks, wishing me prosperous journey. The populace salute us with the usual "Gruss di Gott!" as we start.
 It is pine-woods, the true black forest, all the way now, up and down hill, with only occasional patches of open road. A fraction less than thirty miles from Ba- den, and about ten hours to do it in. I walk heavily at first: but. twenty minutes later, am we'll imbered up, and doing a little better than three and half miles. This pace keep up, till. at eleven thirty, we reach CaImbach
 Here Jim drives on alone to Wildbad to telegraph Harry again; while Franz walks with me to the foot of the Dobel, which I propose to cross, thus saving the long road round the base. We leave Wildbad at the left striking directly out for the hill, which rises in front. Jim with the wagon meets us as we emerge from the footpath, and he and Franz change places; the former making the as- cent with me, while the latter is to drive round, and meet us at the other side. It is long, hard pull up that hill; and Jim is glad to find the horse waiting at the foot, after we cross. I feel the climb ma- terially, and would be glad to take little drive myself. A glance at my blue rib bon sets all such feelings at rest, however, and I step out as we'll as can. A half hour brings us to the village of Herre- nalb.
 Now, how do we stand? It is about one twenty, and Baden still sixteen miles away. do not thiEk that can afford to halt there for dinner, but leave Jim in the wagon at the "Ox," while Franz again ac- companies me on foot munch a crack CT as walk. Jim is not long about his dinner, and soon overtakes us; and Franz gets in again.
 So we go,-quietly now; for I am get ting pretty well tired, and don't feel up to much conversation. Lobenstien smokes: Jim ruminates, and glances often at his watch. l am evidently going slow CT; and three miles an hour seem harder now than four did at first.
 At ten minutes of five exactly, we cross the bridge over the Murg into Gernsbach By my shortcut over the hills, Baden lies distant only five miles. The prospect seems good. Jim and strike out into our little moGntain-path.
 It is pretty rough walking this, for man so exasperatingly tired as l am: but at the top of the hill we strike from our path to the carriage-road again; and Franz is there very soon after us.
 It is five minutes past six when we reach the summit, and catch glimpse of the city away in the valley below us. Now down!
 feel myself getting somewhat nervous as I stride down the hill, which to my i'm patience seems almost interminable. Jim, from his seat in the carriage, seems even more SO, as he gives me the time every five minutes.
 Down, at last, and walking over the cobble-stones of the lower part of the city. ''Seventeen minutes" Jim says as cross the bridge, and, leaving the cobble-stones, with fendish delight make short ''spurt' to come up in style. r..
 A moment more, and the Kursaal is in sight. see party seated there. and tall man in uniform, twisting big blonde mustache, Another moment, and the party have caught sight of us, and are futtering a whole row of handkerchiefs.
 It is exactly nine minutes of seven when I put foot on the terrace. Ladies, good evening.-Baron, have the honor to keep my appointment. Then sink into the nesrast chair; while all crowd round, and congratulate. 1 am about used up, and don't hear much what they say; but Ada rewards me sufficiently for all by some murmured remark, which I alone catch, and in which she calls me, for the first time since I have known her, by my first name. Then Harry takes me m charge, and drives me rapidly to the ho- tel, where he has prepared room for me. It has been close shave; but have won.
 For two days following, I was getting over my fatigue, receiving attention most unusual from everybody, whenever showed myself. Two days of sleeping. and being doctored by Harry, who was a most efficient nurse. On the evening of