Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-06-29
Kasper Hauser.
FROM THE FRENCH.

GHdt IHIS UulOIGuudlC bCibe oAOA oN WY
age of twenty-five he may be said to
have hred only four years. From the
day of his birth until he was eighteen,
his fate was such that he knew nothing
of the outer world. He was more igno-
rant than the youngest child. He did
not know that there are flowers in the
fields, birds in the air-that there are
men, and that these men speak, walk,
and laugh or cry at will. He did not
even know that there was sun in the
heavens to give light and warmth. 1t
seems that up to the age of eighteen
Kasper Hauser knew nothing of his fell
low creatures, their joys Or sorrows, and
never saw the light of day. On the 26th
Of May, 1923, Kasper appeared, no one
knew whence, at the gate of the town
of Nuremburg, in Bavaria. He advanc-
ed with uncertain, tottering steps, scarce
lY able to put one foot before the other,
like child walking for the first time.
Soon he fell down in the middle Of the
street, murmuring some inarticulate
sounds. If he could have spoken, the
following words would probably have
fallen from his lips: To-day, for the
first time in my life, | emerge from the
dungeon where l have been since my
birth. [ was not born blind, and yet,
until now [ never beheld the light of
day. [ was not born deaf, and up to
this hour [ never heard sound. Thus,
| know not how to walk, to see, or to
hear. | am almost a man, and yet less
than a child" The laws against vaga-
bonds were very severe at Lunenburg,
and as the wretched being could give no
account of himself, he was arrested and
conducted to the nearest police station.
As he was unable to walk he was car
ried thither The chief of police and
the magistrates interrogated him closely
but could not elicit reply. At last,
writing materials were placed before
him. His eyes sparkled, and taking up
a pen he wrote legibly his name, "Kas-
per Hauser" This circumstance caused
suspicion that he was an imposter, and
until the mystery should be solved, he
was put in the Tower Prison, where all
bcggars and vagabonds were detained
All this time he appeared insensible to
either harshness or kindness. A worthy
man, DR.. Daumer, who followed Kas-
per to prison, begged the jailor to give
the unfortunate youth some food. A
plate of meat and a jug of beer was plac.
ed before him. Kasper, who was seated
in one corner of the cell, looked at these
things with horror, and the sight Of
them so affected him that he was seized
with violent eonvulsions and tainted
away. When he recovered he founG
near him piece of bread and a glass o.
water He eat and drank greedily, and
then fell into q deep sleep. He remain
ed for some days in prison, and was Wis
tied by crowds Of various people-they
brought him toys and dainties. All wer,
disregarded, until on one occasion ;
visitor brought wooden horse. Kaspe
stretched out his hands for this toy Will
longing impatient gestures. On receiv
ing it he clasped it to his bosom, caress
ing the inanimate toy as if he had foun'
a long-lost friend. 1t was supposed h
/, must have once possessed a similar play
, thing, but no clue was found to the mys
terry. Gradually, his eyes became ac
customed to light, and his ears to sound
The noise Of neighboring clock, whie
! at first had seemed inaudible, now caus
ed him such emotion that he could nc
restrain his tears. On one occasion h
{ was taken to a window to see wedding
men playing violins headed the proce'
sion. The noise of these instrument
: struck him still more painfully. Bu
e when he heard a march played by mi
itary band, he tainted away. DR.. Dat
d mer, who took the deepest interest i
;, the case, began to believe it possibl
y y that Kasper might be restored to the 81
ciety of his fellow-men, though it W.
evident that his life had hitherto bee
S passed in utter solitude. The good do
n tor obtained permission to adopt Kaspe
He commenced the education of this bi
J child, and the progress of his pupil W;
: slow. Still, there acds progress, and
:. the course of a year Kasper was able
thread together his recollections of Il
n past, and to relate his melancholy stor
1t This is what he said: II do not kno
I, how long.I existed in my dungeon-I
n, norant OF what day and night slgnlhe
s | could not calculate years. Long aft
| first became aware that ] was ali
a and in closed up room where no O
u came near me, discovered that | W
,e not alone in the world. One day (pe
- haps it was one night a creature,
" man-though l did not then know VIII
man was-entered my dungeon by
a opening | had not before observed.
I'd heard him speak, but the human vol
re was to me an unknown sound.
le brought me my usual daily food-bre
a and water; he also placed before me
ed thing had never beheld. but its sha
! L