Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-07-12
[Concluded from First page !


bowling OF the wind-contrived in some
ingenious and Jesuitical manner, to re.
mind me, directly or indirectly, of the
coming examination-though the hints
were generally of so subtle a nature that
only candidates nervous fancy could
have taken them. Even the conductor.
when he came along and coolly demand
ed my ticket, threw me into state OF alb
ject despair by delicately intimating.
through the medium of my Saxon pronun'
citation. that the exact date of the inva.
sion of England by lleugist and Horsa
had slipped out of my memory. Thus
the day wore on, and evening came, and
was looking forward to a sleepless and
wearing night OF mental worry, when we
brought up at small junction, where we
were TO change cars for Berlin.
"We've missed the connection, sir, on
account of the storm. The train for Ber-
lin left an hour ago." said my friend to
the conductor. The next train doesn I
start until ten O'Clock tomorrow morn
ing"
Any one but man travelling to an eX-
animation would have sworn at this delay.
l did not swear, and was undoubtedly
eanonized as saint by the conductor,
who evidently expected an outburst in
stead OF the Trinkgeld he received. And
yet 1t was fact; the state OF the case
looked hopeless enough. If it had showed
on the high lands, it was raining and
blowing down here on the plain. The
station-a little brick building-stood
alone by itself, and. before | could reach
the shelter of its roof, | felt that the rain
had discovered and entered every crevice
in my outside garments.
In the house | found an apology for a
restaurant, tended by man with his face
tied up for toothache, which had proba-
bly, been brought on by a too liberal in
diligence in his own stock-the meanest,
Notwithstanding collection of eatables
that ever tempted hungry public to buy.
Ordering, for forms sake, glass OF beer
(which was handed me warm fat, be-
gan TO question this individual with as
much civility as could possibly effect for
such palpable imposter. Were there
any beds to be bad in the station No.
Were there any omnbuses or other con-
veyances TO take passengers to the town.
No. How far was the town? Twenty
minutes. Could / find good lodgings
thereP Yes. Could he send some one to
show me the wayP He could-and
small boy, OPPORTUNITY appearing at the
moment, was Immediately commissioned
by his father (for such deemed The tooth.
achv man TO be) to serve as my guide.
So this urchn and | plunged into the
storm together. We got along swim
mingly literally and figuratiyely.
The boy proved 10 be loquacious, and
gave me a list with commentaries, OF the
different inns in the town. OF course,
there were the "Golden Lion" the "Wild
Boar" and the "Black Bear" to choose
from, for every German town, no matter
how small. always has full menagerie
in the names OF its hostelries. Then there
was the ''Star," noted for its pancakes,
my guide remarked, recOmmeDdingly.
This little clause decided the question.
chose the "Star."
Judging from the proceedings that fol-
lowed, | should say that the Star" was
the centre of planetary system Of its
own OF which my young friend was
gravitating satellite; for we approached
IT, as 1t seemed 10 me, in series of grad
ually-decreasing circles. Now / saw the
lights OF the town, dimly blinking through
the rain, on our right, now on our LETT,
then IN front OF us, then behind US, until
at last ! gave up in despair, and obsti-
nately fixed my eyes on my little guides
heels. did not look up again until we
circled into the market-place and brought
up at the door of the inn.
A few minutes after was comfortably
drying myself before the fire in the guests
room, and the attentive landlord was him.
self setting the table for my supper, which
was soon brought In hot and savory. I'm
fortunately, was too tired and depressed
10 do ii Justice. Even the famous pam
cakes threw out their appetizing odorif-
erousness in vain. 1t was with a sigh of
relief that ! saw the table cleared of every
thing except my bottle Of Rudesheimer
and accompanying wineglass. Then for
the first time during the day, / expert
enced feeling akin to comfortableness.
The warm coziness of the room, the cheer
full buzz produced by the voices of the
other guests as they related village Cos
sip over their beer, the excellence of the
Rudesheimer, and the reaction that inYa-
riably follows low spirits, all united in
throwing me into delicious state OF Ian
guor that knew no future and no past.
1t was queer old place this guests
room of the ''Star," with smoothe polish
ed, substantial, old-fashioned tables and
chairs, its great rafter-beams, indistinctly
seen through cloud of tobacco-smoke,
its sanded floor. and its big roaring fire.
place and chimney. On the walls hung
the standard German pictures. There, in
the center is William, emperor by the
grace of God, helmet on head, and sword
IN hand, seeming the battle from afar I;
on his right and left are the crown prince
and Prince Frederick Charles, bolh en-.
voloped in smoke and flame, the former
leaning on a cannon and sweeping the red
horizon with field-glass, the latter
mounted on war-horse, which is rearing
with the double purpose of exhibiting its
riders cavalry seat and saving its own
legs from an approaching cannon ball.
Over the emperor is Bismarck. His splen-
did head and frontal development are con-
cealed by huge cuirassier's helmet, from
beneath the visor of which his little blue
eyes peer forth keenly, while his jaw ex-
hibits squareness and protrusiveness
that would strike envy to the soul of Guy
Livingstone himself. Underneath Is
Moltke, the least manufacturing OF them
all, slightly inclining forward his head as
if dismissing an orderly with one of the
courteous bows for which he is famous.
This is the quintet that is TO be seen in
every patriotic inn from one end of Ger.