The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-11-22
A RHINE LEGEND.
EMS.

| EMS.
The watering place, Ems, is prettily
| situated on the river Lain, hemmed in
between it and the cliffs of the Baeder-
| ley, which recede from the waters edge
only far enough to allow room for row
of houses. 1t is neither town nor vii
lage, but a collection of lodging houses,
/ with the Rurhaus in the midst In the front
Of them runs the high road, and between
it and the river q long, narrow strip of
garden, forming a sort of terrace by
the water-side, and serving as a prom
enade for the guests. A band of music
| plays here morning and evening, to the
| tune of whose instruments the guests
tlgest their potations of spa water.
Those who are ambitious to extend their
walks beyond this, unless they confine
| themselves to the borders of the beauti-
| full Lain, must begin Immediately to
ascend, SO near at hand are the hills.
The place is very hot in summer, from
being shut in with the hills; but the
woods around afford shade, and in
| quarter of an hour the SUBMITS of the
mountains may be scaled, whence the
rambler may enjoy The pIirest breezes
and most expanded views of Rheinland.
Many years ago, when travelling
| through the mountainous scenery of
Rhelnland, [ ehanced to remain for
some time at that pleasant watering
place, Ems. During my stay, 7 made
the acquaintance of an aged German
named Paul Haller. He was man pos
sessed of kindly disposition, albeit of
a thoughtful-or what some persons
would designate a somber and meIan-
chol y-temperament. Very rarely in
| deed was he to be seen I'D any entertain
ment of a festive character. I can not
describe him better than by saying that
| his was a nature both tender and
| thoughtful. 1t is easy enough to pick
up companions or associates at Ems. or
other German watering places, where
one sees such diversity of character
such picturesque groupings of the great
human family-that one is enabled to
take novel view of life. Soon after nv
| first meeting with Haller. a party of ex-
curslonlsts arrived at Ems, and, like
most slght-seers were prodigal in their
| description of the wonders witnessed
during their travels We were made ac-
| qualnted with the fact that they were
| but recently returned from Bohemia,
and were favored with glowing de-
scription of certain caverns they had Wis
| tied. Paul Haller listened to the con-
versation; but I could see by the ex-
preston of his countenance that the
words uttered by the party had marked
effect upon him. Toward evening, when
we were alone together, he heaved
deep-drawn sigh, and said, s'Those peo-
pie have opened a wound afresh. / have
! good reason to remember the caves about
which they were discoursing SO pleas
antly."
Nnr 1alA
eff you care to listen to the nara
tive, will tell you," he observed, SEN
| tentiously, "and then you will know
why it is that am the moody, melan-
! choly man you see me-
OF course I at once assented to his
proposal, and, after little hesitation.
he proceeded to narrate the following
story of
! HUNTED BEAR.
You Will not be much cheered by the
account of my trials and sufferings,
which had so sad an ending" said Haller;
"but there IS, to q certain extent, at all
times melancholy pleasure in making
known ones secret griefs or troubles
| to a sympathizing friend like yourself
Many, many years ago [ was staying
with a fellow student named Marcus,
in a lovely valley in Bohemia. I
was the accepted sritor of his sister,
karine, who was my first, my last, and,
/ indeed, my only love. During my visit
we had made many little pleasant excur-
sions, for 1 was not then the gloomy
misanthrope you know now. One day
it was arranged for party of us to go
to the cave, of which you have already
had description. So one fine, glorious
summer afternoon we found ourselves,
| oft ~ Oh
standing before the wild and
jagged rocks of its entrance. Our
party consisted of myself, an English
gentleman named Nettlefold, my college
chum Marcus, Karine, and her sister
Agat-the last-named being fair
haired, bright-eyed little girl of IL, who
was, of course, child-hke, delighted at
being permitted to accompany us upon
such an expedition. While we were
waiting for the party to assemble, a
feeling of depression came over me. I
was all at once subject to a strange pre-
sentiment of evil, which, alas 1 after
ward found was but too well grounded.
Marcus, who was much better acQuaint-
ed with the nature of the subterraDean
caverns than any of us, struck light,
| with which he ignited three torches.
One of these he gave TO me, another to
Mr.. Nettlefold, and the last he carried
himself. We then entered the hateful,
odious cavern, and proceeded to climb
over the rough blocks of stone heaped
one upon another at its base. On the
left, the adjacent caves frowned on US,
and our lights failed to penetrate their
gloomy recesses. need not enter into
any heightened description of the ap-
earance of the several caverns. as YOU
have already received an account of them
from the party who have so recently ar
rived at Ems
"Of course, am ready to admit the
wondrous effect of the stalactites con-
tanned therein these possess a charm
for the excursionist, but they have none
for me. / do not usually indulge in idle,
groundless fears, but must, nevertheless,
frankly confess that soon after our first
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