The daily gazette., 1877-10-10
ANEEDLEss FRIGHT.

Alexander LapWing was . young man
of great promise. He had graduated at
Harvard (which proved bis muscle, If
mot his mental calibre); he had goodly
account at bank, left there by his dead
and gone father; he had Influential
friends Cfrom thesame' source Chat yield
ed his money! and above all, to his own
benefit, he was really good looking, and
naturally q gentleman in his every >day
walk and associations.
Before settling down to business Alex
anler made up his mind that he would
travel. He would 20 to Europe, and per-
He touched Ireland first, and having
"done Great Britain; he CROSSED over in-
to France thence into Germany, where,
auong other achievements, he thorough
ly explored the Black Forrest thence
southwark amidst the mountains of
Switzerland. Ah this was grand. What
mountains and what LAKES! Noun
tains whose hoary submits were lifted
into the regions OF eternal winter. and
lakes whose CLASSY bosoms reflected
back scenery of the widest and most
enchanting description.
From the little hamlet of kotZenheim
be wandered away alone in the circum~
jacent mountain solitudes. Away up
under the clouds he found beautiful
lake, the water E-of which was clear as
srystal. and being thirety he drank free
ly. After Quenching his thirst he sat
down to examine hisAGuide Book" to
find, if possible, the name and the char
acter of the beautiful lake. He found
il, and-O, mercy he fancied himself a
dead mani He started TO his feet and
tried to throw from his stom ,eh the wa
ter he had drank but it would not come
up. With eager desperation he male
the attempt again and again, but all TO
no avail. What his stomach had receiv-
ed it seemed deter mined to hold.
We can fancy hbw this continued
retching panied and weakened his stom>
ach. Finally the poor man struggled
up, and staggered away towards the
hamlet. In the valley he became so
weak and dizzy that he was forced to SIT
down, and in this condition-swaying to
and fro, with his hands clasped over his
diaphragm, and grOaning painfuuy-a
soioprner at the village inn found h N
and with ready and genuine sympathy
asked him what was the matter.
"Ohr' groaned Aapwlng, speaking
with difficulty, Il am dead man nave
drank of poisoned water! / was very
warm and very thirsty, and in that
| plight came 10 the seductive lake.
knelt down and drank my fill. Oil
am a dead man-dead beyond recall !"
The second traveller was astoulshed.
He was we'll acquainted in that whole
region, and had never heard of such a
thing.
My dear sir, what makes yoa think
the water of the lake is poisoned ?"
Why,-the Guide Book.-See: There
it is And he pointfd to paragraph
under the head of Kotzenhe,m. 20, my
good friend, If do not live to reach our
inn, will you"
the stranger stopped him with a wave
of the Rand, and burst into laugh.
Why, my dear man, you are not dead,
unless it be a sheer fright. Bless you
this book doesn't say any thing bout poi
son. This is whatit says-read 'L'ed't
du lac est p0is0TneueSe"
Ca tainly," gasped Lapwing. "And
wFat does that mean ?'.
why, literally it means, "The water
of the lake abounds in FISH" AID then
he lauS Shed again.
And lh9n Alexander Lapwing Ii ughed
He got upon his feet, and touu1 the
pain in his stomach subsiding.
Upon my soul. how ridiculous !" he
exclaimed. 81 came within an ace oi
uying from mistranslatio of French !!
And The vale sounded with the echoes
OF their renewed and combined laughter