The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-03-16
orr s7oFr TELLER.
THE RAT

New York Sun aaGA

New York Sun si-4fi ~
You know that when a man lives in a
deserted castle on the top of a great
sto mountain by the side of the River
Rhine, he is liable to Misrepresentation.
vI Half the good people of the village of
Schwinkenschwank, including the burg
omaster and the burgomaster's nephew,
believed that l was fugitive from
American justice. The other half was
just as firmly convinced that | was
crazy, and this theory had the support
of the notary's profound knowledge of
human character and acute logic The
two parties to the interesting controversy
were so equally matched that they spent
all their time in confuting each others
arguments, and / was left pretty much
$3.50 to myself. t-.+- i'Ai b..
AS everybody with the slightest pre-
tension to cosmopolitan knowledge is
y already aware, the old Schless Schwink-
enschwank is haunted by the ghosts of
twenty-nine medieval barons and baron
esses. The behavior of these ancient
specters was very considerate. They
annoyed me, on the whole, far less than
the rats, which swarmed in great num-
bers in every part of the castle, When
first took possession of my quarters, |
was obliged to keep lantern burning
all night, and continually to beat about
me with wooden club in order to es-
cape the fate of Bishop Hatto. After
ward | semitic Frankfort and had made
i}f for me wire cage, in which | was able
to sleep with comfort and safety as soon
~ as | became accustomed to- the sharp
gritting of the rats teeth as they gnawed
lo the iron in their impotent attemptsoto
get in and eat me. ...i ~
fst,r.., Barring the specters and the rats, and
now and then transient bat or owl, |
was the first tenant of the Schloss
chwinkenschwank for three or four
centuries. After leaving Bonn, where |
had greatly profted by the learned and
ingenious lectures of the famous Cal
~ carius, herr professor of metaphysical
science in that admirable university. /
had selected this ruin as the best pos
sible place for the trial of certain ex-
pertinent in psychology The Hered-
II ary Landgraf Won Toplitz, who owned
Schioss Schwinokenschwank, showed no
signs OF surprise when went to him and
offered six thalers month for the priv
a lege of lodging in his ramshackle castle
4 The clerk OF a Broadway hotel could
not have taken my application more
coolly or my money in more business
like spirit. .....
1t will be necessary to pay the first
months rent in advance" said he.
That am well prepared to do. nv
well,born hereditary landgraf," / re-
plled, counting out eight dollars. He
Pocketed them and gave me a recent
for the same. 1 wonder if he ever tried
Z to collect rent from his ghosts.
The most inhabitable room in the
castle was that In the northwest tower.
put 1t was already occupied by the Lady
ADELAIDE Maria, eldest daughter of the
b. IN or,I e
- In the thirteenth century by her affec
tionate papa for refusing to wed a one
legged freebooter from over the river.
AS could not think of intruding upon
lady, |, took up my quarters at the
nead OF the south turret strirway where
there was nobody in possession except
sentimental monk, who was out good
deal nights, and gave me no trouble at
any time.
In such calm seclusion as l enioyed in
the Schlossit is possible to reduce phys
: - icai and mental activity to the lowest
degree consistent with life. Saint Pedro
Oh Alcantara, who passed forty years in
convent cell, schooled himself To sleen
only an hour and half day. and to
Jake food but once in three DAYS. While
diminishing the functions of his body
70 such an extent, he must also. / frmIv
~ believe, have reduced his soul almost n |
the negative character of an unconscious
infants It is exercise, thought, fric-
non, activity, that brings out the indi- |
vlduality OF mans nature. Professor
Caicarluss pregnant words remained /
burned into my memory: "What is the |
mysterious link that binds the soul to the
living body2 Why am l Calcarius, or
rather, why does the soul called Calcar- |
ins inhabit this particular organism
There the learned professor slapped his |
enormous thigh with his pudgy hand. ! |
Might not / as well be another, and
might not another be I? Loosen the
individualised Ego from the Aeshy sur