The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-22
LEGEND OF sAmMTsTADT


garding that fact and the inviting table dhdie
stepped into tho street. For Mr.. Clnch had
eaten a late breakfast at Kempen. was dyspcp-
lie and American, and moreover preoccuped
with business. He was consequently indignant
on entering the garden like court and cloister-
like counting house Of Won Bcchcrat. Sons and
Cousins. to ind the Compton deserted even by
the porter and was furious Mt the maid servant
who offered tho sacred shibboleth. "Mitd0s-
essen" rs q reasonable explanation OF the soil
tudc. "A country" said Mr.. Cinch to himself
that stops business at midday to go to dinner.
and employs women servants to answer the calls
Of business men, is played out"
lie stepped from the silent building into the
equally silent Kr8nprinzcn strassc Not n soul
10 be seen anywherel Rows on rows OF two
siored gray succeed buildings that might be
dwellings or might be Offices. all showing some
traces OF feminine taste and supervision in
flower or q curtain that beliod the lcgended
Compton" or " Direction over their portals.
Mr.. Clinch thought OF Boston and old State
street. Of New York and Wall street. and he
came coldly contemptuous.
Still. there was nothing to do but 10 walk
down the formal rows Of chestnuts that lined the
broad avenue. and then walk back again. At
the corner Of the first cross street he was struck
with the fact that two men who were standing
inconsistent and as out OF proportion to the
silent houses Ms the actors on the stage were TO
the painted canvas thorouRhiares before which
they soloquizod. Mr. Clinch usually had no
fancies had no eye for quaintness; besides
this was not n quaint or romantic district
only an eI,h'eDot for silks and velvets. and Mr..
Clinch was here. not M tourist but as q pur-
chaser The guide books had ignored Sammt-
stadt. and he was too good an American to
waste time in hunting up uncataloRued curiosl-
ties. Besides. he had been here once before
an entire dayl
One o'clock Still full hour and a half before
his friend would return. What should he do ?
Tho club where he had once been entertained
was deserted even by its walters the garden.
with its ostentatous out-oi-doors tables looked
bleak and bare Mr.. Clinch was not fastdious
but even he was quick to detect the afrront put
upon Nature by this continental. theatrical gar
dening. and turned hastily away. Born near
lake larger than the German Ocean. he re-
scented a pool Of water twenty-five feet in diam
eter under that alluring title and q froquentor
Of the Adirondacks, he could scarce contain
himself over "A bit Of rockwork twelve feet high
country" said Mr.. Clnch that" but here
he remembered that lie had seen. in park Of
his native city an imitation Of the Drachenfels
on scale Of three inches 10 the foot; and
no checked his speech.
He turned into the principal alice Of the town.
There was long white building at ono end
the Bdljuhof: at the other end he remembered a
dye house. He had. year ago met It's hospita-
bic proprietor. He would call upon him now.
But the same solitude confronted him as he
passed the porter's lodge beside the gateway.
The counting house. half villa. half factory.
must have convokod its humanity in some out
of-the-way refectory. for the halls and passages
were tenantless For tho first time he began to
be impressed with n certain foreign quaintness
in the surroundings; he found himself also re-
calling something he had read when boy
about an enchanted palace. whose inhabitants
awoke on the arrival OF long pred, stncd
prince. To assure himself OF the absolute RI
diculousness Of this fancy. he took from his
pocket the business card Of its proprietor. u
sample Of dye. and recalled his own personality
in letter Of credit. Having dismissed this idea
from his mind he lounged on again through n
rustic lane that might have led to farm
house. yet was stll absurdly enough a
part of the factory grounds. Crossing n
ditch by n causeway. he presently came TO
another ditch and another causeway. and then
found himself idly contemplating massive.
ivy-clad. venerable brick wall. As a mere wall
1t might not have attracted his attention. but Il
seemed 70 enter and bury itself at right angles
In tho side wall OF n quito modern-looking
dwelling. After satisfying himself Of this fact.
he passed on before tho dwelling. but was
amazed 20 see tho wall reappear on the other
side-eXactly the same-old. ivy-Grown. sturdy.
uncompromising. and ridiculous Could 1t ac-
tually be n part Of tho house? He turned back
and repassed the front Of the dwelling. The
entrance door was Hospitality open. There WAS
q hall and staircase but-by all that WIS pre-
f-th4v luflt ovf nd Il ho
central brick intrusion. The wall actually ran
through the house! " A country" sqid Mr.
Clinch to himself. where they build their
houses over ruins TO accommodate them. or
save the trouble OF removal. Is -" but n very
pleasant voice, addressing him. hero estopped
his usual hnsty conclusion.
gluten Morgcn."
Mr.. Clnch looked hastily up. Leaning over
tho parapet Of what appeared to be n garden on
the roof OF the house was a young girl. red
checked. bright-eyed. blond-hared. The voice
was soft and pleasing. 1t was part OF the new
impression he was receiving that II was Ger.
tainly unlike n majority Of his fair countrywo.
men. In q vague. illogical way he. in some
fashion. connected It with the ivy-clad wall be-
fore him. His hat was in his hand Al he an
swered. Guten Morgen."
Was the Herr seeking anything2
Tho Herr was only awaiting a longtime
coming friend. and had strayed here 10 speak
with the before-known proprietor.
So? But the before-known proprietor sloop
ingwel at present, after dinner, would the Horn
wait for him on the terrace2
The Herr would but looked around in yalr
for tho means TO do II. lie was thinking Of
scaling ladder. when the young woman reap
poared nj the open door. and budc him enter
Following his youthful hostess. Mr.. Clincl
mounted the staircase, but passing the mystic
rious wall, could not forboar an allusion to if
=" 1t is old-yery old" replied his companion
=" it was here when / came"
That WAS not very long ago" said Mr.
Clinch. gaantly.
no. But my grandfather found It here. too,
And built over il =
"WhynotY It very. very hard, md 50 thick. >
Mr.. Clnch here explained. with masculin,
superiority. tho existence OF such modern
agents rs nilro-gly and dynamite per
Buaslye in their effects upon time honOred Oh
Htru'tions and circumstances,
" But there was not then what you call nitro
clycerine."
" But since them"
The young girl gazed ut him with surprise