The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-05-19
THE PRESS.
Bret Harte in Germany.
How q Chicago Man Visited the
Dark Ages.
bret Harris. in the New vor,, SIM !

bret Harris, in the New York SUM-
IL was the sacred hour of noon at Sammt-
stadt. Everybody was at dinner, aud the Sc
rious Kellner of der Wilde Mann glanced
III mild reproach at Mr.. James Clinch, who.
disregarding that fact and the inviting table
d'hote, stepped into the street. For Mr..
Clinch had eaten late breakfast at Kempen,
was dyspeptic, and American, and moreover
preoccupied with business. He was conse-
quently indignant on entering the garden
like court and cloister-like counting-house
OF Won Becherat, Sons q Cousins, to find
the compton deserted even by the porter,
ana was furious at the maid-servant who Of
tered the sacred shibboleth "Mittagssen,''
as reasonable explanation of the solitude.
"a country" said Mr.. Clinch to himself.
that stops business at midday to go to dim
ner, and employs women servants to answer
the calls OF business men, is played out"
He stepped from the silent building into
the equally silent Kronprinzen strasse. Not
a soul to be seen anywhere Rows on rows
OF two-storied, gray-stuccoed buildings that
might be dwellings, or might be offices, all
showing some traces of feminine taste and
supervision in flower or curtain that belied
the legended "Comptoir' or Direction
over their portals. Mr.. Clinch thought of
Boston and old State street, of New
York and Wall street, and became coldly
contemptuOuS.
lie turned into the principal alice of the
uoWn' 1here was long, white building at
one ond-the Bahnhof; at the other end he
remembered a dye-house. He had. a wear
ago met its hospitable proprietor He would
call upon him now
But the same solitude confronted him as
he passed the porter's lodge beside the gate
way. The counting-house, half villa. half
factory, must have convoked its humanity in
some out-of-the-way refractory, for the halls
and passages were tenantless. For the first
time he began to be impressed with certain
foreign quaintness in the surroundings; he
found himself also recalling something he
had read when boy about an enchanted
palace, whose inhabitants awoke on the az
rival OF long predestined prince. To as
sure himself OF the absolute righteousness
OF this fancy, he took from his pocket the
business card OF its proprietor, sample of
dye, and recalled his own personality in a
letter of credit. Having dismissed this idea
from his mind, he lounged on again through
rustic lane that might have led to a farm
house, yet was STILL absurdly enough, part
of the factory grounds. Crossing a ditch by
causeway, he presently came to another
ditch and another causeway, and then found
himself idly contemplating massive. iyy
clad, venerable brick wall. As mere wall,
it might not have attracted his attention, but
1t seemed to enter and bury itself at right an
giles IN the side wall ofquitea modern-looking
dwelling. After satisfying himself of this
fact, he passed on before the dwelling. but
was amazed to see the wall reappear on the
other side-eXactly the same-old, ivy-grown,
sturdy, uncompromising and ridiculous.
Could 1t actually be a part of the house?
he turned back and repassed the front of
the dwelling. The entrance-door was hos
pltably open. There was hall and stair
case, but-by all that was preposterous !
they were built over and around the central
brick intrusion. The wall actually ran
through the house. "a country" said Mr..
Clinch to himself, ''where they build their
houses over ruins to accommodate them or
save the trouble of removal is but a very
pleasant voice, addressing him, here stopped
his usual hasty conclusion.
Gluten morgen."
Mr.. Clinch looked hastily up. Leaning
over the parapet OF what appeared to be a
garden on the roof OF the house was young
girl, red-cheeked, bright-eyed, blonde-haired.
The voice was soft and pleasing. 1t was
part OF the new impression he was receiving
that 1t was certainly unlike majority of his
falr country-women's. In vague, illogical
way, he, in some fashion, connected it with
the IVy-clad wall before him. His hat was
IN his hand as he answered, "guten morgen.o
was the Herr seeking anything?
Inc Herr was only awaiting longtime
coming friend, and had strayed here to speak
with the before-known proprietor.
30! But the before-known proprietor Sleep
ing well at present, after dinner. Would fine
Herr wait for him on the terrace?
The Herr would, but looked around in vain
Tor the means to do it. He was thinking of
scaling ladder, when the young woman reap
peared at the open door, and babe him en-
ter.
Following his youthful hostess, Mr. Clinch
mounted the staircase, but, passing the mvste-
rlous wall, could not forbear an allusion to it.
III is old-yery old, !" replied his companion;
lit was here when l came"
That was not very long ago. 'said Mr.
Clinch, CALAMITY.
NO But my grandfather found it here.
too"
''And built over it?'
why not? 1t is very, very hard, and so
thick.
Mr. Clinch here explained, with masculine
superiority, the existence of such modern
agents as nitro-glycerine and dynamite, per-
suaslve IN their effects upon time-honored OBJ
structions and membranes.
But there was not then what you call nj
'But since then?"
INV Observation-Disclosures did not take # a,Tar
when he built the honse WIN should w ,n5
"Oh?' ~ "-'N "0'
They had passed tbrouob hall ond divine
room, and suddenly stenned ont of a windn5y
upon grayeled terrace, From this "a q few
stone steps descended to another terrace
on which trees and shrubs We're growine
and vet, looking over fine naranet Mr. CIincb
could see the road some twenty feet below
1t was nearly on level with and mart Of tho
of the house' Had an ear tiIe
quake lifted the adjacent grounds or had tha
house burrowed into hii19 Mr. Ciincb tnrn ,l,J
to his companion. who was STANDING Close
beside him, breathing quite audibIv and Iaay-
ing an impression on his senses as Of . aantie
and fragrent heifer. " o0-i'''
"HoW was ali This donepv
The maiden SHRUGGED her shoulders ..1+
was ALWAYS 60 T csSnat 10 GO 9,io'iuei'' IL
Mr. Clincb rooscondnI 10y a%S' o4
unite foreotten biS ;,nno tHe ooopI nG naa
was the eente aonabla naa, f Possibly IL
Int for 5er raoJd In o" n VI the glr VINO,
stirred at anythipo rc, a,u iloG seem 10 pe
i',I ro,,o "Y y perhaps IL was the peace
forgotten vol tho+ s''bJ,,od ~ .no ..Iao anu
uuife wiIin~ to tat,e tba oId ti, DuI nc was
on the terrace which She offannd leu, ciaaiI
follow her movements with intara srti anu