Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-07

crowned wall, the grass-covered ditch, the tall
f. Glory chimney5 rising ABOVE the che SHUTS.
and the distant poplars that marked the Rhine.
inc wine was delicious. Perhaps trlfe,
only tribe, heady. Mr.. Clinch was consclou
OF certain exalfat1on. There was, too, half
smile upon the gir.'s lip, and roguish twiakl.
In Der eye as she looked at him. ArchneSS was
certainly becoming 10 her.
20 you IND the wine good7 she asked:
Fair enough, warrant" said MI. Clinch,
gTavely, I" but methinks It's nothing compared
Win Ine nectar that grows upon those rosy
lips. Nay, by st. Ursula, l swear it."
scarcely had the unfortunate man uttered
TINS solemnly ridiculous speech than he was
convinced OF Its aosurdity. He would have
given words to recall it. He knew he must be
intoxicated. That the sentiment and lam
gu tge were utterly unlike him, and insult
did net even know exactly what 1t meant, he
was also hopelessly conscious Of. Yet feeling
an this, feeling, too, the shame of appearing
through single glass OF wine, nevertheless he
rose aWkwardly, seized her hand, and through
sheer force drew her toward him and kissed
her. With an exclamation that was half
laugh and half cry, she fled from him, leaving
im tagsering alone on the terrace.
FL moment Mr.. Clinch supported himself
aga nst the window. leaning his throbbing head
On the cold glass. Shame, modification, q hyS-
ter.cal, half consciousness of his Righteousness,
and Yet a strange, underlined fright through ALL
by turns possessed him; Was he ever before
fore succumbed In this way? Was it possible
hat he, Mr.. James Clinch, the coolest head at q
supper party, he the American who had drunk
Frenchman and Englishman under the table,
could be transformed into sentimental, high
flown idiot by single glass OF wine? He was
conscious too, OF asking himself these very
questions in stilted sort of rhetoric, and OF a
rising brutality OF anger that he could with diff
ticulty repress. Suddenly everything swan be-
fore him, and he seemed to lose all conscious
ness.
But only for a moment. The next instant,
with strong effort of his will, he seemed to re-
call himself, his situation, his surroundings
and above all. his appointment. He nurriedly de-
scene sGemoe or the Terrace steps: and before he well
once there his faculties returned In full vigor
He was himself. He strobe briskly forward
toward the ditch he had crossed only few mo-
ments before, but was suddenly stopped. 1t
was filled with water! He looked up and down,
1t was clearly the same ditch, but a f1oy ing
stream 30 feet wide. now separated him from
The appearance OF this unlock for obstacle
made Mr.. Clinch doubt the complete return OF
his reason. He accordingly stepped to the
away the last vestiges of his rotations. But as
he approached the placid depths and knelt
down. he again started back, and this time
Win Iul CONVICTION OF his own madness. For
figure he could scarcely call his own. although
here and there some trace OF his former self
still fingered.
His cIose-cropped hair trimmed la mode,
had given way to long curling locks that drop
ped upon his shoulders. His wet mustache was
frightfully prolonged. and curled up at the end
stif11y; his piccadilly collar had changed shape
and texture, and reached a mass of lace to
point midway OF his breast. His boots-why
had he not noticed his boots before? These
triumphS OF bis Partisan DOOtmaker were
changed to hideous leathern cases that reached
halfway up his thigh. In place of his formal
nigh sllk hat, there lay upon the ground beside
mass Of thickened felt, flap, i feathers ~ and
buckle, that weighed ut least a stone.
A single terrible idea now took possession of
BIN He had been done, taken in, sold, fright
Iully. he saw 1t all. In state OF lntoXIcatton
ne had lost his way, had been dragged into some
vile den, stripped OF his clothes and valuables
and turned adr1ft upon the quiet town In his
his appointment? How should he see that the
police were duly Informed of this outrage
up6n stranger and an American? How estab-
llSh his Identity? Had they spared his papers?
He felt feverishly in his breast-ah, hi watch?
res, watch, heavy, jewelled, enamelled, and,
by all that was ridiculous, five others He ran
hls hands into his capaciOus trunk hose. What
was this? Brooches, chains, diamond crosses
finger rings, one large Episcopal one, earrings
ard handful OF battened gold and silver COINS
HIS papers, his memorandum, his passport,
place was the unmlstakable omnlum gatherum
OF some accomplished knight OF the road. Not
only was bis personality, but his character gone
forever!
1t was part of Mr.. Clincn's singular experi.
ence that this last stroke OF ill-fortune seemed
to revive in him something of the brutal instinct
ne Ieh moment before He turned angrily
aoOut, with the intention OF calling some one.
the first person he met, to account, But the
house that he had just quilted was gone, The
WALL All! there it was-no longer purposeless
intensive, and fvy-clad, but part OF the buttreS5
Of another massive wall that rose into battle
mentS above him. Mr.. Clinch turned again.
nopelessly, toward Sammtstadt; there was the
outlying fields, Lit by the same meridian sun:
but the characteristic chimneys Of Sammtstadt
were gone. Mr.. Clinch was hopelessly lost!
The sound Of horn, breaking the stiffness
perceived that a little distance below him,
partly hidden In the trees, was a queer tower
SNAPPED structure, with chains and pulleys, thai
Ig. A drawbridge and pOrtcullis! And In the
battlement figure in amasauerading dress as
ABSURD as MS own, Iourlshing banner and
a%Wpes w a1a 5y sIes to attract his attention
81 want to see the proprietor" said Mr..
Clnch, choking back his rage.
There was pause, and the figure turned ap-
paTently TO consult with some one behind the
oattlementS. After moment he reappeared,
and In perfunctOry monotone, with an occa.
sional breathing spell on the trumpet, began
true, as well as by the bones OF the blessed Sc.
rsula, tnat you bear no tli-will, secret enmity,
wicked mlspr1Se or conspiracy against the body
d our noble lord and master, Won Kolnische?
And you bring with you no ambush, selge, or
surprise OF retainers, neither secret warrant nor
letters de cachet, nor carry on your knightly
person poisoned dagger, magic ring witch DOW
1ers, nor enchanted bullets, and that YOU nave
entered into no unhaliowed alliance with the
prince OF darkness, gnOmes, pixies, dragons
I ndines, LOIeieis, nor the uke?"
come down out OF that, you ID old fool,
reared Mr.. Clinch, now perfectly beside himself
with rage: Come down and let me 1n!'
In an instant confused cries of recognition
and JOY, not unmixed with some consternatiOn.
rose from the battlements. Zach Gott!n emit
ter Gottes!" SIT is he." at is Jam, de, Wan.
derer." cit Is himself" came back to his plIz-
lied ear. The chains ratified, the ponderOus
creaked and dropped and across 1t
medley OF notified figures rushed pell nell
But foremost among them, the very maiden he
had left not ten minutes before, flew into his
arms and with cry Of joyful greeting sank
upon MS breast. MT. Clinch looked down upon
the 1air head and long braids. 1t certainly was
the same maiden, his cruel enchantresS, but
where did she get those absurd garments?
WillkOmmen," said a stout figure advanc-
Ing with some authority and selling his dis
engaged hand; ''where hast thou been so long?D
Mr.. Cl1nch, by no means placated, coldly
dropped the extended hand. 1t was not the
proprietor he had known. But there was a
singular resemblance In bis face to some one of
Mr.. Cllnch'S own kin-but who It was, he could
not remember. MAY / take the liberty OF
asking your manner" he asked, coldly.
The figure grinned. 'Surely! But If thou
standest upon punctilio, 1t is for me to ask
thine, most noble Freiherr" said he winking
upon his retainers. '.WhOm have the honor
or entertafning?'
my name is Cllnch-James Clinch, Of Chi
q O. Illinois,