The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-06-06
MARK TWAIN.

Anu inc summer Jay enVeu. tOf ~ Iatc OF long,
Every day wcareth to song
--Chdm5ers's Journal. J.H.
MARK TWAIN.
A TRAMP ABRoAD-iii.
Heidelberg by Nigbt-Jim Bakers
Talking Hue Jays.
But as to Heidelberg. The weather was
growing pretty warm. very warm. In fact. SO we
left the valley and took quarters the sch,oss Hotel
on the hill, above the Castle. ...
Heidelberg lies at the hicti,h OF narrow gorge-a
gorge the shape Of shepherd crook one looks up
. half then makes sharp curve to the right and dis
appears. This gorge along whose bottom pours the
anil denscy wooded clear to their SUBMITS with the
exception OF one section which has been shaved and
put under cultivation. These ridges chopped off
ut the mout', of the gorge and form two bold and
spcuous headonds, with Heidelberg nesting between
them; from their bases spreads away the vast dim
panse of the Rhine valley, and this expansc the
Ncckar goes wandering In shining curves AMI is pres
entity lost to v'cw,
Now, II ,he tiirns and looks lip the gorge once
more, he will the schloss Hotel on the right,
rerched on .precirice overlooking the Neckar, a
rrccipicc which Is so sumptuousy cushioned aud
drapeh with foliage that no glimpse of the rock ap
pears. The building seems very airily situated 1t
has the appearance of being on shelf half way M tho
wooded mountain side; and rs II isretcte and Isolated
and very white u makes a strong mark against the
lofty leafy rampant at Its back.
This hotel had feature which was a decided
novelty, and one which might I've adopted with advan-
tagc by any house which is perched In commanding
situation This feature may he described series
house, against each other and every bcdchanber
aud drawing room. They are like long, narrow
hich-ceiled bird-cages hung against the building
MY room was corner roOn and had two OF these
things. north one AMI u west one.
From the north cage one looks up the Ncckar gorge.
from the west one he looks down IT, This last affords
that can he Imagined, too. out Of n billowy up
heavaio f vivid green foliage. iire-shot removed
rises the huge ruin of heidelberg Castle. with empty
window arches ivy.mailed battleInents, Wondering
towers-the Lear of Illuminate nature-dcseIted, dis
crowned, beaten by the storms, hut royal still, and
beautiful II Is fine sight to see the evening slin-
light suddenly strike the leafy dttllvlty at the Castle
base and dash Tip II and drench 1t as with luminous
spray while the adjacent groves are In deep shadow
Behind the Castle swells great dome shaped hll
forest clad. and beyond that nober and lofter
The Castle looks down upon the compact brown rooted
town; and from the town two picturesque old bridges
span the river. Now. the view broadens: through,
the gateway of the sentinel headlands you gaze out
over the wide Rhine plain, when stretches away,
softly and richly tinted, grows gradually and dreamy
indstinct, and finally melts imperceptibly into the
remote horizon.
have never enjoyed view which had such n
serene and satisfying charm about 1t as this one
gives.
The first night were there. we went to bed and
to sleep early but awoke at the emil Of two TIN
hours and lay comfortable while listening to the
soothing pattcT the rain against tho balcony win
dows. took 1t to he rain, but II turned ont to be
only the murInur of the restless Necknr, tumblng
over her bikes and dams far below, In the gorge
got up and went into the west balcony and
dcrfn sight. Away down on the level, under the
black mass Of the Castle, the town lay, stretched
along the river its Intricate cobweb Of streets tcweled
with twinkltng lights there were rows Of lights on
the bridges these Hung anres Of lightu upon the wacr
In the black shadows of the arches: aud away ut the
extremity OF all this fairy spectacle biinked and
glowed masscd multitude of gas lets which seemed
to cover acres "' groun 1t was as II all the diamonds
IN the world had been spread out there. did not
m NJ CAV IN tItruX
tracks could he made such adornnent.
One thinks Heidelberg by day-wlth Its surround
ings-s the last possibility OF the beaufu; hut when
he sees ieidlebeig by night fallen Milky Way with
that gllttering railway constellation pinned to the
border, he requires time to consider upon the verdict
one never tires Of poking about In the dense woods
that clothc all these lofty Neckar hills to their tops.
The great decps Of bondess forest have beguiling
and impressive charm In any country hut German
legends and fairy tales have given these added
charm. They have peoplei all that region with
gnomes and dwarfs, and all sorts Of mysterious and
uncanny creatures. At the time am writing of, I
had been reading much Of this literature that some
times was ol:sre but was beginning to believe In
the gnOmcs AMI fairies realities.
one afternoon got lost in the woods about mile
from the hotel and presently fell into train Of
dreamy thought about animals which talk. and
kobods and enchanted folk, and the rest Of the pleas
ant legendary stuff and 81, by stimulating my fancy,
finally got TO Imagining glimpsed small fitting
shapes here and there down the conned aises OF the
forest. 1t WAS place which peculiarly meet for
the OCCASION II was pine wood, with 10 thick and
soft carpet of brown needles that ones football made
no more sound than " lie was treading wool: the
freetfunks were as round and straight and smooth
pillars, and stood close together: they bare of
branches 10 point about twenty Ave feet above
ground. and from there upward so thick with boughs
that not ray OF sunlight could pierce through. The
world was bright WIN sunshine outside but deep
and mellow twilight reigned In there, and also d
silence so profound that seemed to hear my own
breathings.
When / had stood ten minutes, thinking and
Imagining, and getting my spirit In tune with The
place, and In the right mood To enjoy the
raven suddenly uttered hoarse croak my head.
II nluI Il atIf I.nI q
started. looked up AMI the creature was sitting on
| inil, right over me, looking down nj me. felt
something Of the same sense Of humiliation and injury
which one feels when he finds that human stranger
has been clandcstiney inspecting him In his privacy
and mentally commenting upon him. eyed the
raven, and the raven eyed me. Nothing was said
during some seconds. Then tho bird stepped little
way along his lmb 10 get better point Of ohserya-
ms shoulders toward me, and crooked agatha cIoak
with distinctly insulting expression about II. II he
| had spoken In English he could not have said any
more plainly Than he did say In raven, ''Wel what
do you want hrre?' felt as foolish as II had been
caught IN some mean act by responsible being, and
| not handy words with raven. The adversary waited
awhile, with his shoulders sim lifted his head thrust
down between them, aud his keen bright eye fixed ON
me then lie threw out two az three more insults
which could not understand, further than that
knew portion of them consisted Of language not
used IN church.
still made no reply. Now the adversary raised his
head and called There was an answering croak from
little distance In the wood, evidently croak Of IN
lheoher raven dropped everything and came. The two
sat side by side on the limb and discussed me freely
and extensively rs two great naturalists might discuss
u new Kind of hug. The thing became more and more
embarrassing. They called In another friend. This
was too much. saw that they had the advantage of
me, and 50 concluded Ia get out Of the scrape by
walking out Of 1t. They enjoyed my defeat much
rs amy low white people could have done They crancd
their necks and laughed at me, tor raven can
laugh, just like man, they sluaed Insulting re-
maj rs after me as rs long rs they could me- They
wero nothing but ravens-I knew that-what they
IA In ntIuEE
lnenco-ald Yet when even raven shouts after you.
- what a hal ~ 20, pun down your yestln and
and there is no getting around II with fine reasoning
and pretty arguments.
Animals talk to each other, of course There Fan
he III question about that but suppose there very
Few people who can understand them. | never knew
but one man who could. ! knew he could, however,
because he told me 50 himself lie was a middle
aged simple hearted miner who had lived In a lonely
corner OF California, among the woods and mountains
good many years, and had studied the ways Of his
only neighbors the beasts and The birds, until he be-
ieyed he could accurately translate any remark which
they made. This was Jim Baker. According 10
Jim Baker, some animals have only limited ednca-
iion aud use only very simple words, and scarcely
ever comparison or ilowery fgure whereas
other animals have large vocabulary, 1ne com
mand OF language, and ready aud fluent delivery:
consequently these latter talk great dea they like
10 they are conscious Of their talent aud they enjoy
"siowing Off, BAKER said, that after long and
careful observation, he had come To The cone nslo,
thai tho blue lays were the hest takers he had found
among BIRDS and beast said he:
"rhere's more 10 q blue iay than any other rre.-
lure. lie has got more moods, and mere different
KINDS OF eellngs Than other creature; aud MUD YOU
whatever bluc-ia Jay feels he can put Into language
And no mere common place language, either, hut
rafting, out out book iak-and hrisIlug with
metaphor too-lnst brislng, Aud as for command
of ianguage-why you newer sec blue lay get stuck
fora word No man ever did They lust boil Out II
him. Aud another thug; I've uoced good deal
good grammar rs bluelay You may say 4 cat uses
good grammar Wen, cat does-but YOU lot a eat
get excited once You let get to pulling fur with
another cat on she'd nights, and you'l hear gram
mar that WIN give You the lockaw. Ignorant people
think II me noise which lighting eats make thai Ii
grammar they use Now, I've never heard q lay use
bad grammar but very seldom; aud wlen they do,