Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-08
HANDS.

HANDS.
A little hand, fair, soft hand,
Dmp.ed and sweet to kiss
No sculptor ever carved from stone
A loYlier hand than this
A hand as idle and as white
As lilies on their stems
Dazzling with rosy fnger-tps,
Dazzling with crusted gems.
Another hand-a tired old hand,
Written with many lines;
A faithful, weary hand, whereon
The pearl of great price shines
For folded, as the winged fly
Sleeps in the chrysalis,
Within this little palm see
The lovelier hand than this J
THE INVENTOR.
[Erckmann Chatrian, the compound name of two
French authors. Emile Erekmann, born at Phals-
bourg, In the department Of the Meurthe, MAY 20,
1922 Alexandra Chatrlan, born at Soldatenthal
Meurths, December Is. 1926. In conjunction, and
friends have produced numerous tales and plays
which were for some time supposed to proceed from
one pen. The Illustrious Doctor Matthews was
the first work which obtained popularity and since
then the authors have written the following amongst
other novels: :. The Conscript of 1918" |" Madame
Therese," /" The Invasion, Waterloo" IA Man of
the People" The War, The Blockade tof Phals-
bourg), !" History of Peasant" {. Master Daniel
Rock, )" Tales of the Rhine Borders" " Friend
Fritz, The Story of the Plebicite," The Polish
jew, play, etc. their works are distinguished by
faithful and vivid portaiture Of rural life and man.
ners and sometimes by kind of weird fancy play
ing with scientific possibiities.l
On the 29th day of July, 1885, Kasper
Beck, a shepherd of the village Of Hirch-
willer, his large felt hat hanging upon his
shoulders, his canvas wallet hanging by his
side, and followed by his great yellow.
paved dog, presented himself about 8
o'clock in the evening at the house of the
Burgomaster Petrousse, who had just fin.
ished supper, and was helping himself to
glass of kirschenwasser to aid his diges-
tion.
The Burgomaster was tall thin man,
and wore on his lip large grizzly mus.
taohe. He had, in former days, served in
the army OF the Archduke Charles; and,
while possessed of good-natured disposi-
tion, he ruled the village Of Hirchwiller
with wag of his finger and nod of his
head.
Burgomaster! cried the shepherd in
state OF excitement but Petrousse, with.
out waiting to hear him further, frowned
and said.
g Kasper Beck, begin by taking off your
hat; send out your dog, and then speak
plainly without spluttering, in order that
I may understand you"
Whereupon the Burgomaster, standing
near the table, quietly emptied his glass,
and sucked the fringe of his great mus
tache with an air Of indifference
Kasper sent out his dog and returned,
cap in hand.
"Now," said Petroasse, seeing the shep-
herd somewhat composed, tell me what
has happened.
!" 1t happens that the ghost has appeared
again in the ruins of Geirstein "
"Ah l doubt that very much. Have
you seen it, Kasper."
"That l have, Burgomaster, very
plainly.
!" What was it like ?"
" 1t looked like a little man"
ssGood."
Then the old soldier, unlocking lis gun
from above the door, slung it over his
shoulder and addressed the shepherd.
Go and tell the Constable to meet me
directly in the little lane of the hollies,
said he. Your ghost is likely to prove
some vagabond rascal but if it should
turn out to be only fox, I'll make its
skin into a cap with long ears for you"
So saying the Burgomaster strobe out,
followed humbly by Kasper Beck.
The weather was charming. Whilst the
shepherd hastened to knock at the door of
the Constable, Petrousse ensconced him.
self in grove of elders which skirted the
back of the old village church. Two min.
utes later Kasper and Hans Corner, his
short sword dangling by his eide, joined
the Burgomaster at sharp trot. The
three advanced towards the ruins of Geir-
stein.
These ruins, situated at about twenty
minutes walk from the village, appeared
insignificant enough, consisting of several
fragments of broken.do wall, some
four or six feet in hight, which made
themselves barely visible amidst the
brushwood. Archaologists called them
the aqueducts of Seranus, the Roman
camp of Holderloch, or the vestiges of
Theodore, according to their fancy. The
only remarkable feature about these ruins
was the fight of stairs of cavern cut in
the rock. Contrary to most winding stairs,
instead Of the concentric circles contract
ing at every downward sweep, the spiral of
this hollow increased in width in such a
manner that the bottom of the hollow be-
came three times as large as the outlet.
Could this be caprice of architecture?
Or what other cause determined so odd
structure It is matter which need con-
Germ US little ; sufficient for the present is
the fact that in the cavern might be heard
that vague murmur which anyone may
hear by applying the hollow of shell to
his ear you could hear also the step of the
wayfarer upon the gravel, the signing Of
the breeze, the rustIing OF the leaves, and
even the conversation Of the passersby.
The three travellers ascended the little
footpath which lay between the vines and
the cabbage gardens of Hirchwiller.
. can see nothing" broke forth the
Burgomaster, turning up mis- nose mock.
ingly:
"Nor l either" Hams chimed in, imi.
tating the tone of his superior.
"Oh, it is in the hole, muttered the
shepherd.
1--WE shall see, we shall gee, the Burgo-
master replied confidently. And after this
fashion in about quarter of an hour they
reached the mouth OF the cavern.
/ have said that the night was clear,
bright, and perfectly calm. The neon, as
far as the eye could reach, Lit with blush
tints one of those nocturnal Landscapes
clothed with silvery trees, the shadows OF
which upon the ground seem traced in the
firm dark lines of a pencil. The heath
and the broom in blossom perfumed the
breeze with an odor sharpened by the
night air and the frogs of neighboring
| marsh croaking their hoarse strains broke
from time to time the silence Of the night.
But all these appearances escaped the
attention of our worthy rustics; they
thought only of laying hands upon the
ghost.
Arriving at the cavern mouth the three
halted and listened. Then they looked
into the darkness nothing could be seen,
nothing stirred.
"Confound it, exclaimed the Burgo-
master, we have forgotten to bring a bit
of candle with us. Get down the stair,
Kasper; you know the way better than !
do. will follow you.
At this proposal the shepherd recoiled
hastily. If he had followed his own incli-
nation the poor fellow would have taken to
his heels; his piteous looks caused the
Burgomaster to fall into fits of laughter.
Very well then, Hans, since Kasper is
afraid to descend, you must lead the way.
But-but. good Burgomaster, expos
tulated the Constable, "you know there
are some of the steps awanting. We run
the risk OF breaking our necks."
Then send in your dog, Kasper," con-
tinued the Burgomaster
The shepherd called his dog he showed
him the stairs, he urged him forward, but
the dog no more than the men inclined to
make the venture
AT this moment brilliant idea occurred
| to Hans.
"Ha! Master Petrousse," he exclaimed,
suppose you fire a shot into the cave :"
I" By my faith. cried the Burgomaster,
"you are right. We shall see clearly at
any rate"
| And without hesitating the bold man ap-
| nrnached the ataircaae holding his pun.