Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-08
"By what right, wretches. do you come

Indignantly
Make haste to prove yourself an hon.
est man, you wretched imp, or | shall be-
gin by giving you a thrashing."
A thrashing f' cried the manikin,
dancing with rage and drawing himself up
under the nose of the Burgomaster.
Yes, thrashing," replied Petrousse,
who, nevertheless, could not help admirine
the courage of the dwarf, "if you do not
reply In satisfactory manner to the ques-
tions l am about to put to you. I am the
Burgomaster of Hirchwiller; here is the
Constable, the shepherd and his dog; we
are stronger than you, observe; be wise,
therefore, and tell me peaceably what you
are, what you do here, and why you do
not appear in the light Of day. After that
we shall see what is to be done with you."
All that does not concern you, replied
the little man in his harsh voice F" I will
not answer you. !"
In that case, then, forward, march !"
the Bsrgemaster responded, seizing him by
the neck, "you shall take up your quar-.
ters in prison. +"
Thelittle fellow struggled and twisted like
weasel: he even attempted to bite, and
the dog was already manifesting designs
upon his calves, when, thoroughly exhaust
ed, be said, not without certain dig
nifty
Release me sir, / yield to force
shall follow you.
The Burgomaster, not wanting in cour-
tesy, became more calm in turn.
You promise me that, said he.
promise you.
That is well walk then in front Of
US.
And this is how, on the night of the Doth
of July, 1885, the Burgomaster of Hirch.
willer effected the capture of a little red
haired man, issuing from the ruins of Geir-
stein.
On reaching the village the Constable
ran to seek the key Of the prison, and the
captive was shut in under double lock.
The next day, towards o'clock, Hans
Corner, having received orders to lead
the prisoner to the Court house in order to
submit him to a new interrogation, betook
himself with four stout fellows to the cell.
They opened the door, full Of curiosity to
see the ghost, but what was their surprise
to see him hanging by the cravat to the
railing of the skylight window. Without
delay they set off to the house of the
Burgomaster, to apprise him of the event.
The Justice of Peace and the doctor of
Hirchwiller drew up in legal form deposit
tion of the witnesses of the catastrophe !;
then they buried the unknown one in the
neighboring clover.field, and SO the matter
ended.
But about three weeks after these events
l went to see my cousin Petrousse, of whom
happened to be the nearest relative and
heir, circumstances which maintained be.
tween us an attachment of the CLOSEST
kind. We were dining together and talk
ing Of various subjects, in the course of
which he related to me tie preceding his
tory, just as have reported it.
1T is strange, cousin, said to him,
trace of that mysterious being ?"
"None.
You have learned nothing which can
give You hint of his intentions 2"
Absolutely nothing, Christian"
But what could he be doing in the
cave I? what could be the object of his life ?"
The Burgomaster shrugged his shoulders,
refilled our glasses, and replied
"Your health, cousin.
And yours.
We remained silent for some minutes.
It was impossible for me to be satisfied
with the sudden termination of this ad-
venture, and in spite of myself fell into
dreamy melancholy, thinking of the sad
fate of certain men who appear and disap-
pear in the world like the flowers of the
field, without leaving behind them the least
remembrance or the least regret.
"Cousin, | at length inquired, "how
far may it be from here to the ruins of
Geirstein %
Twenty minutes walk at farthest.
Why do you ask p
"Just that / wish to see them"
".You know that to-day we have meet
ing of the council, and that I cannot &C.
company you.
"Ohl" | replied, I" I shall easily find
them myself.
That is unnecessary" he said, Hans
will show you the way he has nothing
better to do" And my cousin, having
tapped upon his glass, called his servant
and said
"Katel, go seek Hans Gerner let him
make haste it is now o'clock, and l must
be going"
The domestic departed, and Hans arrived
without delay. He received instructions
to conduct me to the ruins, aud, whilst
the Burgomaster proceeded leisurely to
the council chamber, we mounted
the brow of the hill. Hans Ger
ner pointed out to me with his hand
the remains of the aqueduct. At this mo.
ment the rocky edge of the plateau, the
blue mountains of Hundsruck, the sadly
dilapidated walls covered with sombre ivy,
the clang Of the village bell calling the
worthless Of Hirchwiller to council, the
painting Constable lclinging to the brush
wood, all produced within me sad and
sombre impression could hardly account
for, unless it might be the history of the
poor suicide casting shadow on the hori.
zon. The staircase Of the cavern appeared
to me extremely curious, its spiral form
elegant The rough shrubs springing from
the assures at almost every step, and the
desolate aspect of the place, accorded with
my sadness.
| We decended, and soon ths luminous
point of the opening above, which appeared
| to become more and more narrow, taking
the form of star with diverging rays,
alone lent us it's pale light.
On reaching the bottom of the cave it
was wondrous sight which the whole
flight of steps presented, lighted from above
| and casting their shadows with marvel.
GUS regularity. now heard the resonance
Petrousse had spoken of to me the i'm
mense granite shell had as many echoes as
stones.
HAS any one descended here since the
little man was discovered ?" inquired OF
Hans Corner.
No. sir, the peasants are afraid they
imagine that the ghost has gone back again.
| No one ventures into the Screech-owps
Ear"
"Do they call this the screech-owls
Ear =
"Yes.''
at resembles that closely" said /. lift.
ing my eyes. This vault reversed forms
the concha or outer part, underneath the
| stairs we have the tympanic cavity, and
the windings OF the staircase represent the
cochlea, the labyrinth, and the vestibule Of
the ear. Here, then, is the cause OF the
murmur which is heard: we are at the base
of colossal ear.
sit is very likely" replied Hans, who
seemed to understand nothing Of my OBJ
servstions.
We prepared to ascend, and had already
mounted few steps when felt something
crumble under my foot. Bending down to
see what it might be, perceived at the
same time white object before me, which
proved to be tattered sheet OF paper. As
for the hard substance which had been
broken, recognized in it kind OF glazed
brown stone jog.
ssOh. ho.h / cried, "tbis may throw
some light upon the Bnrgomaster's story,
and rejoined Hans Corner, who already
! awaited me at the mouth of the cavern.
| "Now sir, he said to me, where 90
/ Won wish to 90 =!
ain the first place, " said l, let us rest
a little we shall consider presently.
sat down upon stone, while Hans
cast his falcon eye round about the village
in search of plunderers in the gardens, if
anv snch could be discovered.
I examined carefully the stone vase, Of
which only fragment remained. That
| fragment presented the form of the mouth