Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-06-06
JACOBS CURSE.

me little Appliances NECESSARY 10 MS
comfort, on the evening of this his first
lay Of otlicc-a huge jug Of beer and
an ample tobacco pouch. He wore an
easy velvet coat. s0m what shabby,
loose slippers covered with roses in
carpet stitch. the work Of some good
Bertha or Matilda A smoking cap
with long tas,cl. hung down over n
thoughtful, contcmplativc face--a face
that should have belonged to studious
professor. rather than To man whose
calling led him iuto the busy walks of
life.
Rath Marquarlscn was n young man.
little over thirty: his talent had raised
him thus early 20 the honorable position
he held in Colt ucen. IL seemed TO
him but yesterday that he was student
in the venerable university, taking
notes OF the lawyers lectures i'm the
great saal OF the college. or strollng
the streets arm in arm with his chosen
comradc, the Captain OF the Prussian
corps, the r white and green caps stuck
jauntily on their heads. and their great
dogs following closely. The streets
were rs full Of Pruss ans. rcd-capped
Vandals. and yellOw-crested Swabiaus,
rs ever; they sang the old drinking
songs In their rich voices. bass ami bari
tone and mellow tenor so sweet, that
the Rath was fain To pause for n second
In his administration OF justice while the
singers streamed past the windows of
the courthouse.
The books he used 90 study were piled
In confusion on the iloOr of his parlor.
where he had tossed them out OF his
trunk ON the day Of his arrival. He had
neither wife nor sister tn arrange them
for him, so there they would. in all
probability, remain. lie was half
minded 90 refresh himself with n little
reading. but was too lazy 90 get up and
fetch book. just then came n knock
NJ his door. Come in" called Rath
Marquardsen. and the old clerk Of the
courthouse entered, staggering under n
pile Of musty Volumes
"1ou babe me clean out the drawers.
and bring you these old books to look
over. Herr Rath, said the clerk. "Hcre
they are, tho records of Justice in Got
tingen for the last hundred years. Sure
ly your worship wont be troubled to
read this stupid stuff? Better let me
throw Il into the stove"
And he tossed the books upon the tn
BILE with n gesture Of disdain. But the
Rath regarded them with very different
eyes.
"Pray leave them there" cried he.
spreading his hands over them as though
20 guard treasure. "Ah. that will do.
Wit thou try my beer and tObacco?"
The clerk went away muttering
'When the Herr Rath has been as long
about tho courts rs |. he wi not care
Tor law books out Of business hours"
Antiquity had an immense charm for
tho kath. The worm eaten, calf-skin
bindings, blackened edges of the leaves.
and musty smell OF the ancient books
helped him 10 call up the vanished gem
orations who had used them. They be-
gan 20 pass before the eye Of his fancy
an shadOwy rows, rcacting the tragic or
tranquil scenes Of their little day on
earth. Therefore, tho moment the
clerk was gone. he drew the lamp near
him. and began To turn over the yellow
pages Of the ~ ,or,ls.
They were not particularly excitiny ,.
Most Of them were meager notes of
trials, compressed into rs few words as
possible; but ut length, In examining
the very oil lest book OF all. he came
upon an entry which Interested him so
much that he read IL over and over
again. This page was headed. "Trial
OF Jacob Winterwerb for Forgery" and
at tho bottom OF the leaf was pasted 4
sheet Of crumpled letter paper. closely
written In n curious, grabbed. but sui.
fciently legible hand
Our bookwOrm pounced upon this
ancient manuscript ~ gOld-digger
might pouncs upon nugget. or n
gourmet upon n chef dWuvru Of Sever.
Putting on his spectaclcs for. like
many Germans, he was troubled with
weak eyes he began TO read the faded
yellow writing;
august 9Th. 1854. Il have returned
homo aitor n long. firing day in the
urt-house commenced the MS
''but weary though 1 am, can no,
sleep: i can not forget the events OF
this day. A strange gloom hangs over
me. fearful curse which was uttered
In my hearing keeps obtrudinV itself
upon my memory, AID some power tina,
i am totally unable To control or resist
impels me TO write IL down. Yet surel,
IL was enough that the recording ange
should mark Jacob Winterwerb's i'm
precautions must his fellow-sinner recon-
L DlNf
had to try my old neighbor Jacob fol
the dark crimo Of forgery. Itwas hard
Tor me To try him. but the extreme hard
ness of my case is that still believe hin
TO DO guilty, although his countrymer
have acquitted him.
Il have had more opportunity for oh.
. serving his daily conduct than any 9th
or man in Gottingen. aud what 1 hav,
noticed makes me fear he has foresworr
himself to-day. He would plead nj,
own cause-he would defend himself
Yes. no WAS quite clever enough TO dc
it we'll We were boys together, jacob
and l. and wicked though he be, 1 beaI
him kindness stu; L can not endure
to let my mind dwell upon his eternal
Il am impclled to write Il down.
Probably everyone else who was pres
ent IN the courthouse to day has for.
gotten the extraordinary curse by which
no bound himself. but the remembrance
OF II keeps me restless In spite of INV ia.
nguo. lie sad. raising his hand toward.
Heaven; III am not speaking Gods
truth may my body never turn 10 dus,
In the graver
Poor Jscobl hated by all but me
perhaps Ood IN His mercy NAV vel
lead you 10 repentance
II am safe enough in writing down
what he said, because no mortal eve
viii read the lines have now written
until Jacob and | shall both have gone
70 our account shall leave the MS
sealed and directed TO my son Franz
he viii do with Il rs he pleases.
jacob Winterwerb has lived in IN,
house adjoining mine ever since hi,
marriage, thirty wears ago. Our gar
low hedge. His eldest brother Hsr
man. was the richest merchant in Cot
tngen. which Is saying somothins
where AL are wealthy.
"The brothers lived together untf
Herman's death. which took place tvv,
months ago. Their household consistef
OF the two old men and two lads. Peter
the only son Of Jacob. and Gusfel. AZ.
nOu. ~ thQfr enr.or ataf.- Nj. -