Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-28
A TRUE PROPHET.
THE PROFESSORS ROMANCE.



fine April morning, 10; pay kagee-
pisife TO Frau Mit,nacht, who lived in
an old-fashioned, rambling, wooden
house standing in large garden ON the
high road, about mile distant from his
home in the little town of Ahnstadt,
in South Germany. The Profess
sor was q middle-aged, awkwardly-
built man, slightly under middle
height and inclined to stoutness; he
had high shoulders and short neck,
and he stopped as he walked. His
face, spite OF his long, shaggy hair,
irregular features. wide mosth, and
crooked teeth, was by no means de-
void Of attraction. The forehead, over
which the untidy hair fell loosely, was
broad and nobly shaped the blue eyes
which locked out from under HIS spec
tacles were full Of gentleness and can
dor; his expression was bcnignity IT.
self and his whole manner nnassum-
ipr--almost chlAliSe in its simplicity.
The Professor rs, as We have said,
dress, a sith more than usual care. 1t
was true that his broa1cloth suit was
ill-madc, and that il had worn white at
the seams and bright at the elbows; it
was true. too, that his wide, Tapping
linen collar was frayed at the edges,
limp, and innocent Of starch, and that
his clumsy boots betrayed unskilled
country workmanship; but he had
brushed his clothes-an unwont-
ed concession to the propreties--
had applied some precision TO the
living Of his black crsvat, which was
generally fastened in loose knot under
one ear, and had substituted soft
black felt hat for the sun-scOrched straw
one, whose dilapidated condition IN the
region Of the brim was pslpable even
to his short-sighted eyes.
Herr Bettinger trotted briskly down
the stone staircase leading from his
rooms, which were at the top Of tall
corner house in the main street OF
Ahnstadt. AS he passed out of the
open front door he knocked against his
servant Ricke, a country girl in a nom
descript dress Of short blue petticoat,
colorless loose print jacket, and clat-
terinr wooden shoes, who was entering
with a pitcher of water poised upon her
head. Calling genial 4" Pardon " after
him, he turn ed the corner into the
Canzlei Strasse--a picturesque, narrow
street, with shops and tall, irregular
houses. many OF them Of wood; the
character Of the street, as Of all the
town. was prominently studious. a
polytechnic school, gymnasium,
and music school stood IN
close proximity to each other
in the Canzlei StraSse. Students
in ecC entric caps and shawls, and with
sparuely combed hair. were to be seen,
rushing IN little companies of twOs and
threes to keep scholastic appointments
Mt one or other Of these institutions.
Outside the town was the Lust Garten,
where sun-burned, fair-haired soldiers,
elderly pedants, tastelessly-dressed
housewives their everlasting knit
ting in their handS-nurSes, and chill
dren were to be seen taking the air at
all hours Of the day.
The Professor saluted many acquaint-
ances as he hurried along. Students
several Of whom were pupils Of his
owr-doifed their caps in respectful
greeting. His most intimate friend
generally known by the high-soundine
title of the Herr COnsiStorialrath Elsen
lohr, a stout, breathleSs little man
with gray hair, keen gray eyes, and
shrewd clever face. was smoking al
immense meerschaum in doorway
he looked up, with nod and cordia
"Guten Tag" as the Professor wen
by.
At length Herr Bettinger entered
booksellers shop. After brief colo
guy with the proprietor he issued there
from, n gayly-bound edition of Georg
Eber's latest novel in his hand. II
had one more visit to pay-to flower
stall, where he bought bunch of VIC
lets-befOre striking into the long
dusty road running between vineyard
to Frau Mittnacht's house.
Frau Mittnacht had enjoyed bushes
and social intercourse with the PROBES
sor for more than fifteen years. Sh
kept o thriving ladies' school, and tn
Professor gave instruction in Germa
literature two afternoons every wee
TO the more advanced among her schoI
ars. The lessons were generally sue
seeded by short periods, devoted t
coffee and conversation, in Frau Nit
nacht's own sanctum, little first-hoo
room overlooking patch of ground
half vineyard, half garden, with
rough grass plot, number
walnut-trees, some cider-apple tree,
and long, moss-grown gravel walk
with an old stone bench and sun dial &
the end. The borders were full Of VEG
etables and perennial flowers, nike
together with little regard to eilec
cabbages for sauerkraut holding Il
most conspicuous, aud not. least honor
ed. place. At the Professors interyie
with his hostess there was often preseI
Miss Janet Kirby, lady who was En-
lsh governess at Frau Mlltnacht
school. Sometimes, on occasions
exceptional leisure, Miss Kirby woul
irturn with the Professor to AhnStad
and pay a flying visit to his neice, Cla'
Bettincer. an orphaned girl, who Il
lately had lived with him, and betwee
whom and herself there existed an int
mate friendship.
Clara's parents had both died in h
early childhood for many years Il
cost of her board, clothing, and liber
edues'ion had been betrayed from h
unclo's slender purse. Now, howeve
she had reached the age Of eighties
years, and had obtained a situation
mrsic.teacher in a school at Genev
Herr Bettinger, left to his lonely hon
and 10 his lesseDed expenses, began
betbink him, after a shy and silel
fashion essentially his own, Of enric
ing his home and impoyershing b
purse by taking to himself a wifi
Now, at last, that his niece had gon
and that his own literary and scholast
engagements became every year mo
numerous and lucrative, he could alto
TO marry.
Realization Of this fact was in q
p.nCosso,,e mind as he trudeed alon