The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-09-22
FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
KASPER HAUSeR.
The Strange Boy of Nuremberg-Sad Story
of His Life and Death.

tGitSuS us very uluCu VIC arc tiiiIOoU
sure to wish to repeat it to others whom
we think it will surprise and please. |
believe we are alike in this respect
Now | have been 50 interested in what
l have recently read and heard of a
strange human being who puzzled the
world in the first half of the present
century that | should like to tell the
children about him.
OF course you all know something
concerning the old German town of Nu-
remberg, and probably some Of you q
hope a great many) have read Longfel-
lows poem about the place. This poem
is so sweet and beautiful that have
loved the name of Nuremberg ever
since the hour of my childhood when |
first read it. The town is famous for
its manufacture of toys. 1t was there
that watches were first made, and for
awhile they were called Nuremberg
Eggs.
In one of the quietest streets of this
city, sixty years ago, a boy was found
whom no one knew, and who could
give no account of himself. Not a lit
tie boy, almost young man, for he
looked about seventeen years old; but
he could walk no better than an infant,
and could pronounce distinctly only
few words. He held in his hand an
anonymous letter. which was addressed
to a cavalry captain of Nuremberg, and
which declared that he had been left at
the house of the writer when he was a
little child. But it did not explain how
it happened that at the age of seven
teen he was still us ignorant and feeble
as he might have been fifteen years be-
fore.
The captain to whom the letter was
directed knew nothing of the boy, who
cried and said he wanted to be a rider
and that he had a horse at home. This
was about all of his talk that could be
understood; when pen and paper were
given to him he wrote the name of Kas-
per Hauser, but could write no other
legible words.
Every body was interested in this
mysterious stranger. He was taken to
the jail, where he was well cared for,
and where efforts were made to in
struct him. A great many visitors
came, who brought him little presents,
and he was delighted when some one
gave him a wooden horse on wheels.
Every thing hurt the poor creature.
Sunlight made his eyes sore, and he
could not endure a noise; but he could
see in the dark as well as other people
saw in the brightest noon.
The jailcr and his family were very
kind to him, and Kasper was grateful
and obedient. He tried hard to learn,
and when he became accustomed to his
new home he showed interest and Curl
osity. One day he watched a white
washer at work; and when, short time
afterward, a snow-storm had fallen, he
told his friends that the ground and the
fences had all been whitewashed during
henight.
AS soon as he learned to talk. the
burgOmaster questioned him about his
past life. All he knew was that he had
always lived in what he called "a cage, :"
which had Il log of wood placed against
its only window, to keep out the light.
He had wooden horses to play with,
and while he was asleep bread and
water were brought to him. At last a
man came into the cage and taught him
to write his NAME and also to walk,
which up to that time he had never
tried to do. Then, one day, the man
took him on his back and carried him
out into the light. He was led, he
knew not how far, until they came to
the street in which he was found; there
a letter was put into his hand and he
was left alone.
He had not the smallest idea who he
really was, nor with whom he had
lived. 1t was obvious to every one who
saw him that he had been cruelty treat
ed. He bore the marks of blows, and
was timid and easily frightened. 1t wOuld
be almost impossible to imagine any one
so ignorant as he was, and he felt this
ignorance deeply. 1t is very sad story
this of the boy who tried so hard to be
like other people, and who never could
be like them. He lived for about a
year with a schoolmaster, and became,
before long, stronger, both mentally
and physically. He was taught to read
and write, but there were great many
things which he never could learn; for
his mind, having been left so many
years without training, had lost power,
as will any mind which is not exercised
properly.
A great number of people believed
that Kasper was the son of noble par
ents. Perhaps he was a Prince, who
had been stolen from his home before
he was old enough to remember it.
When he was taken to visit castle he
thought he recollected that he had once
lived in building of the same kind;
and this strengthened the popular be-
lief that he was some very important
person. But no proof ever sustained
this opinion.
About three years after his first APP
pearance, an English nobleman visited
Nuremberg, and was so pleased with
Kasper that he decided to adopt him.
After that the young man was much