Richland beacon., 1888-06-02
KASPAR HAUSER,
NfyStefS Almost Equal Ia that Of the NInn
with the Iron Mask.

of the picturesque town of Nuremberg
that wonderful place that takes you back
at bound into the middle ages. He
was leaning against wall in very con
strained attitude, like person unable
to control the movement of his limbs.
He could only utter some half dozen in.
telligent words and number of semi.
articulate sounds, and could give nc
account of himself or of his belongings,
or OF the mode in which he came to the
place; but he held in his hand a paper
which purported to furnish some expla-
nation. The writer stated that he was a
poor labOring man, with ten children OF
his own to support; that the boy had
been left at his house sixteen years be-
fore by . woman whom he did not
know, with a note stating that his faith
er was in the Nuremberg Regiment OF
Light Horse, and that when he reached
his 18th year he was to be put into the
same corps. There was NO name or any
other clew to the writer of this docu-
ment, which was examined by numer-
Gus experts and unhesitatingly pro-
hcunced to be counterfeit, intended
to mislead, and in all probability the
work Of an educated man purposeiy
adopting coarse handwriting and bad
spelling.
The boy was at first taken for mere
imbecile. But further inquiry soon
showed that he could not be so easily
catalogued. An idiot he was not,
though his intellect was evidently in a
state of arrested Development. In fact,
with the body of q young man he had
literally the mind of little child. TO
all intents and purposes he was in the
condition OF an infant year or two old
His face had the blank, obtuse stare of
babyhood, occasionally varied by a
sweet and childlike smile. He noticed
everything but recognized nothing;
commonPbjects of everyday life had no
meaning and no name for him, though,
like child, he grasped at glittering and
shining things. But it soon appeared
that if some of his senses were undevel-
oped, others were preternaturally acute.
His eyes became infiamed in the day
light, but he could discern every object
in the blacklist darkness. His hearing
and smell were abnormally sensitive.
He could distinguish fruit trees by the
scent of their leaves, while the smell
even of rose or violet affected him SO
strongly as to cause pain. When n
small magnet was placed at some dis
lance from his body, he had the sensa-
ton of a strong current of air flowing
toward him or away from him, according
as the positive or negative pole was
placed in relation to him.
The physical condition of this forlorn
creature was equally unusual. His knee
joints were deeply indented, as if by
prolonged and constant sitting on the
floor. His lower limbs were powerless;
80 that he could neither walk nor crawl,
and the soles Of his feet were as soft as
those of baby. The worthy citizens of
Nuremberg found an explanation for
these characteristics, which they drew
in great part from his own Iudimentary
language and gesticulations. The theory
was land still is) that he had been con
fined from his cradle in dark apart
ment, 80 small that he could neither
stand upright nor lie at full length, so
that he was compelled to remain per
manently in sitting posture. In this
hovel, which he had never quilted for
day, he had been given nothing to eat or
drink but bread and water, and no COM
partnership save that of q toy wooden
horse. His only association had been
with a person whom he alluded to, with
a kind of fear, as "the man" and who
appears to have been his sole link with
the, Otter world:
The poor lad, when taken in hand by
krnIIxy on1 knon1,ar, ,h
symptoms of awakening intelligence.
He learned to speak, to use his senses
in the normal fashion, to walk. and even
to ride. His keeper, "the man," had
taught him to write few words, includ-
ing his own name, "Kaspar Hauser," in
q round copy book hand; but the accom-
plishment was speedily carried further.
and he could soon write and read as well
as moderately intelligent boy of 10.
In his new surroundings he ct first
showed many amiable traits. He WAS
affectionste and kind hearted, anxious
TO please, docile and good tempered. He
had the quick, eager feceptivity, and the
ardent, though fitful, industry Of child.
Unfortunately he soon became a spoilt
child. People came from distance to
stare at him; and savants aud ped ,nts
fiocked from all parts of Germany to
make notes on Kaspar Hauser, and very
often to try their various "systems"
upon him.
When he had been in Nuremburg
some eighteen months an incident oc-
CURED which sert the ebbins tide Of
public interest to food again. One day
the lad was missing from the dinner
table of the schoolmaster with whom ho
had been paced. Search was made and
he was found lying wounded in one of
the cellars of the house. According to
his own account the injury had been
caused by his old keeper, "the man."
who had suddenly appeared, with his
head muffled, and had struck the boy
on the forehead with sharp instrument.
Such was Hauser's story; but no indie
pendent corroboration was ever obtain
ed.
The wound was not serious, and Kas- |
par Hauser soon recovered, to find HIM !
self more celebrated than before. Among
his admirers appeared parsonage more !
highly placed in the world than Bava-
rian burgomasters and Prussian profess
sors. Earl Stanhope, the father of the
historian, wealthy and eccentric Eng
lish nobleman, then travelling in Ger
many, took o violent fancy to the lad.
He announced his wish to adopt him,
and to make provision for his worldly
prosperity. His kindly Nurembnrg
guardians did not feel justified in refus,
ing so advantageous IN offer. and so the
young man was made over to the care of
Lord Stanhope. and by him CONSIGNED