The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1889-05-04
THE PRINTER OF KuMMERsoLTHAL.
BY GEORGE Y. FOSTER

taken SUcn name Us uIhhiOiSO'-'
or sorrowing vale, l was for long
while unabe-to determine. knowing
that q town famed in primitive time,
and given SO expressive name as
..sorrowing vale" was sure to have an
entertaining legend. and being specially
interested in the study of nomenclature
rs far rs it related to the names Of
places, | decided to stop over day in
one of my annual trips up the valley
and solvc the mystery that to me ap-
peared wrapped up in the name.
A little inquiry at the village inn dis
closed tie fact that there still resided in
the town one of the old citizens, whose
mind. though feeble on matters per-
tanning to the present day. was still
young as to the impressions received in
youth.
Signifying my desire TO see the old
man, the keeper of the inn pointed ont
his ancient home, and, dinner over,
started for his cottage. He was seated
in his doorway, and to my good after
noon" asked me to sit down and rest.
1t was not long before adroitly led the
old mans mind back to the sunny days
of his youth. and in his story Of old
scenes, he gave the ancient legend OF
Kummcrsolthal
1t was 10 the effect that more than a
century ago, n young German came,
with his young and charming bride.
into that beautiful valley. There he
built him a cabin, and curiously select
ed a site by the river side, just where
the suns first beams struck in the
morning and its last rays fell at night.
There for ten years they resided; happy
years they were, too, though their
nearest neighbors were miles away. a
bright little boy soon made the father s
and mothers heart rejoice, and the
young father was very proud and
happy.
One day, when he returned from his
work in the clearing, he found his wife
murdered by Indians, his child stolen
away and lis cabin burned. The
shock overcame the young husband
and father, but alone he performed the
sad funeral rites over his murdered
wife, and then plunged into the forest
TO search for the destroyer of his peace
and for his lost child. 1t became a
mania with him, and for years after
hunters and trappers used to tell of a
half-crazed man that they often met,
who was always on the tramp, eagerly
looking for something he could not
find, and when addressed on the sub
ject tear would start afresh in his
eye, and he would sadly point in the
direction of his old home, and utter the
single word "Kummersolthal."
This. in brief. was the legend that
the old vllager told me, and at the
close his mind became lost in his an
cient memories, so hat he forgot my
presence and l stole quietly away,
leaving him as found him, absorbed
in thought
This was years ago. The town then
had two thousand inhabitants, but il
was so snugly nestled in the valley and
removed so far from railroads that il
had been overlooked by geographers,
and 1t was only by accident that
stumbled over it at all. Returning to
the inn. made note of the legend in
my record book, and, as 1paid my bill,
the polite landlord presented me with
copy of the Kummersolthal Gazette.
j remember reading it VITA interest
and wondered at the printers ingenuity
in getting into his little sheet SO many
things of interest; and remember dis
tinctly. too, that in each item, no mat
ter how gay on the exterior. there was
something | could not tell
that showed it was written with a sor.
rowing heart. Had l time, should
have called to see the printer, and
tried to solve the ravel of mysterious
sadness that appeared to underlie his
gay exterior and which he evidently
laDored to conceal. But left the vii
lage, and in other places, mingling
with other people. | forgot the village,
tho legend and the Gazette. Now,
after ten years absence, found myself
at Kummersolthal again. Instead OF
the peace and quiet that reigned when
left there, great excitement prevailed.
and it was evident to the most casual
observer that something unusual had
happened. followed the crowd over
The bridge and down by the river side,
and found the people gathered
around an implanted cottage on which
was an aged sign, so washed by the
rains of time that it was with difficulty
could decipher the words Hummer
solthal Gazette"
From citizen learned that the day
before the paper had failed to appear.
Somehow every one felt disappointed
For more than twenty years such fail.
ure had never happened. Every
Wednesday, at precisely clock p. M,
the Papers were delivered at the post
office by the editor and his son, who
silently returned home.
One thing was certain, the Hummer
solthal Gazette was missed. No one
thought of going down to see why il
had not come. Of late years the edi
tor and his family had appeared &c
shrink more from society. They were
considered exclusive and proud. A