The Washington critic., 1890-02-09
MY FRIEND THE DUTCHMAN,
by FREpER1cK nARpMAN.

- ohO wall hdNC yOut
Not doubt of either. Before this
day fortnight she shall be Madame Van
Haubitz"
"You will make her your wife with
out acqualnting her with your true po-
sition?"
'Indeed will !. My very position re-
quires it, There's no room for scru-
pie. She expects to live on my fortunes
thinks to make great catch of the
rich Dutchman. Instead of that shall
spend her salary. The old story, going
out for wool and returning shorn."
The conversation of which this is the
concluding fragment occurred in the
public room of the Hotel de Hesse, in
the village of Homburg on the Hill
then an insignificant handful Of houses
officiating as capital of the important
landgravate of Hesse- Homburg. The
table d d'hote had been over some time;
the guests had departed TO repose in
their apartments until the hour of
evening promenade should summon
them to the excellent band of music
provided by the calculating liberality
of the gaming.house keepers, and to
loiter round the bruanen of more or
less nauseous flavor, the pretext of re.
sort TO this rendezvous of idlers and
gamblers. The walters had disappeared
TO batten on the broken meats from the
public table, and to doze away the
time till the approach of supper re-
newed their activity. My interlocutor
with whom / was alone in the deserted
apartment, was a man of about 80 years
.Nfo oro xt1a Il ,.ly 1at, o,,1
marked features, spare person and
complexion bronzed by tropica! sun,
entitled him TO pass for a native of South
ern Europe, OF even of some more ar
dent cline. Nevertheless, he answered
to the very Dutch patronymic of Van
Haubitz, and was native of Holland,
in whose principal city his father was
banker of considerable wealth and
financial influence
1t was towards the close Of glorious
August, and for two months had been
wandering in Rhineland. Not after
the fashion of deluded Cockneys, who
fancy they have seen the Rhine
when they have careered from Cologne
to Mannheim astride of steam engine,
gaping at objects passed as soon as per-
ceived; drinking and paying for in
different vinegar as Steinberger- Cabi-
net, eating vile dinners on the decks of
steamers, and excellent ones in the
capital hotels which British cash and
patronage have raised upon the banks
of the most renowned of German
streams. On the contrary, | had early
dispensed with the aid of steam, to
wander on foot, with the occasional as
sistance of lazy diligence or rickety
einSpanner, through the many beautiful
districts that lie upon either bank of
the river; pedestriansing in Rhenish
Bavaria, losing myself in the Oden-
wald and pausing, when occasion
offered, to pick trout out of the nu-
merous streamlets that dash and mean
der through dell and ravine, on their
way TO swell the waters of old Father
Rhine. AT last, weary of solitude
scarcely broken by an occasional gossip.
with heavy German boor, village priest
or strolling STUDENT thirsted after
the haunts of civilization, and found
myself, within day of the appearance
of the symptoms, installed in luXu-
rious hotel in the free city of Frankfort
on-the-Maine. But Frankfort at that
season is deserted, save by passing
tourists, who escape as fast as possible
from its lifeless streets and sun baked
pdNSihSbtDy oo, ultCl ONCl ull
English newspaper at. the Casino, TAX
ing one stroll in the beautiful garden
surrounding the city, and another
through the Jew quarters-always in
teresting and curious, although any
thing but savory at that warm season.
i gathered together my baggage and
was off to Homburg. There l could
not complain of solitude, of deserted
streets and shuttered windows. 1t
seemed impossible that the multitude
of gaily- dressed bellies and cavaliers,
English, French, German and Russ,
who, from in the morning until sun
set, lounged and tiirted on the walks,
watered themselves at the fountains
and perilled their compilations in the
golden sunbeams, could ever bestow
themselves in the two or three mid
ding hotels and few score shabby lodg
ing.houses composing the town of
Homburg. Manage it they did, how
ever; crept into their narrow cells at
night, to emerge next morning, like
butterflies from the chrysalis, gay,
bright and brilliant. and to recommence
the never-varying but pleasant round
of eating sauntering, love-making and
gambling. Homburg was not then what
It has since become. That great house
of cards, the new Cursaal, had not yet
arisen; and its table d'hote, reading
room and profane mysteries of roulette
and rouge. ct. noir, found temporary
domicile in narrow, disreputable-
looking den in the main street. where ac-
commodations of all kinds, but es-
pecially for dinner, was scanty in the
extreme. The public tables at the
hotels were consequently thronged, and
there acquaintance were soon made.
The day of my arrival at Homburg
was seated next to Van Haubitz; his
manner was off hand and frank; we en-
tered into conversation, took our after
dinner cigar and evening stroll together,
and by bedtime had Knocked up that
sort of intimacy easily contracted at q
watering place, which lasts ones time
of residence, and is eXtinguished and
forgotten on departure. Van Haubitz,
like many Continentals and very few
Englishmen was one of those free and
easy communicative persons who are as
familiar after twelve hours acquaint-
ance as II they had known you for
twelve years, and who do not hesitate
TO confide 10 a three-days' acquaintance
the history of their lives, their pursuits,
position and prospects. was soon
made acquainted, to a very consider
able extent, at least with those of my
friend Van Haubitz, late lieutenant of
artillery in the service of his Majesty
the King of Holland. He was the
youngest of four sons, and having
shown, at very early age, wild and
intractable disposition and precocious
addiction to dissipation, his father pro
nounced him unsuited to business, and