Telegram-herald., 1891-12-27

were also desizustsd BY his kindly walk
ing stiek ss 20 sErolied alsnx After .
day Or 20 my newly found frssnd began
to resume his native speech. % loag DIS
ussd. and By that tune | also hsd learned
70 translate into ordinary Enxlish his
quaint and puzzlias Asylo-Gsrraan sx-
prennaons.
SO We managed 70 get on very well
togethsr, snd found ann an interesting
II slightly dirty old maa- The town,
when explained BY such . cicerone, was
invested with quite new charm Of In
teEssr. II was quaint enough without
any sxtrzneous helm. aEd the hocsas. be-
ing for the most part ancient timoered
edinees. and the gables leaning forward
VITA age and hanging over rhs strsets.
one obtained every now aud again q
street vista ef delicious pieturesqusness.
In which the ancient houses. nod ing to-
ward each other. seemed to DO whisper
ing forgotten and piquAat scandal Of the
good old German daya
There were at every turn and corner
abundant bits" which An artist for an
illustrated paper woald have found very
handy. and sketches Of which he could
have rapidly converted into current coin
of the realm.
am no artist. bat TO my great sur
prise l discovered that my dear and
dirty now found acquaintance and ccra-
tryman was. One day. having accom-
panied him to tbs queer and humble
lodging which he inhabited. found on
the walls certain indubitabIs proofs Of
his artistic bent. There were many ad-
mirabic sketches in chalk and sepia OF
striking points In the valley, and Of GER
tain buildings and objects In the town
itself.
The fountain in the market place was
there with its great st. Christopher rs
its center figure. There were the porch
OF st. Christopher's church, the quaint
turret at the angle OF the town hall, aud
the crumbling ruins Of an ancient for
tress on the Ganzberg. Among other
things noticed . sketch of certain
picturesque old house which had in
deed seen. but tho locality OF which I
did not remember at the time.
1 mentioned this fact.
"Ach nein. have not shown you him.
He Is in tho Ledersfrasse," he replied.
I'VE will see him together auf morgen."
On the morrow. accordingly, we walk
ed together TO tho Lederstrlsse.
AS we entered tho dirty old street my
companion remarked. II have never been
in this street for twenty years or more,
and l never wish to enter it again.
My curiosity was reused.
''Why?" inquired.
'Igos SO great a fright mere once. and
was so much laughed at" he answered.
''Why, what Is there about this street
to frighten You? 1t is old enough, GER
tainly, and quaint enough, and SHELLS
rather-pah." / exclaimed. Rs q full
favored German stencil sa|s.ed my nos
trils; ''but nothing terrible, after all"
"Well, mein Herr, it is not the street;
it is that house. and-the ghost in it."
the Anglo-German replied, with a sort
of shudder. so to speak, in his voice.
''Oh. ohl then You have not lived long
enough yet. and you are not quite boy,
to get rid of your superstitions, en-? You
are still afraid Of ghosts, are your"
al was afraid Of what ] saw" he re-
piled, with !. certain amount OF dignity,
as if hurt by my light manner and my
tones Of rockery.
My curiosity was of course aroused,
and doubt not yours, reader, would
have been by this speech. and ! was
about to question him further when,
pointing with his stick, he said briefly:
"That's the house there"
looked and recognized in tie ancient
timbered edifce on the farther side of
the street the original Of the chalk
sketch in his lodgings.
1t was tumbledown pile. with over
hanging stories and carved barge
board having, moreover, curiously
twisted chimney of ancient. ruddy brick
work, and certain obscure remains Of
armorial bearings over the door. There
was date which, however, could only
make out in its state Of dilaI.dation to
be fifteen-and something or other.
The edifice seemed to have been long
deserted, and the grass was growing in
tufts among the stones at the front door
as !. the passers by had long been accus-
toned to avoid too near acquaintance
with the old tenement.
Indeed, something about the building
said rs plainly as the German version Of
Tom Hoods poem could have said:
The house Is haunted.
Nay. the very street itself seemed to
be haunted. 1t was in great part de-
serted. The tumbledown buildings on
either side of the picturesque house
seemed to be devoid of occupants, and
the few sordid and wretched houses in
the street which appeared to enjoy the
presence OF tenants had, to my imagina-
tion, and in the gathering dusk Of even
ing, q scared and terrified aspect.
Look well at that window said my
conductor, pointing TO = large, battered
easement just above the door, land
when we go win tell you what know
about 1t. That will do" he continued,
taking hold Of my arm; "you have seen
IL, and it is not good TO stay in the
street; IL chills the blood. imagine"
Indeed 1t does," I replied. aud we
moved of. not. fancy. without thrill
Of pleasure at leaving behind M the
ghostly atmosphere Of the Lederstrasse.
A few crows, fitting inhabitants Of tho
desolate street. were wheeling about tne
roofs and chimneys of the house A. we
departed.