Telegram-herald., 1891-12-27

We have become spicurss in the su-
pesnatur2L The respectable ard con-
vsanoual ghost and the haunted cham
bes Of the old manor house no longer
serve onr turn. A specter 20 command
oUs respect mast b.. nowadays, OF orig
inal habits. and so stand somewhat apart
from tho other members OF his extensive
elan
I was therefore not . little pleased
whsn, q few years ago, succeeded in
tighsiax upon . specssr OF somewhat IN
conventional type.
Ny treasure troys was acquired as fol-
lows:
4 happened TO Do detained for q short
time IN n smsn sa1 exceedingly tumble
down. old town ia the middle OF the
Black forest.
The place OF which I speak Is little
better than large village, though in
difference 10 the feelings OF its worthy
inhabitants, who consider it no doubt as
tho "hub OF the universe" have digni-
fed 1t with the appellation Of town, and
IL lies quits out OK the ordinary run Of
tourists, high and dry above the restless
ebb and fiow OF the great excrrsionAl
ocean.
Let US call the old place by the name
OF .'Dummelsheim:" 10 viii do Nj well as
any other uane, and will convey u deli
cate and net unmerited compliment TO
iss respected inhabitants.
DusnmelsheiIn. then. lies in one Of the
lovelest OF the many lovely green val
leys which run Ike tongues OF verdure
between the pine clad heights and crsgs
OF the Black forest. II is set down on a
small patch OF tableland. above which
rae some wonderful shapes OF crag and
psne forest. and below which a little
mountain stream rushes frantically
night and day. raging and tearing its
little hfe out among tho great bowlders
and between the fern clad banks, yearn-
ing to obliterate itself in the nearest
river that oders refuge.
Happened to be detained in this place
on special business for whole fortnight.
A fortnight in Dummelsheim, with
nothing to do. represents about five
years OF ordinary existence in length
and tedium.
Iexplored the lovely valley, not with
out daily feeling the charm Of its peace
and isolation: l drank, as in duty bound,
very many tufnolers OF the peculiarly
na7seols spa water, OF which the Dunn
melsheimers are SO unreasonabiy proud;
and then time began indeed 70 hang
heavily on my hands. There was no
gaming table, no theater, no concert
hall; a few noisy Gasthauser in which
German liede- made night and morn
ing hideous, ard where the lager beer
was the worst that money could pur-
chase, Afforded the only Amusement Of
which thsstupid little place was capable.
To be sure there was billiards. !"
Every ons plays billiards in Dummels-
helm, otherwise its folks could not
exist. Even billiards, however, with
cork pool and the fearful delight OF over
turning your opponents c5k with its
pile OF silbergroschen, be ,fns to pail
upon one in time. and ere my fourteen
days sojoarn drew TO close became
noe ouly weary Of poor little Dummies
helm. but began absolutely to loathe
the place. I could not leave it how
ever. "A certain event had to happen, a
letter 20 arrive, and before my time l
could not stir.
At last I discovered diversion It
came in the shape OF a compstriot. resi-
dent conpatrios. Not that In appear
snce or garb he was much of an English
man. Twenty years residence In Dunn
mslshsim had made him more German
than the Germans, aud had quito obliter-
sted .he handiwork Of the good old land
that gave him birth. He had all bat for
gotten his mother speech. and when he
endeavored 20 use it his sentences were
patched together by the Teutonic words
aud phrases which came most readily to
his tongue. He was as regardless Of his
personal appearances as the most Unborn
OF the Durnmelshesmsrs and a. devoted
% the consumption Of tobacco "a the best
Of them. II was supposed that he was =
bachelor. At any rate. Of ''womankind"
he had none. and lived alone with merely
the inssrsnistsat aid OF . supernaturally
hideoas fraa at these times when scour-
ing and cleansing became . bitter neces-
si.y.
Il was In cafe that I first met VIII,
him. I thought when l first saw him,
What dresifal shaggy old German
that 10; no enc eoaid mistake his nation
ality. ss any rate De seemed to Be q
part aud parcel ef the green, moldy
place. sort Of human lichen, an AMI
mated fungus. on two short aud sturdy
legs. And mis- smoking and splitting were
an honor to his adopted country. and
wonid nave been crsditable even in =
sitizen in San Francisco. or dweller in
Poverty Flsk- However. eonpstriot
is eompssriot. and II onS hzs 10 scrspe
the dirt from his countsmncc in crder
10 recognise him. thu ep~rseon n1nst Be
gone through for the SAKE cf The dear
lznd cf eur fathers.
Nv German Englishsnan proved. as s
ecuspsniau. decidedly better than nose
ss 81. and in his morning rzznbles with
me pointed out with great care what hs
knew of tEe sasiani ss~s - The lsftis scwa'
showed me- a woed whrre ene ef ths
Dnmnselslassrners hA.l once, IN st e
playfuiness apcite' a kssrhsst 70 ths
bsck hair q his betrsthei. ard slso tie
3siI In frsns ~ watch he ~af s<tersarsi
hanged ~ = punishment fof his kttIs
esespa.aa. Msay ether sIsts q interest,
whexs inesfierfs ak Iszs ff4Eie theash
sasi ssrsssaz eAzrsetsr I'D esagres