Telegram-herald., 1891-12-27

II must have lest consciounss at
once, for tns next thing remember xss
lying on my bed in my own lodgiuss.
with my good landi~dy and the acq uaint-
ances who had dared me 20 the terrible
trial standing around my bsd.
lit was sid for some tins aftse that
the poor Engiander was going n,sd. ~
al The oeheFs Uho had seen the ghcst Of
tho LedsrStxaDe hsd done. ! cheated
them however. Ny head was too strong.
suppose. for I got over my fright. and
after my broken les had been ret, could
listen to their recital Of what brd
taken place. Ilesrncd that those who
had set themselves TO watch in tho ssrcot
had heard frst = strange. low, grinding
sound--my ecrews no doubt-then after
. long interval my frantic screams. a
crash and the clatter Of broken glass, and
had seen me fall rs lifeless lump upon
the street pavement.
"Thcy picked ne up. snd one OF them
described that as they al 70 ,ie chsnced
to look upward and saw at the broker
window above. shining in the moonlight,
a pale, shacowy face and the glitter OF
two bright eyes.
'sIt is not strange 10 say my right leg
was broken by the fall; but Il is, think.
f--newhat strange to relate that my joft
WI blackened 70 the knee rs II scorched:
nay, il is so TO this day-seel"
Ny friend showed me his blsckened
leg.
Ard shat is ALP asked.
cal, lieber Eimmel! IL not that
eneagh: Can yoa wSlder after what
have told you thst don't like the Leder-
strasse%
wonder; not /. would not so near
the place again after dark for grand
dukes ransom. But who do they say
the specter was:"
Il do not quite know. There III q leg
end OF some hoeier who once lived in
that house and was rich, who fell into
some disgrace, and the reigning duke Of
xs-Dummelsheim seized upon him.
aud with refinement in cruelty, in order
TO extort from him his money, caused
him TO be pu: to u torture something liz
the manner OF our ancient mGchine
called 'the boot which crushed the leg
Of the victim. In this case the instru-
ment WAS . hose OF steel. which Was at
the onset icy cold and was then heated
by Gre TO almost a red heat The poor
hoeier sank snder the dre&dful torture.
at is said that his ghost now seeks TO
avenge itself upon all who approach his
ancient abode, and that he tries on them
his ghassly hoec; II he succeeds In getting
beth hose on their legs they Gle and bis
spirit Is released from is waps'e-ings.~
Such was the case Of the queer old
Anglo-German. l went to my inn and
to bed; there lay and pondered lorg
upon the strange story had heard. Ny
sleep. when sleep came. was not Of the
best Every now and again awoks
with start and shudder, and fancisd
that ghostly hosier was pulling upon
my own legs the spectral hose Of the
story.
"A day ~ two passed by. and one night
40 l was pachsng my portmsnteau foa
my homeward locrnsy on the morrow,
was startled by . great yellow light in
the sky. Soon after l heard the hoars<
daiu Di1tdut voiCo Vi tAso e<Stsu ocus
dressed and went out. and found ths
whole population Of the place running
In one direction. followed the stream
Of folk. 1t was IRE. sor one told me
IL the Lederptrasse; the auntsd hous<
was burning down. We arrived in thu
ancient narrow street; the sight wa
magnificent; the whole dwelling wns cn
veloped in flames. No one took tn,
slightest trouble or endeavored - ee'
the flames under control. All were star
ing and gaping in idle c1riosity.
eft was bad place" some one said
''and they were well content 10 cee 4
perish"
How or by whom The flre was hndle<
lnever knew.-Truc Flag.