Frederick citizen., 1895-01-11
VOL. "a.

Anyone who has visited HeidelDera
VII remember that there are still
some portions of the olden town re-
Maaining, 1.-The finest specimen OF which
n to be found in the quaint old inr
known as the Ritter, and in the little
fae narrow street in which Is situated
tAe Career, where refractory students
o8 the university are immured fol
1onger or shorter periods according te
the gravity of their breaches of dis.
o1pline. The street which was the
scene Of the strange drama about te
b described, was situated at no grea,
distance from the Karl's Shor and was
Nned on each side by quaint ole
houses and pointed roofs of which
appeared to lean forward and cast q
shadow upon the narrow roadway
which lay between them, even at the
most sunny hour Of the day. And ye
tho Blumen Strasse, for by this name
- fhoroughfare was known, was moi
hy any means full of poverty stricken
Mhabitants, nor was it the abode Of
czizne and vice. Many good old burg
heF families still resided within it,
precincts, and in the roomy old houses
With their low ceilings and windows
1lled with minute squares of glass,
oWeit many whose names for several
g1nerations had occupied places of
honor in the municipal books Of the
good old town on the Neckar.
quaint, quiet coterie, these old world
Germans formed, meeting at each
others houses. smoking their long
bowled pipes and drinking the mild
beer of the native land out of glass
6aEons with pewter lids and handles.
There was one resident in the Blumen
Strasse, who, though he was not a
German by birth. had lived so long
amongst those Of that nationality that
he was even welcome guest at their
houses, and this was Mynheer Corne-
Illus Van Heuvel, Dutchman, who
had for many years earned a hand
some income as a vender of curiosit-
les and objects of art, and was well
known in Heidelberg. Mannheim
Darmstadt, and even as far as Col
ogne, He occupied a large front room
In the house of the widow of the late
6yndic of the markets, which was
crammed from floor to ceiling with q
strange Heterogeneous collection. Da-
tu1a9cened suits of armor, Moorish
Eclmitars and bows and arrows from
Hartary. magnificent porcelain from
Nankin, bronzeS from Yeddo, rich
stuns from Smyrna, and carpets from
the looms of Persia and Cashmere
were all to be found In the old Dutch
mans treasure house. Nor was there
any confusion In his method of ar
rangement, every object was distinctly
Visible and could be examined at a
Moments notice. Several cabinet pic
lures by modern artists as we'll as old
masters hung upon the panelled walls
colored to rich brown tint by the
maud of time, whilst in a set of carved
0aken shelves which stood on one side
Of The white china store. which stood
out like some spectre. were quaint old
Xellum covered books, with heavy
U1lver clasps, which were eagerly
purchased by the biblomaniacs who
often paid Mynheer Van Heuvel a
visit. There was I'm one corner of
the room an old three cornered ebony
abinet. with brightly polished brass
lock and hinges in which 1t was re-
ported that the Dutchman locked away
an almost priceless collection of enam-
els, mosaics and curiously engraved
gems. but even his most intimate
friends had never been gratified by
peep into the darksome recess A
miyer lamp with three burners was
suspended from the centre of the cell
ing, underneath which was q writing
table, which was kept with the most
ecrupulous regard to order. In the
deep embrasure formed by the window
W11 a tall chair with soft leather
cunfrions, and luxuriously stuffed
arms, and when the weather permit
ted. Cornelius Van Heuval would take
up his position at the open easement,
h1s long pipe in his mouth and in
this situation he was enabled to COM
mond both ends Of the street and
catch glimpse of his customers long
before they knocked at the low-browed
door which gave access to the house
- mich he had taken up his quart
<4 For many years the old Dutch
man had led the same calm and regu-
lar oourse of life.
When he was at home he never lock-
"a his door, but when he went out to
emoke his pipe and drink his glass Of
0oex with his neighbors, he secured
Ms precious collection by affixing q
padIock which he declared had guard
"a the portals of the seraglio of Has
Gun AL Raschiel, upon a hasp which
~ 1ad caused to be inserted in his
U1[tr door.
no would take the trouble to stag
1I Away under the weight of a SUIT
Npted armor of the days Of Henry
Fowler" he would remark to those
chided him for his want of caution,
a china bowl or even oil paint
Hre difficult objects to conceal be-
ne1 the present style of dress, with
o4< exciting immediate attention"
~ your gems, your intaglios and
x cameos." his adviser would urge.
Hwely those could be abstracted and
<led away without any one being Mt
& the WISER
ave ! any such things in my col.
the old Dutchman would re.