Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-22
STARTLED The WATCHERS.
a Weird Incident That Occurred MT
the Bier Of Schonenlhauer

a very curious story by Guy de Matt
passnnt has come to light in Paris. Ac-S
cordiog to Maupassants manuscript, the
story was told to him by a German wLo,
with friend, spent the night in Schopen-
Shaucr's funeral chamber. The great Ger
man philosopher had died during the
day, and his two admirers prepared TO
watch over his remains during the dark
hours.
Said the German: "Schopenhauer had
just died, and we two had decided to
stay i'll his room until morning. Two
lights were burning on the table. At
midnight our watch began, and after the
two others who had remained with the
body till that hour had gone away we
took up our position at the foot Of the
bed. The face OF the dead man was ln-
changed 1t smiled The wrinkle which
we knew SO well was firmly marked, and
the countenance looked altogether so nat
ural that it would not have surprised us
ii our dead friend had opened his eyes
and laughed at US. Yet the memory of
his profound thoughts weighed upon us,
and we felt ourselves surrounded by the
atmosphere of his genius. The body of
such a man may be stilled by death, but
the man himself remains, and not with
out fear can one remain in his presence.
We spoke about him softly; we recalled
those wonderful maxims OF his which
threw such clear light on many of the
dark problems OF life.
81 cnn almost fancy hear him speak,
whispered my companion, and at the
mere thought we became still more un-
easy, us we sat quite still, our eyes fixed
on the motionless. smiling face. Sudden
ly we felt weak and as though some
thing oppressed us. stammered. I
don't know what is the matter, but as
sure you am sick. Therenpon my COM
panion suggested that we should so into
the adjoining room and leave the door
open, and took his advice Taking
with us one Of the candles, we sat down
ut the farther end of the other room in
such manner that we had a full view of
the bed and of the dead man.
Still, however, a strange uneasiness
possessed us. 1t seemed as though we
We're wholly enthralled by the disembod-
led genius Of the dead philosopher. All
at once we heard slight noise in the
death chamber. We looked toward the
body, and then quite distinctly both of us
saw something white roll over the bed,
fall on the carpet and vanish under a
sofa. At the sight we sprang to our feet,
terrified beyond measure. Our hearts
| beat wildly. ! spoke first.
Did you see4it!
es. i saw it,
".lsn't he dead. thenr
He must be.
What are we to do?'
We must see wlat5it means, was my
companions hesitating reply.
II took our light. led the way into the
death chamber and then cast hasty
look around. Nothing stirred, and APP
proached the bed. The next moment,
however, a great terror seized me, for
saw that Schopenhauer was no longer
smiling. His face, on the contrary, pre-
sented horrible appearance, for his lips
were tightly pressed together, and in his
cheeks there We're two great hollows T
| stammered, He is not dead and stood
staring ut him as though bereft Of my
/ senses.
'.Thereupon my companion took the
other candle and stopped down, and in
moment or two he touched my arm,
hut did not utter a word. looked where
he pointed, and saw on the ground be-
side the sofa something white that
cleaned strangely on the dark carpet, and
l saw at once what it was. 1t was Scho-
! penhaur's false teeth, and they seemed
to be in the act of biting. AS the body
had decaSed the fastening that held the
| teeth i'll position had gradually become so
loose that they dropped from the mouth
and rolled from the bed on to the floor
+