TEUMS OF I'UBL.ICATION.
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day Morning, by E. O. GOODRICH, at $2 per
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nb-eqnent insertions. Special notices in
; ■ rtod before Marriages and Deaths, will
' charged FIFTEEN CENTS per line for each
rtion. All resolutions of A. .-.ociations ;
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-. .it .rest,and notices of Marriages or Deaths
e > •< eding five lines, are charged TEN CENTS
r line.
1 Year. G mo. 3 nio.
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Advertising in ail eases exclusive of
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10E PRINTING- of every kind, in Plain
and Fan y colors, done with neatness and
dispatch. Handbills, blanks. Cards, Pam
phlets, &c., of every variety and style, prin- j
ted at the shortest notice. The REPORTER j
OFFICE has just been re-fitted with Power I
Presses, and every thing in the Printing I
line c.'.n he executed in the most artistic
manner and at tho lowest rates. rEIiM.S .
INVARIABLY CASH.
(£ CUTIS.
ijPHOMAS J. INGHAM, ATTOR- 1
JL SKY AT /..I It's LAPORTE, Sullivan]
C nnty.Pa.
/ GEORGE I). MONT AN YE, AT- 1
VX TOR SKY AT I. A ll r —Office in Union j
block, formerly occupied BY JaMACFAKLANK. i
\l7~ T. DAY IKS, Attorney at Law, I
l?i Towanda, Pa. Office with Wm. Wat- I
i Esq. Particnlar attention paid to Or- :
i ..ins' C' iurt buaiucas and settlement •>! dece
Seats estates. j
\ J EROUR & MORROW, Attorneys I
j. I i_ nt I.uir, Towaatia, Penu'a,
'1 tit- undersigned having a.-sociated themselves
togi ther in the practice of Law, oiler their pro- j
fessional services to the public.
ULYSSES MERCUB, P.D.MORROW, i
March 9, 1*65.
OATRICK & PECK, ATTORNEYS AT
L I.AW. Offices In Union Block, Towanda,
l'a., torir.erly occupied by Hun. Win. Elwell.and
iu Punka's block, Athens, Pa. They may be ,
c nlted at either place.
u. w. PATRICK, apll3 w. A. FBCZ.
HB. McKLAN, ATTORNEY d
-0 COrXsFr.KOR AT /.All', Towa.il
( , Pa. Parti alar atteution paid to business
in the Orphans" Court. July 20, I*o6.
I IENRY PEET, Attorney at Laiv.\
1 L Towanla, Pa. jnn27,66. ;
\\ J 11. CARNOCHAX, ATTOR- 1
IT • SKY AT LA If, Troy, Pa. Special 1
attention given to collecting claims against the ]
C jvcrument tor Bounty, Back Pay and Pensions, .
c fie with E. B. Parsons. Esq. June 12,1*65.
OVERTON Jr., Atior I
AAney a' h i ic, Towanda. Pa. Office in Mou
tanyes Block, over Frost's Store July 13,1-.63,
JOHN N. i'ALIFF, ATTORNEY]
ft AT t.AtV, Towanda. Pa. Also, Govern
ment ' .*• nt! r the collection ul Pensions, Back
o*B harge unless sncceasfol. Office over
i • Po.-* Office and News Room. Dec. 1,1864.
j . D STILES, M. D., Physician and
*-/•* .. '■ 1' ann-an- e t-.- the people ot
Rem- Borough and vicinity, that he bis perma- '
m atly locate at the place" formerly oe ni it-d by j
Dr. (1 W. Stone, for the practice ot his p ofes- j
si n. Particular attention given to the treat
ment ot women and children, as also to the prac- |
t. e of operative and minor surgery. Oct. 2,' bo. j
DR. PRATT has removed to State ;
street, (first above B. S. Ru--e & Co's j
Bank). Persons Irora a distance desirous ! con- \
-ultiag him, will be most likely to find him on :
S-t n> >1 each week. Especial attention will ;
bo given to surg.cal cases, and the extraction ol
teeth. Gas or Etlier administered when desired. |
. 18,1666. P. 8. I'RATT, M. D.
DOCTOR CHAS. F. PAlNE.—or
lice in GORE'S Drug Store, Towanda, Pa. I
Calls promptly attended to at ail hours,
i wanda, November 26, 1m)0.
I)\V'I MEEKS—AUCTIONEER.
Afl Ail letters addressed to him at S'tgar Run, i
Bradford Co. Pa., will receive prompt attention.
"FRANCIS E. POST, Painter, Tow- j
A. anila. Pa, wall 10 years experience, i.s con !
fident he can give the bet! satislaction in Paint- |
ing, Graining, Staining, Glazing. Papering, &■.
AF*Particular atteution paid to Jobbing iu the
c an try. April 0,1666.
¥ J. NE W ELL,
COUNTY SURVEYOR,
Orwell, Bradtord Co.. Pa,, will promptly attend
to all business in bis line. Particnlar attention
given to running and establishing old ordispu- ;
ted lines. Also to surveying of all nnpattented
lands as soon as warrants'are obtained. myl7
\r IIERSEY WATKLVS, Notary
' ' • Public— is prepared to take Depo-i
--tioa.s. Acknowledge he Execution of Deeds,
M rtgages, Power of tUorncy, and all ojher :
kisirunif nts. Affidavi s and other papers may
be sworn to before me.
OE< c pposite the Banking Uouse ol B.R.
Pu-sell A Co., u few rods north of the Ward
House. Towanda. Pa., Jan. 14. 1867.
Dcntistrn.
rr\VENTY-FIVE YEARS EXPERT
JL EN'CE IN DENTISTRY.
J. S SMITH, M. D., would respectfully inform
the inhabitants of Bradford County that he is i
n ■ . laatly located in Waverly, N. Y., where
he hes teen in the practice of uis profession for
the ; i t four years. He would say that from his
long and -uccessful practice ol 25 years duration
1,. i- familiar with all the different styles of work
done in any and all Dental establishments in
i ' ; country, and is lietter prepared than any
• r Dental operator in the vicinity to do work
t:.- best adapted to the many and different
uses that present themselves oftentimes to the
D- uiist. as i.e understand, 'he art ol making his
ow. artificial teeth, and ins facilities lor doing i
' . same. To those requiring under sets ot i
• fh he wi zM call sttealMit his new kind of j
w h .m i is oi porcelain for both plate
• '... an: forming aco .tiauous gum. It is I
more durable, more natural in appearance, and ,
• h •' ir ad p>t•• T lthe gum thin auy other [
kind of work. Those In need of the same are'
invited to call and examine specimens. Teeth ;
: ito last for j cars end oltcnt m-.-s forlile.—
ChloroJ'o m, tUur, aad "Nitrous ojiilt" admin
■ ■ I within . t safety, as over toor huadied I
i sin nts within the I tat roar years can testify,
i will be in Towanda from the l&tk to SOu of I
every teoath,at | e K. TAYLOR.I
1 o ,i, iby Dr. O.H. Woodruß. )Hav- I
... made arrangements with Kr. Taylor, I am!
prepared to do ail work in the very U-.,t style, at !
Nov. 27. 1865.
DR. 11. WESTON, DENTIST.— |
Offii e in i'attou's Block, over Goie's Drug ,
and Chemical Stora. Ij.in66
ARD HOUSE, TOWANDA, PA. J
On Main Street, neir fhe Court House.
C. T. SMITH, Proprietor. !
Get. *, 1666.
\ -M ERI(1 A N HOTEL,
r\ ' I
T OWANDA, PA.,
Havi * pur ' i-od this well known Hotel on I
Bridge Street, I have refurnished and refitted;
with every convenience for the accommoda
' on nl all who ni ,y patronize me. No pains will I
--eared to m i!:e all pi.a*ant and agreeable.
May 3, '66. —tr. J. S. PATTERSON, Prop. j
DER HOt SE, a four story brick I
C. edifice nc irthe depot,with airy rooms, |
"* ! bailors, newly lurnDbed. hat a recess in l
ucw addition for Ladies use, and is the most |
• rnv mint and <m!y first class In- nl at Waverly,
N. I. fi is the principal oflca tor stages sooth
1 ; cxpi' . Also t-r sale ol Western Tickets, j
■:iu (;; da. on Grand Trunk Rail-way. Fare
to Detroit fr-mi Buffalo, t4. is cheaper than any
other route. A pnly for tickets .s ab-ive to i
c. WARFORD. !
*lai .in? and care of Horses at reasonable i
rare.. |
Waverly N. Y , 0ct.26, i*6C.-3m. C. W. !
"
ASSORTMENT OF PRAY-i
■L ER Books at the NLWti ROOM. J
* | ||"| h ' l ij '
E. <>. GOODRICH, Publisher.
VOLUME XXVII.
THE TWO SISTERS OF
COLOGNE.
MURE than forty years ago I was
a poor art-student, journeying over
Europe,with a knapsack on my back,
having resolved to visit, if possible,
every gallery worth a painter's study.
I started with but a few shillings in
my pocket; but I had colors and
brushes, strength of limb, and deter
mination of heart. It was my prac
tice, on entering a town, to offer to
paint a portrait, in exchange for so
many days' bed and board ; or, when
I found no man's vanity to be thus
played upuu, I applied at all the like
liest shops, and I seldom failed of
work. Thus 1 was enabled to carry
out my scheme, while most of my fel
low-students were vegetating where
1 had left them, with minds uueularg
ed by contact with the men and the
arts of other countries. Though I
left England with a heavy heart, —
for I was leaving behind me the hope
and promise of my life, —and though
I was away on my walk through Eu
rope more than two years, "in weari
ness " and "in fastings often,"
yet I never envied the unambitious
routine, the inglorious repose, of my
less enterprising friends. I was con
stantly obliged to go without a din
ner, when a turn of ill-luck (some
temporary illness, or the artistic ob
tuseness of a whole city) had drained
my purse very low; hut I seldom lost
courage —courage and confident hope
in the future.
1 was nearly iu this plight, howev
er, when I entered Cologne late one
evening in September. I had been
iaid up at Dusseldorff for many days,
with low fever, and the belt in which
I carried my thalers round my waist
had been much lightened iu conse
quence. My illness had left me weak;
and I crawled into the town dusty
and footsore. Twilight was gather
ing around the many spires and tow
ers as I crossed the bridge of boats ;
a dark ruddy light alone remained in
the calm river, where purple shadows
were fast deepening into black ; and
the reflexion of a candle here and
there flickered in long scales of gold
upon the water. It wa3 very hot. I
sat down ou a stone outside the ca
thedral, too exhausted to go from pil
lar to post, bargaining for a bed, as
was my wont. I pulled my crnst and
bunch of grapes from mv wallet.—
Vespers were going forward, as I
knew from seeing a few devout old
women hobbling up the steps, and
disappearing through the heavy leath
ern door. In no like spirit it occurred
to me, after a while, to follow them.
It would be pleasanter than outside :
the soothing influence of music, the
whiff of incense,the luxury of a straw
bottomed chair, —these were the at
tractions, I fear, that drew me in.—
lleaven knows, I was properly pun
ished, inasmuch as I can never again
hear Cologne Cathedral named with
out a shudder.
There were but few persons pres
ent, anil those were huddled together
in one of the side-chapels,dimly light
ed by the flare of half a dozen can
dles upon the altar where a priest
was officiating. The only other light
throughout the great shadowy pile
was given forth by a feeble lamp or
votive candle here and there, burning
its little life away before the Mother
of Seven Sorrows, or the presiding
saint of some smaller betiuselled
shrine, and struggling out into the
great sea of darkness fast gathering
over all. The chairs were piled away
in blocks, except a few, left for the
use of the devout, near the altar. I
preferred slinking into a confessional
against the wall, where no ray of
light penetrated. I laid my head up
on my knapsack. I heard the priest's
monotonous drone, the tinkle of the
little bell, the low, heavenly murmur
of the organ, aud then—l fell asleep.
Did I dream what follows ? As I
am telling you as simply and truth
fully as 1 can all that I know of the
matter, I begin by saying that I have
never been able to satisfy myself en
ire upon this point. Assuredly, the
strangeness is no way lessened, hut
rather increased twofold, as the se
quel will show,if one can believe that
trie strong aud painful impression left
upon my brain produced while I was
asleep.
I woke—that is to say,my own dis
tinct impression is that I woke—just
as the service was finished. In half
an hour the cathedral would be silent
and deserted ; then it would be lock
ed up for the night. If possible, why
not pass the night here, instead of
seeking and paying for a bed else
where ? My legs felt mightily disin
clined to carry me a yard farther. At
dawn, when the doors were opened, I
should rise up refreshed to seek for
work. But, even while I revolved
these things in my mind, I saw a
light coming down the aisle where I
was, —nearer and nearer. 1 slunk as
far back as possible into the corner
of the confessional, hoping to escape
detection. But it was not to be. The
sacristan was upon his rounds, to see
that there were no loiterers in the sa
cred building; his vigilant eye spied
rne. He laid a hand 011 my shoulder;
he shook me, —I must move off. With
a heavy sigh I rose, and then, for the
first time, perceived two young wo
men standing behind the sacristan,
their eyes fixed upon me. No doubt
they were leaving the cathedral, and
had stopped, arrested at the sight of
a young man being unearthed from a
confessional.
It was impossible to mistake that
they were sisters, though one was
shorter and much less well-favored
than the other ; but they had the
same gray, piercing eyes, fair skins,
and hair which was something be
yond flaxen, — it was almost white.—
Tho Lair was worn in a stranere fash
ion, which 1 cannot describe, though
I see it even now before me, — the
glittering npiral threads hanging
partly down the back, and surmount
ed by some sort ol black coif or coni
cal head gear. Their aspect, altogeth
er, was very singular ; I found that,
so soon as my eye had fallen on
them, I could not take*it off; and, to
say the truth, if I stared, the young
women returned my stare with inter
est. As I moved wearily away, the
elder one spoke,—
" Have you no money to buy your
self a night's lodging, young man ?"
"I have enough for that,Fraulein,"
I replied, coloring; "hut I am almost
too tired to go about and look for
one I have been ill, and have
walked some miles to-day."
The sisters exchanged glances.
"If it be so, we will give you a
supper and a night's lodging. We
need no payment. We are hound by
a vow to help any poor wayfarer so
far. You may come with us, young
mau."
Something within me said, "Do not
go." But why ? What x onng fellow
of twenty would refuse the hospitali
ty of two handsome women, especial
ly when he has b*t a few shillings in
his pockets,is tired and hungry? Yet
I hesitated.
" Accept it or decline it," said she
who was still the spokeswoman some
what impatiently. "We cannot wait
here longer."
We were at the door as she said
this
" I will paint your pictures in the
morning, then, in return for your hos
pitality," I replied, smiling. I was a
vain boy, I am afraid, in those days.
I had good teeth, and liked to show
them. The younger sister, I saw,
never took her eyes ofl" me. There
was no harm in appearing to the best
advantage. 1 bowed rather directly
to her as I spoke, and once inure the
sisters exchanged glances.
A hired carriage was waiting.—
Without a word they stepped iuto it
aud I followed them. The driver
clearly knew where to drive. With
out auy order being given we set off
rapidly, but iu what direction 1 did
not think of observing. Like most
German carriages,the glasses rattled
over the stones, so that I could not
hear myself speak. I made a futilc
effurt, hut neither sister attempted to
respond. Both sat there opposite me,
motionless, leaning back in the two
corners. I had nothing for it but to
watch their faces in silence and spec
ulate about their history,as tire lamps,
swung across the narrow streets,
threw lurid jets of light ever and
anon upon those two white masks
under the black point d'eoifs.
It was not until we had been driv
ing for upwards of twenty minutes,
aud had come out into what I sup
pose to have been a suburb of the
city, juiliug from its high garden
walls, that it suddenly flashed upon
me that 1 had left my knapsack be
hind me iu the confessional. An ex
clamation of annoyance escaped me.
" What is it ?" said the younger
sister, leaning forward; her voice
was far more musical than her sis
ter's
I told her what troubled me.
" Did it contain anything of val
ue ?" asked the other.
I shook my head. " Nothing of val
ue to auy one but myself,—a change
of clothes, my colors aud brushes, and
a few books."
" The Cathredral is locked now. It
would he no use in our returning. It
will be open at six; aud if you are
there before that hour, you will find
your proper ali safe, no doubt
Here we are,Gretchen ; have you the
key ? Open the door."
We stopped before a small, siugle
stojied house,having a wall on either
side of it, aud no other habitation
near. So much I saw, wh'le Gretch
en (the younger one) drew out a key,
and opened the house door. The car
riage drove off. I followed the sisters
iuto a narrow passage. Upon the
right was the kitchen; on the left,
the staircase ; at the back a door,
leading up a flight of steps, into a
garden.
" Come witli me, young man," said
Gretchen. " Lori will get supper
ready meanwhile."
The elder sister turned into the
kitchen. Gretchen led tho way up
stairs.
" We have but two r00m5.... Lo
ri will prepare your bed in the parlor,
after supper Will you wash
your hands V
She struck a light, and opened a
door to the left, at the top of the
stairs. It was the bedroom of the
two sisters,—small, yet containing
two beds, and several great chests.
A black crucifix, too, I observed in
the corner of the room.
" And you live here, alone ?" I ask
ed. "No servant ? Are you not afraid
sometimes ?"
The shook her head. "No, we are
not afraid. Lori is afraid of nothing,
—not even of ghosts. Do you be
lieve in ghosts ?"
I laughed.
" Do not laugh," she whispered.—
"Ghosts are the only things I fear.
Sometimes I fancy I see them in the
garden there. She shuddered. " See
what a fine garden we have
" Plenty of space, is there not?"
She was pouring water into a ba
sin from an earthe iware ewer, I re
member, as she said this. She set
the vessel down, and turned to the
window, through which the moon,
which was now risiug behind a soli
tary sycamore, shone into the room.
A square space enclosed by high
waUs where the grass grew rank,
and a moss-grown walk, led to a lit
tle door in the wall at the farther
end. This was what she was pleased
to term the garden.
" The violets grow rarely there iu
the spring," she said, with a strange
smile, as if interpeting my thought.
When 1 had washed my bands,
Gretcheu conducted me into the next
room where Lori had now laid the
supper. It was a small chamber,with
TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., FEBRUARY 14,1807.
an alcove, or closet, at one end, a
great earthenware stove, and a num
ber of gaudy prints around the walls.
In the midst was the table, where
three covers were laid. It was deck
ed with a bunch of China-asters in a
jar, and was substantially furnished,
I was glad to see, with a pie, a dish
of raw ham, a loaf of black bread,
and some grapes. As for drinkables,
there was a small jug of Bavarian
beer,and there was a bottle of water,
Lori bustled to and fro ; Gretchen
lighted another candle, and set them
both on the stove, behind the table.
As she did so, my eye was attracted
to the floor,on which the light stream
ed. It was uucarpeted ; aud a-nuni
her of black beetles were running
acres- it, alarmed by the illumina
tiou, no doubt. Now, I have always
had an irrational repugnance to this
insect: I am alraid my face showed it.
" We cannot get rid of the nasty
creatures," said Gretchen. They come
out iu myriads from crevices near the
stove ; but the light always fright
ens tfiem away."
We sat down. I was very hungry,
and fell to with right good will.—
Lori kept me company. She sat op
posite ; and whenever I raised my
eyes, I saw the movement of her mas
sive jaws defined against the candles
behind her. Gretchen s.t on right
hand; thus the light fell sideways on
her face, while that of her sister was
in shadow; and the table being small,
Gretchen's hand and mine came fre
quently in contact. She ate very lit
tle ; she crumbled and played with a
piece of bread, and seldom allowed
those strange piercing eyes of hers
to leave my face. As supper went
on, Lori talked aud laughed a good
deal ; Gretchen said nothing. She
set med to grow more aud more ab
sorbed in her own thoughts ; and
once, when her hand touched mine, 1
observed that it shook. She filled up
a tumbler of water and drank it. Lo
ri pushed the beer towards me.
" Fill up for yourself—" I drained
the jug into my glass. I raised it to
my lip and began to drink. Sudden
ly Gretchen uttered a sharp cry, aud
started up. In doing so, she nearly
upset the table; and her elbow some
how came in contact with the glass
in my hand. Its contents wered spilt
upon the floor.
"Ach ! the beetle,the horrid thing !"
she cried. "It has gone down my
back, I believe I" She rushee from
the room, as white as a sheet.
"Fool !" muttered Lori, setting her
jaws tight. " What waste of good
liquor ! And there is no more iu the
house ! I will send her, for her pains,
to go fetch another schoppen."
" Not on iny account, I pray. T like
water quite as well. Nay, your ' Bay
erische bier' sometimes disagrees
with me."
She looked up sharpl}' into my face.
" Why, what manner of iunu aie
}ou, that drink water ?" she de
manded.
" I seldom afford myself auythiug
else," I replied.
The beer had streamed from the
table to the floor, where it had form
ed itself into a long diagonal channel
towards the stove. It was still drip
ping,which drew my attention, I sup
pose, to the boards. The beer had
encountered one or two black beetles
iu its course. I had heard of their
fondness for fermented liquors ; it
had taken effect very quickly in this
case. I saw them struggle, feebl}'
and more feebly, to crawl away from
the intoxicating food. Lori's quick
eye discerned what I looking at.
" The nasty creatures ! The}' soon
make themselves tipsy," she said, as
she ran and fetched a broom. Then
she swept them up into a plate, and
carefully wiped the floor.
Gretchen now returned to the room
and helped her sister- to clear away
the supper. As she moved about I,
my hunger beiug appeased, noted
with a quickened perception what a
supple, grandly formed creature this
Gretchen was. The fanc\' came into
my head that the White Cat, when
tt must have resembled
her ; fair and lissom, with delicate
pink nostrils and strange bright eyes.
In the elder I thought the cat grew
akin to the tigress : her sharp nar
row teeth, heavy jaw, and stealth}',
cruel eyes, filled me more and more
with an indefinable repulsion. I was
glad when she said, —
" I will go see after your bed,
young man. Gretchen will keep you
company meanwhile."
I was sitting in the moonlight,near
the window. Gretchen stood beside
me.
"l r ou are unlike all the men I have
known," she said, after she had look
ed at me in her strange way for some
minutes. "Are all Englishmen like
you ?"
" Happily for them, I suppose, very
few."
" But Englishmen are faithful," she
said, eagerly. "They never deceive,
never betray. I have read about one
Englishman in a book. Could you
be true to a woman, without chang
ing all your life ?"
" I should hope so 1" 1 cried, with
the impetuosity of youth. " A man's
love is not worth much otherwise."
She stretched forth her long white
hands and laid them on my shoulders.
" Will yon be my love, young Eng
lishman?" she murmured,in a hoarse,
tremulous voice. " I can make you
rich. Yon need toil no more. lean
save you from great dangers too. I
like your face."
I started up, blushing,for the thing
came upon me suddenly after all;
but I replied withont hesitation, —
"Were I to say that I conld love
you, Fraulein, I should be false. I
have left behind me in England one
whom I have long loved,and to whom
my word is pledged. I—"
"Listen," she interrupted, vehem
mently, but iu a whisper, as though
dreading to be overheard. "1 have
more in my power than you know of.
Do not reject the love i offer ; it may
REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER.
be the worse for you if you do. I
would save you, young man."
I understood her to refer to my pov
erty and her own wealth,as i replied,
with a little flourish of gallantry, -
"If my love for uuother makes me
proof against your charms, Fraulein,
I am not likely to yield to the temp
tation of riches. I'overty and I are
well acquainted already. Its dangers
and hardship cannot scare me, for I
have experienced them all."
"There are some dangers you have
not experienced. A comely young
fellow mayyuu risks sometimes that
he knows not of."
There was a wild look in her eyes
as she spoke, and her words leit a
vague, unc imfortahle impression on
rue. But Lori entered the room at
this moment, carrying my bedding iu
her arms ; and further conversation
with Gretchen was impossible. She
helped her sister to spread the bed
upon a trestle in the corner of tic
room ; then she fetched sheets and a
patchwork counterpane, the design
of which I can distinctly recall even
now. There were triangular bits i f
red cloth inserted here and there,
which looked to me like so many
small tongues of fire ;—I have good
reason to remember them.
When her task was done, Lori
stood before me, with her arms akim
bo.
"You fee! sleepy, young man, no
doubt, after your long day. We
keep early hours, for we are up be
times. You shall have a cup of coffee
and a slice of black bread at five, be
fore we bid you Godspeed. Nay, no
exenses. It is in our vow. Schlafen
Sic Wohl."
Had I sp ifcon the trnth, I should j
have said that, far from being sleepy, '
I had never felt more wide awake j
than I did then. Ever since supper 1
a strange restlessness of mind hud j
taken the place of the languor which ,
had oppressed me. Gretchen madi
as if she would have spoken when 1
Lori ceased. Sh<- turned towards me. '
1 saw her fingers working nervous- i
lv at the black apron. 1 believe it
was her sister's silent ascendency i
over her which restrained iier, for I '
intercepted a sideways glance from
Lori's stealthy eyes which she shot 1
towards Gretchen. With a face in
which fierceness and terror and an-1
guish seemed to be conflicting, the .
latter iooked at me, as she followed ,
her sister from the room,witfiont even '
wishing me' the customary "good j
night."
What did it all mean? Now, for
the first time, I think, I began re
volving in my mind r.ll that I had
seen and heard since I entered that 1
house, anil a disagreeable sense of
something strange and mysterious ,
gradually took possession of me. J
What was there about these sisters .
to inspire mistrust ? With the elder. !
indeed, I could understand it. There i
was a physical repulsion which |
made the blood curdle in my veins |
when I thought of her. But the j
younger was beautiful to look upon.
She had shown herself tenderly in-'
clined towards me. Why should I I
find myself thinking of her, with a |
feeliug akin to dread ? Her words j
recurred to me. At what danger
had she • hinted ? There had been
something wild about her eyes,about 1
her talk, at times. Then there was
her extraordinary proposal. Was
she mad ? 1 remembered her strange j
conduct tit supper, the fierce authori
tative look wherewith her sister had
overawed her. It seemed a likely
solution to much that was otherwise j
inexplicable about them both. But,
if so, how unaccountable that L >ri,
knowing her sister to be subject to
fits and fancies like these, should
offer hospitality to a stranger ! There
was uothipg immodest about the de
meanor of either of them ; there
was nothing that could suggest the
suspicion that this was a guet-a pens
of any sort. The idea of robbery
was ridiculous. Was not my pover
ty, so apparent in the threadbare
student's blouse I wore, a sufficient
safeguard ? Why, I had not even
my knapsack with me, as they knew;
and I was young and muscular, —
not an easy victim for open violence,
had any been intended.
I racked my brain with endeavors
to arrive at some definite conclusion;
for as to trying to sleep, I found it
useless. My brain seemed on fire by
this time. Every moment I felt my
self growing more excited," more
keenly alive to every sound, and all
my mental perceptions quickened.
The single candle they had left me,
burned dim ; it seemed to fill the
room with all sorts of grim shapes
and shadows. After a long interval,
during which everything in the little
house was absolutely still, I got up,
in my restlessness, feeling that any
thing was better than to lie tossing
there, a prey to feverish fancies. 1
walked about the room with the can
idle, examining every article in it.
Fret, there were the colored prints
upon the walls, —among others, one
of the Loreley, I remember, and one,
a scene from Schiller's Robbers,
which made my blood ran cold as I
looked at it. There was a cupboard,
which I opened ; nothing but a few
i plates and one old knife. I sat down
again upon the bed, aud my eye was
attracted once more to the red ton
gues of the patch-work quilt. It
was a very ingenious piece of work.
I tried to follow the kaleidoscope
pattern into which the various shreds
had been wrought with that strange
device of crimson cluth at regular
intervals. Regular ? No. At one
place in the corner, I perceived now
. that three or fonr tongues seemed to
I have been Bewn together. I held
j down the caudle to examine them,
I and started back. What I had taken
i for crimson cloth was a stain of coag-
I ulated blood.
I shuddered. " Perhaps some one
cut his finger here," I said ; but I
did u't believe my owu words 4 aud
then I tried to laugh at myself, and
said my brain was giving way. I
started up. I saw nothing clearly.
The Robbers and Loreley were danc
ing hobgoblin dances on the wall.
The moonlight through the sycamore
branches played in a shivering shad
ow on one spot of the floor. I knelt
down, and crept along upon my
hands and knees, examining the
boards. But there was no stain
there ; only the suiell of tho beer in
one place, aud an army of those hor
rid beetles, who ran away from the
light as 1 lowered it, to the back ol
the stove. I pursued them wit < a
sudden savage impetus towards des
truction. They all disappeared be
tween two chinks in the floor. I sat
my foot on the boards. I thought
one moved.
I stooped, and saw at once that the
two boards immediately behind the
stove, though fitting closely, were
not nailed down —might be removed
no doubt, with some little trouble. I
dug my nails into the chinks and tried
to lift one. In vain. I only tore my
finger with a splinter. Then I be
thought me of the old knife I had
seen in the enpboard. With its help,
I presently raised the end of one of
the hoards, and so drew it out. A
square deal box concealed be
neath. It had no lock or fastening
of any kind.
Although my excitement was so
strong that I remember my two hands
trembling as they laid hold of the
ltd, yet I paused lor a moment before
raising it ? Was it a dishonorable
actum ? My conscience told me I
was justified, aud I tore the box open.
I nearly dropped the candle as my
eyes beheld the contents.
First, there was a great bundle of
coarse, Mack hair ; then one of cur'y
fi txen, like a child's ; then another of
very long and silky brown,- -a wo
man's, evidently. Along with these
were four, —six, —eight,-rows of teeth
some large and strong, some fine and
white. A common ring or two, a sil
ver watch-chain, a poor cloth cap fill
ed the remaining space in the box.
The horrible truth flashed upon me.
I httd been brought here, not to be
robbed of my poor clothes, nor of
what little coin I might have about
me. These were only to be thrown
into the bar /am. They were seeking
to compass my life, as they had done
the lives of others, for the sake of
such possessions as these before me,
—possessions independent of pover
ty or wealth ! I remembered the tales
that had been rife in my own coun
try, not long before that time, touch
ing Burke and Hare. And I now re
membered, too, the look that Lori had
given her sister, when, in my idiotic
vanity, I had smiled and showed my
teeth.
Now, i knew what was the danger,
to which Gretchen, in a sudden com
punction and softening of heart to
wards me, had referred. Now, I
could see clearly whither every inci
dent of the evening tended. TJie
beer at supper was drugged with
some strong narcotic. Gretchen had
tried to save me. Had she really
done so ? I had tasted the drink"; I
and though I never felt wider awake
in my life than 1 did at that horrible
moment when the sweat started out
upon my brow, in the consciousness
that my life might not he worth an
hour's purchase, might not the effect
ol the drug he only weakened and
retarded for a while ? The small
quantity I had imbibed had excited
1113- brain into an abnormal condition
tor the time. I had little doubt of
this. Might it not be succeeded by
a reaction ? I was seized with a hor
rible dread of succumbing, sooner or
later, to sleep. I should then he
powerless. I cared for nothing, com
paratively, if I could only keep
awake, i started up. It was dan
gerous to sit still. I traversed the
room with hast 3' strides. I tried to
turn the handle of the door ; it did
not yield ; it was locked on the out
side. There could be no longer a
doubt of the design against me.
The many church-clocks through
the old city struck two. I listened
for an}- movement in the house, and
once I fancied I heard ome one
breathing outside my door. But I
waited a long time,and it was follow
ed l>}- uo other sound. Then I began
to drag the bed, the table, and the
chairs, and to pile them up into a bar
ricade against the door. This occu
pied some little time, and, work as
quietly as I might, the necessary
noise prevented 1113- hearing anything
else It was not nntil my task was
done that 1 beeamo conscious of some
thing moving in the garden, just be
low m} r window.
There was a dull low thud, as of
some hard substance striking the
earth at regular intervals. I crept
to the window and looked out into the
moonlight, which was now fast dis
appearing behind a gabled roof. In
stead of illuminating the entire plot
of ground, the faint rays now fell
slantwise into the garden, of which
more than one hatf was swallowed in
black shadow. But I clearl}- distin
guished two figures. Do you remem
ler Millais's Yale of Rest ? When I
saw that picture, years afterwards, I
could not help shuddering. It. recall
ed so vividly the attitude of the two
sisters as I beheld them in that terri
ble moment. The women were dig
ging a grave ; the elder one with all
I her masculine energy ; the younger,
. 1- luctantly, as it seemed, removing,
with slow strokes of the spade, the
| black earth, and pausing long be
i tween each. Orce she looked up, and
j the moonlight fell upon her wan, hag-
I gard face. She put back the long
I silver-lighted hair from her brow ;
' she leaned upon her spade ; aud then
j a whisper, like a serpent's, in her ear,
j urged Iter to her task again.
Should I tall asleep now, I was a
dead mau. I knew it. No strength,
no agility, could save me. The dread
of this became so acute, that it work
ed upon my imagination. I began to
think I felt drowsy. A numbness
per Annum, in Advance.
seemed creeping over my limbs. A
weight was falling gradually on my
stiffened eyelids. I prayed, in an
agony of terror, that I might not he
killed asleep,—that I might, at least,
have a fight for ray life.
Suddenly Lori raised her head and
listened. The sound to which she
listened—a whistle, so low that I
could scarcely hear it —was repeated.
She crept stealthily across the gard
en, and raised the latch of the post
ern, which evidently did not open
from the outside. A man came in, a
burly thickset fellow, and the door
was closed again. The three stood
together for a moment in the moon
light. Lori anil the man looked up
at my window (I took care they should
not see me), while Gretchen turned
her head away and wrung her hands.
Then all three came slowly and noise
lessly towards the house.
Now or never was my moment for
escape ! There was one chance for
me. I had seen how the door open
ed .... if I couffi manage to reach
it ! .... But if I hesitated, a few
miuutes hence the drugged beer
might complete its work, and I he
unable to move hand or foot. I open
ed the window softly, and looked out.
There was a drop of about twenty
feet into the garden (which, it will
he remembered, was some feet below
the kitchen again). If I jumped this
the noise must attract attention ; and
might sprain or break my leg into
the bargain. An expedient occurred
to me. I had not rep!aged the floor
ing which I had removed. The
board, which ran the full length of
the room, measured nearly sixteen
feet. Leaning, as far as I could
stretch, out of the window, 1 man
aged to rest one end of this board
upon the ground, the other against
the house wall some four or five feet
below me.
I bad scarcely accomplished this,
when I heard the sound of feet out
side my door, a bolt withdrawn, the
handle turned. My barricade would
obstruct the doorway for some few
minutes : but for some few minutes
only. I had just time to swing my
self from the window-sill by my
hands, to get both feet round the
plank, to slide to the ground, to fly
like the wind, to raise the postern
latch, when the crash of falling table
and chairs reached my ears. I ran—
I know not in which direction—up
one street, and down another, on, on
fancying I heard the sound of feet
behind me ; no soul visible, to right
or left. At last, breathless and ex
hausted, down by the river's side, I
came to a soldiers' guard house. A
sentry was at the door ; there was a
ruddy light of the men's pipes and of
a lantern within. No haven was ev
er more grateful to shipwrecked mar
iner. I fell down upon the step ; the
sergeant and his men came and star
ed, demanded with oaths what 1
wanted, and, as I could not speak at
first, declared I was drunk. Then,
as in half-articulate phrase I poured
out my strange tale, they changed
their minds, and declared I was mad.
But as I was an amusing rather- than
a dangerous lunatic, and served to
beguile the tedious hours of the
night, they let me remain among
them ; asked the same stupid ques
tions over and over again ; laughed
their horse-laughs ; andspat aid spat
all around me, until daybreak. Then
they directed me to the cathedral,
and I left them. One of the sacris
tans was unlocking the doors as I
got there. I found my knapsack un
touched, in the dusky corner of the
confessional ; there, utterly worn out,
at last, with the excitement of that
eventful night, I leaned back, in the
gray morning light, and fell asleep.
The sun was high when I awoke ;
the feet of the devout were shuffling
in to their morning orisons. I shoul
dered my knapsack and crept away.
My head ached ; my limbs felt chill
and numb. Had I been dreaming ?
Were they no more than mere sha
dows of the brain which had left be
hind them so deep and terrible an im
pression ? I met a sacristan—not
the one whom I remembered the night
before—as I was going out. I stop
ped to question him Did he know
anything of two fair haired women
who bad been at vespers last even
ing ? I described them. He stared
at me and shook his head. In the
crowds who came there daily how
could he tell whom I meant ? I left
him, and entered a humble little gas
thaus hard by, where, for a few gros
chen, I broke my fast. Here I made
the same inquiries. I even essayed
to tell my story ; but 1 saw that, like
the soldiers, the people thought me
wandering in my wits. They told
me, rather derisively, that I had bet
ter tell my story to the police. But
how could 1 hope to be believed, un
supported as my extraordinary state
ment was by any proof whatsoever ?
If I could not test the reality of these
events to my own absolute satisfac
tion, was it likely that others would
regard them as anything but the cre
ations of an excited imagination ?
I wandered for a couple hours
through the city, trying to find ray
way to the house, the exterior of
which I felt certain I should recog
nize. I could not even trace the road
I had taken, and at last I gave it up.
The conviction slowly and reluctaut
ly grew up in me that 1 was suffering
from the effects of a vivid nightmare.
Its impression remained painfully
strong on my mind for many aays (I
left Cologne the same afternoon); and
indeed, for some weeks I never fell
asleep without living over again
those terrible hours. But "uo ill
dreams disturbed my rest" ; aud
since the effect of all things must
wear out in time, as months rolled on
the memory of my night in Cologne
became to me no more than a remark
able experience of the strange phan
tasmagoria which the mind may con
jure up, and invest with every ap
pearance of reality, when volition is
removed. I drew over and over
again, in my sketch-book, the beads
of those two sisters as they hail u|<-
peared to me ; and I wrote down,
with extreme particularity, every
word they had said, and cv iy s:na!'
circumstance of my dream.
Oni- winter's ev< ning in th j 1 dinn
ing year I again passed through <
logne, on my road home. I was •.
richer man now than I had been
eighteen months ago ; my foot was
on the first rung of the ladder, for I
had painted a picture which had sold
well. It was no longer necessary f<..
me to carry about my worldly pos
sessions on my back, or to seek out
the poorest gasthaus. The steamer
landed me, with other passengers, on
the quay, hard by a handsome hotel
I resolved to patronize it. The even
ing was cold ; but all along the quay
outside the hotel, in tlie court-yard,
groups of people were standing, and
talking with a blow, heavy power of
speech, betokening that the native
mind was moved by some topic of
more than common interest. I caught
a word here and there which roused
my curiosity. I asked the kclm r
who showad me to my little room
what the subject of such general pub
lic interest was ? An execution, he
replied ; adding that executions were
rare events there now, and that unu
sual interest had been excited by this
one, from the fact that the persons
who had suffered the extreme penalty
of the law were two sitters, murder
esses, whose crimes had long escaped
undetected.
I must have turned white instantly,
for the man looked at me with some
surprise.
" Did you ever see these women ?"
I managed at last to stammer out.
" No, mein Herr. I could not leave
the hotel, to attend either the trial or
execution. But there is an officer in
the Speise-saal who can tell you ev
erything about them, for he saw them
iu prison, and commanded the troops
in the Platz to-day."
1 said no more to the man, hut
went down to the coffee-room, a few
minutes later, with my sketch-book
in my hand. At one of the small
round tables a middle-aged Prussian
officer was having his supper. With
out more ado, I accosted him.
" Sir, you will forgive a stranger's
intrusion, I hope. I am an English
man just arrived in Cologne. I un
derstand that yon were present, in
an official capacity, this day, at the
execution of two women. You will
oblige me greatly by giving me what
information you can respecting them.
The motive that prompts nie to ask
this favor is something beyond c> m
mon curiosity, as you shall presently
learn."
NUMBER 37.
'' Be seated, sir," said the officer,
politely, pointing to the chair oppo
site. " I will tell you all I know
concerning the sisters Strauss. You
are acquainted with the nature of
the crime of which they were con
victed ? It was the murder of one
Ilausmaun, a young pedler. Not for
the sake of his money, for he was
poor enough, but for his hair and
teeth." (I shuddered, but said noth
ing. He continued :) " This was
by no means their first crime. They
were discovered to have been driving
their horrible trade for two or three
years past. It is supposed that they
murdered upwards of twenty poi
sons, men, women, and children.—
Numbers who disappeared mysteri
ously are now said to have been made
away with by the sisters Strauss.—
Their victims were all strangers or
friendless, to whom they offered hos
pitality, and touching whose disap
pearance no inquiries were likely to
be made. Some few had money, per
haps ; the geuerality were poor ; but
several watches and a considerable
sum of money were found secreted in
in the house."
"It had a garden," I said,as though
I saw it all again,—" a garden wall
ed round, with a postern at the farth
er end. In the house were three
ruoms."
" Just so. All the world has been
visiting that house during the last
few days. A great Dumber of skele
tons have been found in the garden
The popular execration was so great
that it was feared the women would
be torn in pieces on their way to the
' galgen ' (gallows) to-day. Had it
not been for the strong guard which
I commanded, and that their terrible
sentence, —one rarely pronounced
now, —would, it was known, be car
ried out to the very letter, they would
assuredly have fallen a prey to the
fury of the mob. As it was, the sav
age satisfaction at the prospect of
seeing them broken on the wheel—"
" Broken on the wheel !
Heaven, sir, you surely don't mean
that this sentence was carried ont ?"
" Yes. It is, as I have said, v. ry
unusual, now, for this punishment to
be even recorded, still less cuforci d.
But, in cases of very rare atrocity,
nothing short of it seems to suto-iy
the public.* I saw even women, t -
day, looking on unmoved ; though I,
a soldier, who have seen a go i
many bloody battle fields in the gre at
war, would fain have ridden away
when I heard the first crush of to
elder sister's arms It was horrii '.
to hear, —and then her cries ! Y i
know how it is done ? The head is
held down by two men, by a rope tied
round the neck. The limbs a: -- tin
broken, one after another, from ab iv ■.
by a heavy wheel. At tlie end, in -
head is severed from the body by i
sword. The elder sisters agony was
prolonged to the very end. I sus
pect the executioners were more met
ciful to the younger sister. It is
known that they sometimes cmtriv
to strangle the culprit while holdit
the head down The younger, after
the first sharp cry, never uttered an
other. She had ceased to suffer, 1
hope and believe, long before she was
beheaded."
Some minutes elapsed before I could
speak. 1 opened my sketch-book,
and turned over its pages.
" Sir," I said at last, " I have one
question more to ask you. Do these
heads at all resemble the. wretched
women who3e death you this day wit
nessed ?"
" Assuredly they do. They must
have been drawn from life," he re
plied.
I then told him my story, as T have
now told it you 1 need hardly say
he did not doubt but that I had actu
ally, in the flesh,encountered the sis
ters Strauss, and had been in such
imminent peril as very few men have
survived. As to the hypothesis of a
dream, which had taken such firm
*Tho wheel was absolutely abolished iu
Prussia about thirty years ago.