A German Doctor's Story

"Ah, doctor, I m gl;id I met yon ! Ve are getting up a party to attend the booting Festival, and want you to joiu U8. Tliis was the macner in which my riend CaptaÏD Baumgarten accosted me one morning, a lew days f-ince, as I was tepping into my ciiiriage to make my ccusiomed round of vi.its. I repliad thal I had uot time, as ihere would probably be patients who would need my at teution Then followed a short persuasive rgumeiit and wc parted with the umierstauding tbat I was to try atjd go up iu the counfl if the day. Afier my numerous visiu, in which every oqo w;is foi tuuutely doing wel, I took my way to lh grand festival of my Giruian fnends. It was sis o'clock b - Fore 1 reached the enchauted rcalin ; and, uot seiing the captain, I made up iuy niind to look abuut. Nothiug had been spured to reodei' the j lace iuviíing and pictureMjue. The miiny stands fur isger beer were set off liy fostoous of the English and Germán flays, with here and there a banner belouging to tbis particuar agsociiition. In among ihe trees, which Bkirted the maoy walls, was a sr bil; e stand, omamented with u most üdicrouB pieture, represeuting the man uho ate sausages, and the m:iu who dtd not. To iny mind the enormous tize of the former was paiufttl to reüect upon as ibe ski-lcton proportions of hia cotnpan'D. Further ou were arbors tot such refrtshmeuts au soda, cream, cake, &c. The two puviliont of fiying liorses were alao we'l adorned by flags und cvergreeus while the whule was eulivened by tneiry jroups aud promenaders wliose happy 'aces seemed liever to have known a caro, 'i'he men with their neat sni'.s aud graccful plumes; tbe ornen, in gay ïoliday attire, held a greut iuterest lor ne. There were also pavilions fur dancers, and a "concert, baud," whieh performed mist beautifully in nnother prt of the jrounds for tho benefit of those who were fond of opera. In the center of the park was erected an enelosed cauopy under which were displayed the various prizes. The first was an elegant gold uouuted rifle, then gold medal.i, Eewing machines, Chiua sets, gilver services, clocks, watches, ornaments, &c. I saw uothing thero 1 should have valued al ess than three guineas. Preeeotiy I saw a 6mall crowd approaching ; and upon nearcr inppection fouud it was the [iing ; in other word?, the one who hid ieeo ihe most suecessful in shooting - the winner of the higtiest honor. Atteudant upon him was a man carrying an enormous bottlo sonie tbreefeet long, which had onco been filled wiih Iihiue wine, but was now two-thirds einjity Foüowing this man carne a boy beariig a gobk-t thal correfponded in size with tlie bottle. All wero in high glee ; the ECingsV broad merry face was lighied )y the jullieet of smiles, and, catobing sight ot me, he orderod somu of tlie wiue iO be possed to thostr .ier. Forthwitb he immense goblet ' M held under the mouth of the mamtnoth bottle, and half illed with superior wiue; this was pre eeüted to me with great ceremony by tho lad, and I d. ank to the health of tbe Kicg a good draught, returuing tbe glass. His majesty thsnked me aud drained it. By ibis tin;e the ubades of night wore ialliug faet, and soon tbe grounds presented a most dazzling appearance Wherevor I turncd, the grove was ablaze with uumborless lampa and brilliantly tinted transpareneies, 'with here snd there a flushing stur formed of torches, or an at ch of raiubow coiored lights. As I wandered about I saw a crowd coüccted it one extiernily of tlie grounds and direottfd tiy course tbitlier to learq ihe cause. It was presontly apparent ; upon a tight rope stretclied sotne siity feet biijd, from tree to tree, was a mn who moved cauuonsly yet racefnlly forward, ri-king lif; and limb for a certai:. sum a uight. It was a giddy sight, and, as I gazed, tbere flashed across my mind another grove, another tight rope, anothiT gay throng galhered at a Shooting Festival, and my heart grew eiek wi.hin me. I turiied away to sink weak and trembling upon the seat of a deserted arbor. Bowiug my bead upon my hands, I passed agaiu through all the horrors of that "long ago " Fivc years hnd not takf-n ono pang from the tbrilliog incident. Again I saw the illuminod park, tbe tiglitrope, the gay tbrong. I noted again a hcavily built, pitiless looking man holding by the haud b delicate ehild, dressed as a duncer. I saw the great tears in the blue eyes, and heard the piteous cry of "Oh, father I oannot ! I cannot dance to-night? My head ches! it is 8O 1 dizzy ! Üb, I will dance all dy morrow ! 1 will go without iuy eupper I will do anything ! but I m afraid to " The child was interrupte 1 by a rude sliake und au oath by tlie brutu wholielc lier. "You shall po without your upper and dance too," ho growled ; "nuw dou't let me hear anotber word from you. Il you fail, I will beat you uutil you are black and blue !" The cbild's bead eank upon her broost, and she was led passively forward. I had been really slunned ly the ternbl bru'ality I had overheard, but preesed through the crowd in time to eee tho cliild step upou the rope, holding her balance pole. The rope ws nomo twenty-five or thirty feet above the groimd; he stepped upon it timidly, ndvanoingslowly to the center, whilo the band played a lively march. She seemed to gain cunhdence na she proceeded aud I hoped all would be well. The people were loud in tbeir applauces, os one ufter annther of the dariug feuts were accomplinhtd upon tho trapeze, whioh was Miispended from the center. At leng;h tbe child stood again upon the rope, tliis timo without ht-r balance pole; she walked quiekly forward, with tbe cvideutinteution of again executing 8 .rne lisky gymnaMic. Wlien a few pucex rom the cenlor, slio raitd her hand to her head, t-wayed an instunt, ut'ered a shnk, and lel!. Tba eecond lie had remanid upon the rope, gave 8ome of tbe more prenent miuded opportuni'y if Bpriuging forward to save her. He had been oü the iilert, aud was the first to start I was in time; ehe foil in my aruis and both of us, by the concussiou wuro Di-ougut DO the ground. Iu a moment I was upon my foet, bot ghe lay mseuK.ble npou the grass. My medical kuowledga was now oalled iuto requÏMtiOD. I had tbe child eonveyed to the uearest house aud laid upon a sofa ; then 1 worked over her fur half an hour, whilo the father, iu a rage, paced the flour, mattering to himself. When othrs were in the toom, however, he oouucrfeited decp anxicty, and even forced a few tears through hii hvpoernica! ïds. " r I eould have huug him with good elwb, and more tha, once turued round wu. the ïutcmion ot knocking him d-iwn )Ut desiated forlütle (iretchen's sake- h:.t is wliat I board hiui cali her. At last she revived, ai)d, ordei ing my amage, I accompanied her to the hum1 house iu Which thcy lived. It roved to be ouJy a square frum my own esidöoce, where I kept bachelor1! hall hey had but one suiall roo.n, with a ed aud a few chaira. Gretuhen'a mothroame forward to greet me, as I arriad her child frum the cirriage to he room, up two fiigrita ofrickety ttairs ad laid her on the hard bed. The roman v waa gUi (] r and lale, with laany gray hairs ;i the light -resses that were neatly brushed and wisted at the back of her kead. She urued much puler as sha eaw niy buren, but her hu.-bandV looi sealed the loodless Ups that had framod a cry of gony. I d.d all I could, and when at ast I turned to go, I waid I would ut-nd ome bro'.k for the oliild and come aaiii i tl.e morniug. The mothar looked ie gratiiude slie dared not utter, whilo io man growled out, "he didn't think iiere was any ueed of me to come agiii." As I paesed out, I spoke to u kind look) woinaii who was at the door, and sked her to look out for the chüd, also o come for me i f she grew worse, baekng my recjuest with some money. I was erfectly iufatuated with the little inalid and her mother, besides having a most iuteuse de6ire to sboot tbs mau. It wan half past twelve wben I threw mveíf upon the lounge in my itudyaud 'e 11 to thinking, intending to go to bed n a short time ; but the hours rolled on tid I was chained by Morpheus to tbe ealm of chimerical phantoms. SuddenV I was roueed by a furious ring at the oor bell. Springing to my feet, I ushed out. The servan t bad already pened the door, aud before me stood au roman I had requested to let me cnow how things went on. Gretohen i;id been my firít ihought upnn waking, nd I wan prepared to bear tho worda, Oh, nir ! Gretcheu is " I waited for uo more. Ilatless, coates, aud in my slippers, I hastened out, ellmg my boy to bring rny portable box í medicines. In udvance of the womnn, I entered he hou-e ot poverty. It was ubout even o'clock. ÍJp, up, I sped, passing ïto the room of my prodigy without my prelude. The man was not there ; ut the mother sat up in bed, with wild yes and loosened hair, her oight robe tilt on, while beside her lay Grctohon, ery still. I pressed to the bedside, nd took tho little suflVrer's hand, ex)ecting to find it burning with fever. I o sooner touched t than I starled back vitb horror. It was cold and stiff in eath. I could not mistake that icy )res-ure ; and yet, I threw aside the scant coveriug that partly cnncealed the face, and placed my ear to the Leart in the vague hopo that I was mistaken. Uut uo ! she had passed from this world, bevond pain, beyoud recall. Congcsliou of the braiu. I had not been prepared for this; and, strong physically and menlally as I wa, I was obliged to take a chair, and bow my head upon my hanls for several momeuts, to regaiu my selfpoBSession Then,fnr tlio first linie the tnotBer Rpoke. I ráiaed my head and watohed her, as she smoothed tho huir from hor chlld's brow, aud lookod down suiilingly into her face saying: "l'oor littlo (Jrotchen ! how lonif sho slceps. She is tired, very tired. She said, 'Good night mamma,' and then sho went lo sleep on my arm, and has slept so nice ever since My poor, tired little Gretchen ! Theo, after a pause, she said, in a tender voice, "Gretehen, dear, fat her will come soon and beat you if you ain'i up. Gretchen, (iretcheu !" - then, with a sliriek of frenzied agony, she threw up hor arins, cryiug, "Hhe s dead ! she'g dcad ! Oh, Gretchon, Gretchen 1" And then she took the lifelesa clay, pressed it close to her, and covered tho eold, Btill faco with buruing kissee, iu the l'rantic hope that she oould wake her child to life. The womau was crazed wilh this new sorrow, and required my most active attention for the next hour. I bad her removed to my own house ; and, after giving directions for her comfort, went again to the room where lay the corpse, wutcbcd by my boy. Tbe father had not yet returned; nnd, with the assinlaDce of the landlady, I got the cliild into a preüy coffin, which was oooveyed to my house and set n tbe pnrlor. I saw plamly the child had been dead for some hours; iu fact, she muit havo died about one o'clock that morning, and the poor mothar had slept ince that time with this precioui clay upon her heart, never dreaming but that the pulse beat as rugularly as iü the days past. I avoided and inquest, and had the child buried quiotly in the cburchyard. The futher had been dumb with awe and anfrer when he Btood beaide the bier of liis little daughter, and raved like a mad man becausu nhe could no longer be a source of profit to him Theu I turned and told him that if he did not leave tbe house and city imtnediately I would deliver hira to the authorities as tbe murderer of the child. He slunk awiiy withuut a word, and I never eaw liüii again. The mother lived three days, never once baring a lucid moment; then, with the name of "Gretchen" upou her lipa, she died, and we laid hor boeide her cbild. I lifted my be;id, and saw that part of j tho grooiid in which I gat was nearly I deserted. A full hour had passed amid these terrible scènes of memory. ïhe scène had lost its charm. I ehuddered as I passed the coil of rope that had so recently supported a humun being,and as soon a possible left the park, with a ïeart made heavy with the sufferings of utilera -