Show 60 THE i'TEF “THE A TALK OP BROTIlERltOOD GEliMAN s “Among STUDENT” acquaintances in Gott- my ingen were two students both Prussians an (1 both from the same email town of Magdobourg They had been schoolfellows and came together to the university where they lived together on terins of brotherly affection which even there where friendship takes all the semblance of a sacred compact Were the subject of remark Never were two men less alike however than these Eisendeckcr was a bold fellow fond of all the riotous excesses of a Burseheii life his face seamed with many a scar declared him a “ halm” as ip student phrase a confirmed duellist is termed He was ever fore‘ most in each scheme of wild ad- venture and continually brought up before the senate on some charge Yon Muhry of insubordination his companion was exactly the opposite His every student sobriquet — dor had nearly one— was “ der Zahme — the gentle” and never was any more appropriate Ilis disposition was mildness itself girlish in his look with large blue eyes and fine soft silky hair Which German-likhe wore long upon his neck His voice — the index of his nature— soft low and musical would have predisposed at once in his favor Still you v st e these disparities did not prevent tlid attachment of the two youths On tile contrary they seemed ratli-C- r to strengthen the bond between them— each j as it were supplying to1 the other the qualities which nature had denied him They were lecture-rooor the aliee— as the was called — or iii the never separate at horde or in in promenade garden where each evening the students resorted to sup and listen to the music of the ager hand Ifii- Bendeckcr and Muhrv were names that no one ever heard separated and when one appeared the other was never more than a few yards off Such was thdr friendship when tin unhappy incident occurred to trouble its even course and sow dissension between these whonev- or had known a passing difference of in their lives The Gottengcu was in the habit of giving little receptions every week to which many of the students were invited and to which Eiscndccker and Muhry were frequently asked as they both belonged to the professor’s clasp In the quiet world f & little university town thefce J sub-rcct- O’ i)Ar—A LITERACY HAUAZINfc soirees wej’e great occasions and the invited plumed themselves' not a little on the distinction of a card which gave the privilege of bowing in the Herr professor’s drawingroom and kissing the hand of liis fair daughter the Frederica von Ettenheim the belle of Gottcngen Frederica was the prettiest German girl I ever saw for this reason that haring been partly educated at Paris F rench espieglerie relieved what liadbeen otherwise" the too regular monotony of her Saxon features and imparted a character of sancincss — or ifjierte” is a better word-to that quietude which is too tame to give the varied expression so charming in female beauty The esprit that delicious ingredient which has been so lamentably omitted in German character she had imbibed from her French education and in lieu of that plodding interchange of flat s which constitute-th- e common-placeof conversation staple ordinary between'the young of opposite sexes beyond the Ithine she imported' the light delicate tone of Parisian raillery — the easy and familiar gaiety of French society so inexpressibly charming in France andstach a boon from Heaven when one meets it by accident elsewhere Oh ! confess it ye ! who in the dull round of this world’s so called pleasure — in the Egyptian darkness of the dinners and evening parties of your1 fashionable friends — sit nights long speaking and answering half at random without one thought to amuse without one idea to interest you — vrhat pleasure have you felt when some chance expression some remark — a mere word perhaps of your neighbor beside you — reveals that she has attained that wondrous charm — that most fascinating of all possessions — the art to converse that neither fearful of being deemed pedantic on the one hand or uninformed on the other she launches forth freely on the topics of the moment gracefully illustrating her meaning by womanly touches of sensibility and delicacy as though to say these lighter weapons' were her own peculiar arms while men might wield thc'morc massive ones Then of sense and judgment with what lightness she flits alctag g from theme td theme to infer that she dares not venture deep yet Showing every instant traits of thoughtfulness and reflec' tion And now to come back to the students whom mayhap you deem to have boon forgotten by me all this time but for whose peculiar' illustration my digression was in tended it being neither more nor less than to show that if Frederica von Ettenheim turned half tho heads in Gottingen Messrs Eisen-deckand Muliry were of tho number What a feature it Was of thojlittle town her coming to reside iu it Wliat a sweet atmosphere of womanly gracefulness spread itself like a perfume through these old saloons whose dusty cur- -' tains and motli-eate- n chairs look-- " ed like the fossils of some antediluvian furniture ! With what magic were the old ceremonials of a professor’s reception exchanged for the easier habits of a politer world I The venerable dignitaries of the university felt the change btit knew' not where it lay and could not aC- count for the pleasure they noW sou experienced in’ th 6' rees) wThile the students knew no hounds to their enthusiastic admira'-tio- n and “Die Ettenheim” reigned4 in every heart in Gottingen Of all her admirers none scerilfed to hold a higher place in her faVbr than Yon Muhry Several caused contributed to this in addition to hi3 owrn personal advantages and the distinction of his talents which were of a high order He was particularly noticed by the from the circumstance of hi3 fa- ther’s holding a respohsible posi- -' tion in the Prussian government1 while Adolphe himself gave' aiiiple' promise of one day making a figure’ in the world He was never omit-- " ted in any invitation nor forgotten in any of the many little parties so frequent among the pofes3ors and even w'here the society was limited to the dignitaries of the' college some excuse would ever Be' made to lrave him' by the present cither on the pretence ‘of wanting him for something or that Frederica had asked him without thinking Such was the state of this littlo world when I settled in it and took up my residence at the Meissner Thor intending to pass my summer there The first evening I the matspent at the ter wa3 quite clear to my eyes Frederica and Adolphe were lovers It was to no purpose that when lie had accompanied her on the piano1 he retreated to a distant part of the room when she ceased ' to singIt signified not ' that ho scarcely ever spoke to her and w’hen he did but a few words bur- Their ricdly and in confusion looks met onco I saw them exchange one glance— a fleeting on ! vice-rector- vice-recto- r' vice-rect- vice-vector- ’s |