hly entertained. The piece was one of unvarying
sadness, and, however seductive at first, after a time lost its
charm.

[Illustration: THE UNNERVED HUSSAR.]

The officer, addressing the musical damsels, remarked that the music
had become rather monotonous, and asked them to change the tune. The
singing continued in the same mournful cadences. He became
impatient, and exclaimed,--

"Ladies, this is an impertinent trick, for the purpose of
frightening me. I shall take rough means to stop it, if it gives me
any further trouble."

He seized his pistols in a manner that indicated his purpose. But
the mysterious ladies remained, and the requiem went on.

"Ladies," said the officer, "I will wait five minutes, and then
shall fire, unless you leave the room."

The figures remained, and the music continued. At the expiration of
the time, the officer counted twenty in a loud, measured voice, and
then, taking deliberate aim, discharged both of his pistols.

The ladies were unharmed, and the music was uninterrupted. The
unexpected result of his violence threw him into a state of high
nervous excitement, and, although his courage had withstood the
shock of battle, it now yielded to his superstitious fears. His
strength was prostrated, and a severe illness of some weeks'
continuance followed.

Had the hussar held stoutly to his own sensible philosophy, that he
had no occasion to fear the spirits of the invisible world, nothing
serious would have ensued. The damsels sung in another apartment,
and their figures were made to appear in the room occupied by the
hussar, by the effect of a mirror. The whole was a trick, carefully
planned, to test the effect of superstitious fear on one of the
bravest of men.

In no case should a person be alarmed at what he suspects to be
supernatural. A cool investigation will show, in most cases, that
the supposed phenomenon may be easily explained. It might prove a
serious thing for one to be frightened by a nightcap on a bedpost,
for a fright affects unfavorably the nervous system, but a nightcap
on a bedpost is in itself a very harmless thing.

The sixth evening closed with an original poem by Mr. Beal.

CHAPTER XI.

COLOGNE.

BONN.--HOLY COLOGNE.--THE STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS
ARCHITECT.--"UNFINISHED AND UNKNOWN."--VISIT TO COLOGNE
CATHEDRAL.--THE TOMB OF THE MAGI.--THE CHURCH OF SKULLS.--QUEER
RELI