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Kaspar Hauser.
He knew himself to be an object of general curiosity, and he
enjoyed the friendly attention which he received at all hands; but
the notice which would have spoiled a more sophisticated char-
acter, left, as yet, but a slight impression upon him. His ignor-
ance of social grades and standards made him indifferent respect-
Ing the enigma of his birth; he did not at that time appreciate
his own possible importance in this regard, any more than he
understood the generous efforts of the citizens of Nuremberg in
ais behalf, and his guardians, while ever on the watch for a clue
to the mystery, were careful not to awaken ideas in Kaspar’s
mind which might stimulate his vanity. As he became able to
axpress himself with readiness, several items in his reminiscences
strengthened the suspicion that he was of high origin, and that
some weighty secret lay at the bottom of his imprisonment.
He remembered that the shirts he wore in the cell were fine
and white, not at all like the coarse garment which was put upon
him just before his appearance in Nuremberg. He complained
also that the bread he was now obliged to eat was not as good
as the kind furnished him in prison. Once, by accident, he met
with some of the well-remembered bread, and wept with joy at the
discovery. It proved to be a fine sort, such as in country places
is made for the use of gentlemen’s families and indulged in by
the common people only on festive occasions. It is strongly
seasoned with carraway, anise, coriander, and fennel, and the
ruth of Kaspar’s statement is proved by the fact that although he
could not endure the taste nor the effect of spices and seasoning
in general, he liked the flavour of the above-mentioned seeds, and
found carraway tea an efficacious remedy when he needed
medicine.
Another suggestive incident was a remarkable dream which
occurred to Kaspar in August, 1828. He dreamed of being in a
large house, built around a court, in the centre of which was a
fountain. A wide staircase led to the upper floor, and upon a
pedestal at the foot of the stairs was the statue of a warrior. The
chambers were richly furnished, and communicated with each
other by folding doors, There was a library full of books, a grand
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