The farmer thereupon lifted him into his light country-wagon, the
man offering no resistance, and drove to the tavern, where, his
exhaustion being so evident, a glass of whiskey was administered to
him. He afterwards spoke a few words in German, which no one
understood. At the almshouse, to which he was transported the same
evening, he refused to answer the customary questions, although he
appeared to understand them. The physician was obliged to use a
slight degree of force in administering nourishment and medicine,
but neither was of any avail. The man died within twenty-four
hours after being received. His pockets were empty, but two small
leathern wallets were found under his pillow; and these formed
the package which the director left in my charge. They were full
of papers in a foreign language, he said, and he supposed I might
be able to ascertain the stranger's name and home from them.
I took up the wallets, which were worn and greasy from long
service, opened them, and saw that they were filled with scraps,
fragments, and folded pieces of paper, nearly every one of which
had been carried for a long time loose in the pocket.
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