The Strasburgers are passionate walkers, and they have a good right to be so.  Let one turn his steps as he will, he will find pleasure-grounds, partly natural, partly adorned by art in ancient and modern times, all of them visited and enjoyed by a cheerful, merry little people.  But what made the sight of a great number of pedestrians still more agreeable here than in other places, was the various costume of the fair sex.  The middle class of city girls yet retained the hair twisted up and secured by a large pin, as well as a certain close style of dress, in which any thing like a train would have been unbecoming:  and the pleasant part of it was, that this costume did not differ violently according to the rank of the wearer; for there were still some families of opulence and distinction who would not permit their daughters to deviate from this costume.  The rest followed the French fashion, and this party made some proselytes every year.  Salzmann had many acquaintances and an entrance everywhere:  a very pleasant circumstance for his companion, especially in summer, for good company and refreshment were found in all the public gardens far and near, and more than one invitation for this or that pleasant day was received.  On one such occasion I found an opportunity to recommend myself very rapidly to a family which I was visiting for only the second time.  We were invited, and arrived at the appointed hour.  The company was not large:  some played and some walked as usual.  Afterwards, when they were to go to supper, I saw our hostess and her sister speaking to each other with animation, and as if in a peculiar embarrassment.  I accosted them, and said, “I have indeed no right, ladies, to force myself into your secrets; but perhaps I may be able to give you good counsel, or even to serve you.”  Upon this they disclosed to me their painful dilemma; namely, that they had invited twelve persons to table, and that just at that moment a relation had returned from a journey, who now, as the thirteenth, would be a fatal memento mori, if not for himself, yet certainly for some of the guests.  “The case is very easily mended,” replied I:  “permit me to take my leave, and stipulate for indemnification.”  As they were persons of consequence and good breeding, they would by no means allow this, but sent about in the neighborhood to find a fourteenth.  I suffered them to do so; yet when I saw the servant coming in at the garden-gate without having effected his errand, I stole away and spent my evening pleasantly under the old linden-trees of the Wanzenau.  That this self-denial was richly repaid me was a very natural consequence.