The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-09-15
A st. Louis Romance.

The st. Louis Republican records the
death of an old man in that city, and in
regard to his life furnishes the following:
Many years ago Baron Fredrick Won
Oertel, whose family was one of the most
independent and aristocratic in Saxony,
fell in love with poor girl and determin-
ed to marry her. He thus incurred the
displeasure of the wealthy father, who,
on learning of the proposed alliance at
once disinherited the young noblenian and
turned on him his DOORS This sudden
reverse exasperated and maddened the low
er, and bidding silent farewell to the
home OF his childhood, and without infor.
ming the object of his affection, he bent
his course to this country. On arriving
here he. joined the United States army,
and served ten years as soldier. 1t is
said that bis bravery and true heroism on
the fields of Mexico won the admiration
of all who had opportunities to observe
them.
An the expiration ofthe ten years SER
vice he returned to Germany to ascertain
how the estate of his family was managed.
He found that his parents were in their
graves, and that the property was distrib.
uted equally among his brothers and sisters
himself wholly overlooked and disregard
ed in the will. To add to his dark for
tunes he ascertained that the girl who
was the innocent cause of his ruin had
married and moved away, Won Oertel's
mind had had never fully recovered from
the shock this intelligence had created.
Wandering in reason, he returned to the
United States and came to St. Louis
Here he was prostrated by violent sickness
for some months. When he convalesced
he found himseleentirely destitute ofmears.
His pride was thoroughly broken down.
and, for livelihood, the Baron actually
took to selling "Pretzels,"a kind of pas
try much in favor with the Germans
He continued in this paltry but honest
business for sixteen or eighteen years. aud
gained the application of "Pretzel Fritz y
Three year ago, having saved up the
snug sum of 5000. and having met one
of the opposite sex in whom he thought
he could confde, and whom he believed
would make him good and faithful wife
though she was several years his junior
Won Oretel was married. One day a
few motnhs afterwards, on going home with
his basket, he found that his wife had
eloped with seducer, and not content
with bringing her husband to disgrace,
had taken his money aud everything of
any value about the house. leaving him
in possession of q basket of pretzels and
dishonored heart. The old man, for
he was now 6fty-three years of age, quiet
ly bore his new grief, and again, with per-
haps an imprecation on the false one ad.
dressed himself to the one great task ol
his life-forgetting.
"Pretzel Fritz" has been we'll known
in St. Louisa wrinkled, slow-paced,
STOPPING old man with his basket on his
arm and rarely smile on his face. In
the last three years he has laid away
$500, the profits of his little business. =
Yesterday he was buried, having been
sick three or four weeks. Before he ex-
pired he benevolently bequeathed his
small possessions to the orphan children
of poor man. well known to many OF
our citizens, who died about q year ago.
And so ended the cventful caree: of Ba-
ron Frcdrick Won Oertel