Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-14

pail after pail Of the cartridges, distributing
them to the troops, till theday advanced, and
The allies had gained the victory gained il,
ss all to a man declared, by tao heroic con.
duet Of woman-that woman, johanna
Stegen.
Caroline, her pals face heated by The danger
and stern excitement Of the scene, equally
arduous, equally--even more gencrously-rol-
yious Of danger, is permitted, unnoticed, un-
Thanked, to make her way back as best she can
to Grimm, there 10 smaze the pastoral inhabi
tants with the recital Of that adventurous and
blood stained morning. Ha t
Our Johanna was nottoo much Overpowercd
by bashf ilhess to remain on the field, waiting
for applause ard thanks. She had wit enough
TO see that she was appreciated beyond what
she had merted, However, juet then. every
one was too busy with rejoicing and hopes Of
plunder, to notice her whom they considered
the viotress Of the day.l
As. weary aud disappointed, che was about
TO return to Grimm, the same colonel who had
directed the milk girls Efforts rode up to her,
hot, t,and ready to drop off his horse with ia
hgue
"Ay gid-quick--your aprou.-give it to me-
Not wOTd-olr with it--that's right-now,
your name--Johanna--J0han what johann
nah Stegen. So! Now, my lads, onward !
Stragglers fall back -
Aud thereupon ono Of the Straeglers, who
could not comprehend what that grand, terrible,
fierce soldier could want with her apron, now
halt dirty. stained with blood and the moisture
Of her weary brow, fell back ct the word of
command, and presently, changing her mind
about Grimm, she slowly followed ia the rear
Of the army, who acknowledged her as its
preseryer, and who by this time had hosteJ
her apron in front OF the troops as an ensign
and emblem of how great victory had been
won. tst.a...
Arriving at Luneberg, our milk maid-who
as yet knew not she might place the adjective
fortunate before her namo-went 10 the house Of
her mother, who "a poor widow gained hard
bread and little enough salt by charng and
washing. She feared, perhaps TO return to
Grimm, where heroism was likely to kick the
beam when weighed sgainst the loss Of sundry
pals of milk, wasted or seized by thirsty fell
lows as lawful spoil, and for " hich she had not
the means of paying. She claimed the shelter
of the maternal roof and related her adventure
TO her mother, not without many Teproaches on
the part Of that virtuous matron for interfering
among patoel of iapscaiou soldiers, who ,te,
drank, and devoured that night at the expense
| Of Luneberg.
But JJhanna's triumph rose next day with
] lllt sun AHt mug Ol lfuHsld tnOk pOhcehhluN
Of the city, and the first act of royalty was tc
make proclamation for the owner Of the
| White Apron, who was by DO means backward
in creeping forth from her obscurily
That night grand banquet was held at the
Schloes Luneberg and Johanna sat at the mon
areh's right. Robust and 1orid as she was, nc
belle attracted such universal notice or admira
tion as this fortunate milkmaid. Her glowing
hair was called golden, her ruddy cheeks bloom
ing, ard her form was admired for It's strength
| il it was not exactly extOlled for prace. Sue
cess is your true beautifcr-the elixir which
bestOws youth and beauty, and which fails in its
effects only when the sub OF Fortune sets. The
| girdle of Cool Luck once thrown round the
thickest waist, it becomes to every beholder as
slender as Venus own, and those whom the
blind Goddess has myslifcd by the bandage o
her own eyes, are, at any time ready TO swear
black is white, or, as in Johanna's case, red i.
yellow.
And amidst all this, CaTolnes name was mo-
heard.
One heart at least was captivated by this he
rone in spite of herself The big PrussiaI
olonel must have his fancy captivated by th
close approximation to the heroic maid Of hi
heated brain. Among the toasts drank to Jo
hama Stegen, his response was the oudest, h
praise the most broadly expressed.
But-every medal has its reverse side-wha
a pity
In the midst Of all these r,ioicings, and JUS
as great things were in contemplation for 10
hanna, who seems 10 have been regarded as
second Joan of Arc, Just when o. might sup
pose the Prussian Colonel was bfginnng to fin,
leisure to prosecute his romantic suit--Lo III,
French returned and retook Luneberg. Dir,
event which the poor Lunebergers deplored
and which was positive ruin to our heroine
whose temporary elevation had served to poin
: her out as a mark for tho vengeance of the in
furiatCd French sodiery. Johanna, thiOwT
down from her lofty pedestal, was metaphor
ically speaking, Obliged TO grovel in the mud
and literally, might have been trampled to death
except for hiding herself, which she did 70
many days, in dark, dismal cellar, indebte
for sustenance solely TO the good Offices o
neighbors, and TO Caroline, who brought her il
milk from Grimm, and Who unnoticod and no
rewarded, was no doubt much happier than tn
heroinein her dismal cellar, expecting hour,
death-Or worse.
Bot this terrible condl on, which lasted ma
ny bitter days, was terminate at length by III
report of a large body Of Prussians advancing
on Luneberg; and now, as he French at Las
eYacuatod Luntbcrg, our heroine once NOR
emerged from her obscurity, and threw hersel
at the Kings feet.
Her sorrows ended there. Her merits weT
at once recognized; she was patronlzed by al
Of the female connexions of her Prussian ad
mirer Following the army subsequently int
Prussia, she was at once placed on the ful
pay of colonel, and sent to a pension to b'
educated for her future rank OF lifs-a Prus
sian nobleman's spouse, Henceloth the life
Of Johanna Stegen became one OF uninterrupted
prosperity. At the close Of the war she wal
married to the man, whose percmptory orderi
I were in reality the cause of her being famous
History tells us no more Of her. Did educa
ton refine hel Did she ever think of CarOlin,
Burger in the atters ohscurity, or aid the com
rad who shared her pers, but not her fortunel
Il is believed not She, whom we have calle,
Caroline, lived and died, obscuTe and humble
perhaps not less happy; even her real name wa
not known by the old nhabtant Of the schlos
Luenehrg, from whose lips this little narrative
was gathered years ago, and who could boast o
having both seen and spoken t0 the i9mou
heroine Of Luneberg Johanna Stcgen, by NJ
means the frst, nor in alllikelihOOd the last, q
whom Fortune bos called Ia fit Of caprice
and loaded with unmeritcd fayors
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