The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-10-01

who had directed the milk girls efforts,
rode up to her hot, and ready to drop Oh
his horse with fatigue. ~.
sMy girl-quick-you apron-give it 70
me. Not word-off with it-that's right
now, your name,-Johanna-Johanns
what? johanna Stegen. So! Now, my
lads, onward! Stragglcrs fall back !"
And thereupon, one Of the stragglers, who
could not comprehend what that grand, ter
rible, fierce soldier could want with her
apron, now half dirty, stained with blood
and the moisture of her weary brow, fell
back at the word of commad, and presently,
changing her mind about Grimm, she slow
" followed in the rear Of the army, who ac-
knowledged her as its preserver, and who
by this time had hoisted her apron in front
Of the troops rs IN ensign and emblem OF
how a great victory had been won.
Arriving at Luneberg, our milk maid
who as vet knew not that she might place
the adjective fortunate before her name
went at once to the house of her mother,
who, "a poor widow, gained hard bread and
little enough salt by charing and washing.
She feared, perhaps to return to Grimm,
where heroism wasslikely to kick the beam,
when weighed against the loss of sundry
pals of milk, wasted or seized BY thirsty fell
lows as lawful spoil, and for which 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
reproaches on the part Of that virtuous mat
ron, for interfering among party of rap
scallion soldiers, who ate, drank, and de-
voured that night at the expense of Lune-
berg.
But Johanna's triumph rose next day with
the sun. The King of Prussia took posses
sion of the city, and the first act Of royalty
was to make proclamation for the owner Of
the White Apron, who was by no means
backward in creeping forth from her obscu-
rity.
That night grand banquet was held ut
the Schloss Luneberg, and Johanna sat at
the monarch's right hand. Robust and TO-
rid as sha was, no belle attracted such uni
yersal notice and admiration rs this fortu-
nate milk. maid. Her glowing hair was call
ed golden, her ruddy cheeks blooming, and
her form was admired for its strength, if
not exactly extolled for grace. Success is
your true beautifer-the elixir which be-
slows youth and beauty, and which in its
effects only when the sun of Fortune SETS
Tie girdle of Good Luck once thrown round
the thickest waist, it becomes, to the be-
holder, as slender as Venus own, and those
whom the blind GODDESS has mysti6ed by the
bandage of her eyes, are at any time ready
to swear black is white, or, as in JOHANNES
case, red is yellow.
And amidst all this, Carolne's name was
not heard.
One heart at least was captivated BY this
heroine in spite Of herself. The big Prus-
sian colonel mus. have his fancy captivated
by this close approximation to the heroic
maid of his heated brain. Among the toasts
drank to johanna Stegen, his response was
the loudest, his praise the most broadly ex-
pressed.
But-every medal has its reverse side
whata pity!
In the midst of all these rejocings, and
Just as great things were in contemplation
for Johanna, who seems to have been re-
garded as a second Joan Of Arc, just when
one might suppose the Prussian colonel was
beginning to find leisure to prosecute his ro-
mantle suit-Lo the French returned and
retook Luneberg. Dire event! which the
poor Lunebergers deplored, and which was
positive ruin to our heroine, whose tempo
rary elevation had served to point her out
as Il mark for the vengeance of the infuri-
ated French soldiery. Johanna thrown
down from her lofty pedestal, was, meta
phorically speaking, obliged to groveI in the
mud, and literally, might have been tram
pied to death, except for hiding herself,
which she did for many days, in dark dis
NAL cellar, indebted for sustenance solely to
the good Offices Of nelghbors, and to Caro-
line, who brought her in milk from Grimm,
and who, unnoticed and unrcwarded, was
no doubt much happier than the heroine
covering in her dsmal cellar, expecting
hourly death-or worse.
But this terrible condition, which lasted
many bitter days, was terminated at length
by the report Of large body of Prussians
advancing on Lunebcrg and now, as the
French at last evacuated Luneberg, our
heroine once more emerged from her OBJ
security, and threw herself at the Kings
feet.
Her sorrows ended there. Her merits
were at once recognized she was patronized
by some Of the female connections Of her
Prussian admirer. Following the army sub
scquently into Prussia, she was at once
placed on the full pay of a colonel, and sent
to 4 pension to be educated for her future
rank in life-a Prussian nobleman's spouse.
lIenceforth the life of Johanna Stegen be-
came one Of uninterrupted prosperity. AT
the close of the war she married the man,
whose peremptory orders were in reality the
cause Of her being famous. History tells
us no more of her. Did education refine
her? Did she ever think of Caroline Bur
ger in the latter's osbcurty, or aid the COM
rade who shared her peril, but not the good
fortune? 1t is believed not. She whom
we have called Caroline lived and died, OBJ
scure and tumble, perhaps not less happy !;
even her real name was not known by the
old inhabitants Of the Schloss Luneberg,
from VIII se lips this little narrative was
gathered years ago, and who could boast Of
having both seen and spoken to the ia
nous heroine of Luneberg, Johanna Stegen,
by no means the first, nor in all likelihood
the last, to whom Fortune has called in Il
fit of caprics, and loaded with unmerited ia
vors. .r--