Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-27

The WIFE OF JEAN PAUL.-On the 18th of
january, 1860, died in Munich, at the vener-
able age Of 80, the widow of Jean Paul-one
OF those characters, We are told, in whom con.
tradlctions usually regarded as irreconcilable
happily resolve themselves. Wife of one of
the most celebrated men Of the age, in much
intercourse with the world, rich in recollec.
tions OF brilliant period, she was ncverthe.
less the very ideal OF artessness-and though
clinging to ancient friendships, she found her
chief happiness in quiet seclusiop. Keeping
up the liveliest interest in knowledge and
culture, so that even in her seventy. second
year she learned the English language well
enough to read it, and easily follow con-
yersation in it, she was occupied early and
late with household duties-cven carrying ON
her knitting ut table, we are told, with much
mnuteness in the interval between the soup
and meat-unitng with that too, the keenest
interest in spiritual thugs. Nothing could
equal the delight with which she won a new
| friend, if the soul which she looked for were
/ there, or that with which she looked into the
innocent eye OF the child in whom lay much
| promise for the future, busy meanwhile with
all possible earthly cares, yet laboring never
Tor herself but always for others SO lar as
possible in human way she was ohae Ich,
! without y. No personal enjoyment or com
tol had any charm Tor her she who 50 read.
lily, even passionatcly, served all who came
( within her sphere, would receive no waiting
upon from others.
Caroline Richter, nee Mayer, was born on
the 7th Of June, l777-the second daughter
of the Geh, Oberuibunalsrath Mayer, in Der.
I'm Of her two sisters, one was married to
Mailman, the other to Spazer, and later to
Uhde; they were considered among the no.
tlceable women OF the time. AT a dinner
tn vii Do
Mayer family, were invited, the poet was so
late that they had all given up expecting
HIM; coming at last, they put him next to
Caroline Mayer; it was his first introduction
to her, and one short hour convinced Jean
Paul that he had now found the person
whom lie had been in search of SO long
In May, 1901, she became his wife; they
fiuctuated between Wemar, Meiningen, and
Coburg, till 1905, when they settled perma-
nenty in 4l'alreuth. Two daughters and Que
son were born TO them the first cloud that
darkeneu their happiness was the death of this
son IN bis nineteenth year, in 1921, as we have
seen. Four years afterwards, jean Paul him
self went the way OF all the earth, shortly after
lie had begun the publication of the collected
edition of his works. That task was taken I'D
by his dow and manfully accomplished
The happiness OF her two daughters was all
that the widow lived for then-watching there.
too, by the double grave in Bairenth
Not until after her seventeen year, when
death seemed not far Off did she leave the be.
loved town, and remove to Munich, where
both her daughters dwelt She lived with the
elder, who had married Dir. Ernst Forster in
1926, and this daughter dying in 1853 she
confined to live with her son III law. 1t was Il
sad bereavement but there was one daughter
sill left and grandchildren and great-grand.
children. Old aye came upon her without its
terrors and its suicrings-the mind clear and
the heart warm, though the step might not be
SO vigorous, perhaps. Only a few days
before her death she read aloud, us her
wont was, with clear voice and clear ineli
eeHce. Her handwriting was firm and distinct
to the last, as when sixty years before she
wrote Of the great happiness which had be-
fallen her. But the strength failed at last on
the 9Th of January size read the Allgemo ne
Zeituns from beginning to end-iu bed the
next day she tell into halt awake, dreamy
condition, which changed by degrees into the
sleep that knows no waking.
1t is recorded as Il curious thing, how in
these last hours OF parting between soul aud
body, the latter still sought to fulfill its earthly
duties-how the hands moved, as il in knit
ting, and then would od themselves, as if to
prayer-and then would try to write, till at
last they tell motioniess-the long days work
done.