Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-02-18
TRUJE STORY OF THE GREA T
FRITZ OF PRUSSIA.
FROM TALES tF THE DAY.


has undertaken the task of giving to the
public true delineation of the character
of Frederick The Great of Pruss STA. Yet,
not one Of them has escaped censure, for
havicg evnced either pal TALLY to, or pre-
judice against, that remarkable man, who,
though Sc many years removed from the
worlds stage, retains so much of the pres
tige with which he was invested during
,,;;fe. Nor can human Judgment well
weigh the aggravating or aliialing cir
cumstances which secretly ruled his ac-
tions, or assign to the actors in the scenes
which prece eded Frederick entrance into
public life, their due share in forming the
ste My sharp, salient points, the deep,
dark ST adows which lows red and d sfgured
his personal haracter, even while his he
roic perseverance amid overwhelming diff
culties, his total abr egation of self and
disdainful confronting of individual dam
pr snd privation, chained victory to his
chariot wheels, and not only then made,
but still makes, Friedrich the Great he
worshiped lido of the Prussian nation.
But amid all his harshness, his appar-
ert delight in tyrannous acts, viii h
might suggest the thought that he sought
to revenge himself for his known depriva-
ton of domestic happiness, by wantonly
trampling on The softer feelings OF others,
there vet occur occasional traits of high
and chivarous generosity in Frederick the
Greats history, wrich warrant the con-
clusion that, under another training than
that of his weak, cruel, and hypocritical
father, he might neither have been the
heartless brother, the pitiless husband,
nor the unwearied dissemination of Volta
riaa infdelity, by which he inflicted an
injury on hi people, for which all his &C
aisition of territory and worldwide fame
were but poor indemnifcations.
One such redeeming trait is presented
to us in the following anecdote, furnished
by Van Horn, German author of estab-
lished reputation.
Lieutenant-C olonel Kraft Qet us call him),
whose regiment had been disbanded at
the conclusion of the Seven Years War,
lived in Berlin on small pension, or, to
speak more correctly-as the man had a
large family-sustained a bare existence
in the EXTREMIST penury. Though brave
man and an able officer, Lieutenant Colo
mel Kraft understood not the art of put
ting himself forward, and equally little did
he possess the talent of eking out his slen-
der incO me by any remune ratlve occupa-
ton. When, therefore, morning after
morning, "bread, bread" was chimed out
in various cadence by seven young voices,
a sword ran through the bosom of the
brave soldier, who felt in his Utmost soul
how much easier it was to face the enemy
than hi, hungry children, when cupboard
and purse were ike empty.
An application to the King was the
most natural mode through which to seek
assistance but cold Fritz" as the Prus-
sian monarch was commonly styled In the
army, was unhappily well known for two
peculiarities first, temper of such iron
unforgivingness, that, if he had taken
offence at any one, that mans career was
closed-he was never employed again
and second, memory of such tenacity,
that not hope existed Of entrappiDg him
into forgetfulness. No sooner did the
offender come before him, either personally
or by name, than every circumstance
which had excited the monarch's displeas
ure stood revealed, 10 all the freshness of
their first coloring, en- the tablet of his
memory. Now, unfortunately, poor Lieu
been guilty of some strategetical error,
which drew upon him the kings displeas-
ure at the time, and still weighed heavily
in the scale against him.
We all have our Furnishings no less
than other mortals, only, unhappily, their
mista es, extend for, her and press heavier,
than those of other men. But what is
worst, the king displeasure seldom fails
to draw along with it the disfavor of his
courtiers, and seldom is one of them found
" ho can discover any merit IN him ''whom
the K ng deligtheth not to honor" And
by natural sequence, the pension or half
paw allowance of Lieutenant Colonl Kraft
was the very lowest his rank would per-
nit. 1t did not, and could not, suffice to
feed and cl, the his family, and yet hc was
not himself conscious of any breach of
duty his offence amounted, at the utmost,
to an error of Judgment. The poor de-
pressed man therefore sent In petition
after petition, in hich his state of abiect
misery was placed in the str INCEST light
but all remained unanswered. Day after
dav he placed himself in the royal ante
chamber. and solicited an audience-the
king w. uld not hear Of him; nay, he one
dav got into towering passion when the
ficer in waiting ventured to utter the
petitioner name in the royal presence.
Embittered in spirit by repeated dlsa-
Iointu ent and a keen sense of inlus ice,
the unfortunate Lieutenant Colonel be-
came desperate, and a feeling Of deep hos
til,y to his sovereign took possession of
MS HeiIt. .
But, stubbornly obstinate cold Fritz
unouestionably was, in holding fast sny
opinion he had once taken up, he was
vet no inaccessible TO reason, when time,
place and person happily c inspired TO OBJ
tain his ear; and once convinced, he was
ready to confess his convictions.
Now, it so happened tina Lieutenant
Colonel Kraft could i'll boast, even in his
fallen fortunes, that rarest of blessings, a
courageous friend in the kings court, who,
on day, Selling a favorable M ment, sta
ted to the king, frankly and freely, as be-
came a soldier Zone such as ''Old Fritz
in his heart deeply loved the position of
I.;eninant- olonel Kraft-allowing, to be
sure. that he was impetuous, hot-blooded,
Ard. IT might be, rasnly ineonslderate, but
asserting, at the same time, that he Was,
notwithstanding, right hearted fellow, a
GOOD husband, a fond father, and an able
of;cer to boot, of which he brought for
ward many incontrovertible proofs. The
k;ru listened; the adduced facts brought
conviction, ard he royalty resolved to
make amends to the old officer Cor the IN
;nstice he had suffered. But before the