Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-27
BERLIN AFTER SEDAN.
Getting the News-The Joy-Crazed
Masses Of the Prussian Capital.
Everybody Drinks The Queen Before
Her People -Crowning
"0ld Fritz" =
BOUNDLEss ENTHUSIASM.

nOur OF pnyslcal trlulnphl hcH
rises not only TO the first place among
the nations in point of orderly and effec
tive selfgoyernment, but also as the
greatest of military powers2 To what
extent the good order of Germany IL
dependent upon the quiet contentmenI
of the German character let us now con
slider. Philosophy has abandoned hel
parchments to-day, Theology her future
Justice removed the bandage from hel
eyes, the mourner forgotten his sorrow
the usurer his interest, private cares and
public ambitions are forgotten in this
universal hymning of praises to the
gods and that mighty Prussian artil'
lery' Oh, blessed telegraph Oh
sympathetic nerve system of the
body politic In two hours after
Napoleon surrendered himself to King
William of Prussia, placid Germany
shouted in unison, God be thanked
Imagine the operator at Sedan, IN
France, the EXTREMIST nerve of this
great network of which Berlin is the
center and heart. His finger rests upon
the little, white, insignificant-looking
button before him; he reads the first
words of the dispatch which the courier
has brought from the King two miles
away, viz: "The capitulation, through
which the entire army in Sedan is sur
rendered now this operator is an old
soldier in these exciting moments; for
many years has he dealt in lightning; he
was the nearest companion of Bismarck
in Schleswig; his fingers dealt the gen
tie strokes that announced KONG
gratz to the world; by Woerth and by
Metz he has calmly and withouta change
of countenance welded the fires of
Heaven to proclaim the victories OF
Earth; the State secrets which ne could
reveal without emotion would make
other men tremble with the bare knowl-
edge; and once when the instrument at
his feet was shattered by an untamed
bolt, he lost no word of his unfinished
message, but continued it without delay
on the neighboring instrument Let us,
Notwithstanding all this, excuse him
if he reads those words again
-"To Queen Augusta, in Berlin
The capitulation through which
the entire army in Sedan is surren-
dered, is just comp leted with Gen.
Wimpffen, who takes the place of the
wounded Gen. Mcmahon" Now he is
himself again; the trembling hand moves
to its work; click, click, click, the old
heads " in the offices at Dresden, at
Weimer, at Brunswick, at Munich, at
Leipaic and Berlin wait until the SEN
tence is complete, and then slowly read
it to the attendant news-ga gatherers. For
moment the national pulse ceases to
beat-then begins at so. The sentence
is complete-pulse 80. Again--click,
click, click; The Emperor has only
surrendered himself pulse lO0-have
care the public keart can also burst
with too great joy; but these telegraph
fellows have no mercy; click, click,
click" since he does not hold the COM
mand, and has given all up to the gov
ernment in Paris pulse ll0-feverl
fever down with the brakes The pub
lie schools are pouring into the streets;
the business man leaves his counting
house; the bear at the exchange tries
to sell out and don't do i'll Still it
comes-click, click, click I" will de-
signate the Emperor place of confine-
ment as soon as | have held the APP
pointed interview with him, which takes
place Immediately pulse l20!
REJOICING.
Through the streets of Berlin pour i'm
mense masses of men and women, hither
and thither. What shall they do-laugh
or cry? Come, come, let us have the
end and, with fitting calmness, as Of ice
upon the throbbing brows, it comes
Click, click: "What glorious result by
the help of qod!-WilhelmW There,
you have it complete; the crowds thickenI
the streets become impossible; the men
don't seem to know what to do. The
father yonder, whose eldest son lies dead
at Metz, and whose youngest IL at home
with only one arm, gazes vacantly into
space and wonders what on earth all
these conflicting emotions will make of
him. The blue-eyed maiden close by
thinks, under her tears, Oh, if Johnny
were only here instead of dead at Sc
dan" But here comes. the one-armed
son, blazing, radiant, swinging his cap
with the untouched limb, and shouting
the aloriops watch on the Rhine, with
untouched lungs The father can stand
it no longer; his loss is forgotten in his
new pride; he joins in the whrl of song;
the maiden thinks also there are lots
of 'JohDpies who will need comfort in
their wounds" and victory foods her
heart with blessed forgetfqlness. Bands
of school children pour through the
streets with flags and notices. The
machine shops are closed, and the work
men mustered with drums and flags.
Now the summit is reached; the police
only devote their attention to keeping
the streets open TO carriages; license
reigns; song is the order of the day;
Melpomene yields her sway to Euterpe,
and laochus asserts his greatest power.
The mild wines Of the Rhine and Moselle
ningle with the beers of old Feutonia.
All is orderly, though utterly without
order; drunkenness Except that of joy
is not visible, though everybody drinks.
The fiery compounds Of America find
but little favor here, Keep moyingl
You cannot stand for a single moment
quiet in either Inter den Linden or
any of the streets within radius of half
mile therefrom. Stop your philoso-
phisIng ihsrs, old fellow on the corner;
forget your dry old loyahle, hateful Pla-
tonisms, in the intoxicating bliss of pub
lie triumph. Perhaps you'll have a new
idea Of life thereafter.
THE YOUNG oEHN4S ELEMENT.
The youth seem to take the lead in this
affair. Thousands of school children
pour in one unbFoken stream through
thestreets. Childish faces are lifted 20
the sky; childish voices give vent to the
unspeakable Joy which fills childish
hearts. Go to, mercenaryl and forget
your ambitions in one simple hour of
unselfsh emotion. Come, doubter, and
refresh your unbelieving heart. Heighol
there, yondoF is the circle Of years com
plete. The oldest General of the army
retired has donned his holiday uniform
and appeared in the streets The grand
father Of all Berlin children is he, and
hundreds Of his darlings greet him-the
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