The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-01-08

"For the last four years." explained
hsTs. Thuriow. she has been living in
Germany. took him with mo when 1
went to visit Eugenia, and on the occa-
sion of my return home, at my daugh-
ter's earnest pleadings, left the little
fellow for six months longer. But 1
might have known what to expect. Eu-
genia, with a mothers natural yearning
for her offspring, put every conceivable
obstacle in the way of his returning to
me. He has only been back few months.
unr1ng his absence. in great measure,
ne has lost all facility of expression in
English, although, before this recent so.
Journ In Germany. I considered him re-
markable for an unusual flow of language
In one SO young. He speaks German
uncommonly we'll, now, bat for my life,
English"
His old readiness will doubtless re-
turn" remarked Juliet; eat his early
age after so long an interval, you could
not expect him to speak the language as
nuentiy as when in practice. But it will
come back to him. wonder Cousin Eu-
geEia ever allowed him to neglect her
native language"
she used 20 converse with him occu-
slonally, believe, but it is 40 natural to
speak the language spoken around you,
and an Eugenia is thoroughly Germanized.
Ihe Won Oppenheims are all alike. Lud-
Wig Is always preaching to the boy about
:hs glorious fatheriand and the honor it
ID to be true born German. Rudolph
has been taught to consider it the great
est misfortune of his life, that he wns
born in America. AS for his Uncle Karl,
he Is even worse than Lud wig, and it is
his fault that the child makes such slow
progress In speaking, since his return.
we are aiways in dissension about it.
karl persists in speaking DeutscA with
h.m, saying, he must not be allowed to
forget his native tongue-a If, forsooth.
he was not born in the South, and there
Is not as much American as German
blood in his veinsi OF course, I do not
wish him to forget his fathers language.
but l don't believe he will ever learn
English properly. notwithstanding it is
universally spoken around him, unless
he accus:oms himself to it at home
ALREADY, he has acquitted IN ugly habit
OF mixing up the two languages in per-
feetly incomprehensible tumble"
Rudolph returned presently, coming
up to the carriage and addressing his
grandmother in German. On her reply
ing IN the same language, he gave orders
to the coachnsn to drive home. and
Jumped into the carriage. They whirled
rapidly through the broad streets, to
Mrs. Thurlow's grand stone house, on
the opposite side of town. Juliet looked
at Rudolph and thought what bright
eyed little fellow he was. His features
we're singular mixture OF penetration,
gaiety and sadness-not q particle like
his mother.
"He must resemble the Won Open
heims," was her mental comment, and
so thinking, sho said
"And how is your mother, Rudolph,
and where is she?''
"Meine hebe mutter ist in Deutschland"
the little boy replied, the tears coming
into his eyes.
"Now, Rudolph" said his grand mo-
ther, sternly, ''you must not talk to
strangers in your own language Only
to your Uncle Karl and myself Juliet
does not understand it, and you make
her feel embarrassed. Speak English. :"
81 beg pardon" said Rudolph, his
face reddening; 'my mother is in Ger
many, and she is well, grand other;
when you heard nicM aodhr?'
"You are perfectly incorrigible," said
his grand other; ga very disobedient
boy, Rudolph. This comes of allowing
you to stay so much at the university
with Karl. II you do not try to speak
English, will never let you go again."
This threat seemed so frightful to
Rudolph, he looked up, pleadingly, into
his grandmother face, and, in pathetic
voice, declared she would do the very
best he could, if she would only let him
go to see Uncle Karl occasionally"
Juliet thought tho little fellow was
undeservedly prosecuted, and her heart
went ont to him, with its wealth of
warm, gushing sympathy. He looked 80
sad. too; and Juliet, who was always
ready to befriend the unhappy, be-
slowed kind words and winning smiles
on tho bright-eyed German boy-looks
and smiles whose charming beauty
would have turned Rudolph's head, had
he been n man. AS it was, they capti-
waited his boyish heart.
'Do you like to live in American" she
inquired, rs he gallantly assisted her to
alight.
"Yes; I like it. But like my own
country best"
"Why do you like it best?"
because my mother and father are
there, replied Rudolph; and then, look
ing steadily at Mrs Thurlow, aud drop
ping his voice to n whisper, "nnd because
there can always speak die DeuiscAe
Sprache."