The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-03-18
A GERMAN FATHER.
Carl kchurz's Father, and How He
Trained the SON.

Few knew that Carl Schurz's father
was in this country till the recent an
nouncement of his sickness and death
| in Illinois He has been living there in
| happy retirement for twenty-five years,
! taking great pride in the son he had
trained SO piously and vigorously, and
enjoying, also, the neighborhood of a
daughter, Mrs. Edmund Jusson, Of Chi
cago Christian Schurz was a school
teacher in the village of Liblar, near
Cologne, Prussia, where his son Carl was
general rule which consign the German
teacher to lifelong poverty. But he
resolved to give his son the best educa-
ton then to be obtained in that part of
Germany. The best years OF his life
and most of his scanty means were re-
| ligiously devoted to this all-absorbing
purpose. The untiring energy and am
bition of the elder Schurz in this direc-
ton were truly remarkable. He
compelled Carl to walk almost daily a
distance of ten miles, when he was still
of very tender years, to take lessons on
the piano; and, when the boy had
formed with great success at several
concerts, to the infinite satisfaction of
his father. He early placed the boy
at thegymnasium Of Cologne, one of the
best educational institutes in the
to te''opep keep tarl M at this I school i until
he passed an examination for
admittance to the university at
Bonn. But he made Carl appreciate
thoroughly that he was making extra
ordinary efforts in his behalf, and exer-
cised StrictnesS and a superintendence
over his child of which the average
American boy can form no idea. Carl
came home only once to enjoy his fall
vacation, when instead of the best tes
timonial (No. Al he could produce only
No. /, and the boy hoyered around the
father-house and perambulated the ad-
Joining forest for almost day before
he could summon up courage enough to
cross the threshold. Next door to the
village home of Carl Schurz there was
one Of those wide and simple public
halls, which, on feast days, served as
ball room for the young people of the
village. Here was the first theatre
of Carl Schurz,s eloquence. The old
gentleman used to conduct his son
Carl to this hall and place him on the
platform erected for the village musi-
clans, and command him to recite
either some composition of his own, or
to declaim the classic poems of Goethe
and Schiller. And, while the shriIl and
boyish voice of the young student Was
through the room, the old
man, solitary and alone, would pace up
and down before the improvised ros-
trum, and sharply criticise the youthful
orator. He made Carl understand that
he wanted him perfect in everything;
that the usual plays and frolics Of boys
were fit only for the children of rich
parents, and that if he desired to make
his way in the world, poor as he was, he
must study and labor incessantly. And
thus he imbued Carl with an ambition
and love for study which have served
him we'll throughout his eventful life
The Revolution of 1848 brought dark
hours Of sorrow and grief to Chris
tian Schurz. A true Republican at
heart himself, he was proud of the emil
nent position which his son held among
the Rebels. But the day came when
Carl was taken prisoner at Rastall, and
was sentenced to be shot. He wrote his
father last farewell, and the grief
old man at once started to Ras- |
tall to recover, if possible, the body of
his son. In tears, and staggering under |
his terrible grief, he called on the COM
mander Of the Prussian garrison and I
demanded the remains OF the young
martyr to liberty. His joy may be i'm I
agined when he was told that Carl had |
from the fort the night before |
the morning fixed for his execution. He !