St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-25
BISMARCK OFF BIS PEDESTAL.
Il Fe,U Sample Extracts from Rostceu
RtscL,s gerc Book

new volume, Our Imperial CnanceLor,
Here are the meatiest Of them:
HIS RELIGION.
Gas in his politics, so in his religious
views" says, DR.. Busch, she has, ac-
hording to his own words, undergone grad
ualdevelopment. He has gone through his
period of rationalism, then he has lived
through time of unbelief, or ay least a time
when religion was no necessity to him. Al
terward he expressed himself in so decided a
fashion as to lead to the belief that he occu-
pied a Christian and even an Evangelical
standpoint. In later years he seems to have
retained just sufficient of this to be regarded
as deeply religious man, firmly believing
in God, in divine order, and personal i'm
mortality, who does his duty according to
this belief, and is accustomed to draw his
strength for the fulfillment of his duty from
it, but who cares little for doctrinal formu-
lac, is not intolerant, and has no great de-
sire to be edited through the mouth of the
priest. The first period of rationalism coin
cided with the time when the young student
was sowing his wild oats, but even at the
worst of times there was always longing
and striving after something higher and bet
ter, which after a time of melancholy and
depression was succeeded by more healthy
state of mind.'' This was about the time
when Bismarck became acquainted with his
wife; Johanna Won Puttkamer, the daughter
of one Of those pious families who at that
time were frequently found in the German
nobility she had the feeling of emptiness"
said DIR. Busch quantity, ''but now he was
happy to have becomes Christian, and with
this feeling was allied the satisfaction OF
matrimonial bliss.'' Some time after his
marriage he wrote to his wife:
~ cannot understand how anybody who
reflects on his own self, and yet knows moth
ing nor wants to know anything of God, can
bear to live on in contempt and dizziness.
do not know how have borne it formerly;
if at present should have to live as l did
then, without God, withoutyou and the chill
dren, l should, indeed, not see why should
not cast off this life as soiled garment.
1t is possible that a nature like that OF
Bismarck's would not have been constant
to this belief had he not regarded Christiani-
ty as the foundation of the state, and had not
the melancholy of former days accompanied
him in his after life, mostly sleeping still
within his soul, but now and then coming to
the surface with full power and bitterness.
IS HE sUPERsTITIoUs?
Superstition it is said, is closely allied to
strong religious belief, and it appears that
the great chancellor forms no exception
from this rule. He is awed by apparitions
in uninhabited castles, shrinks from dining
where thirteen sits down at table, believes in
unlucky days, and adheres to the ancient
belief of the moon on every living thing.
This, at least, is said among the people, and
Dr. Busch occupies himself for awhile in
giving examples by which to prove this
weakness. The conclusion Of the chapter,
however, contains his real opinion on the
matter. she is the clearest thinker in poll
tics, deep and far-seeing beyond all his con-
temporaries, always grasping what is right,
without prejudice, elevated above customary
things. He is spiritualist, a believer in
ominous days, an arithmetician, with mys-
tical fgurers Really? No, it is all nonsense
with the exception of a single story which
happened at Schonhausen (where the chan
cellor heard mysterious footsteps in the anti
chamber of his bedroom). 'The jests alb out
my superstitions,' - he said few months ago
ARE nothing but jests, or consideration of
the feelings of others. l will eat at table
with twelve others as often as you like, and
will undertake the most important and Sc
rious business on Friday"
HIS HOME LIFE.
1t is a pleasant change to turn from the
turbulent public life of the chancellor, and
see him in his home, surrounded by friends
to whom he is united by ties ofsympathy and
love. There, before all, is the common
companion of his life-the woman who has
stood by his side for more than thirty years,
and who has ever proved loving wife.
'"The princess has been brought up religious
ly: but hers is bright, lively nature, gifted
with a goodly portion of natural wit, with
fine taste and feelings. Very musical, and
a splendid player on the piano, she is at the
same time careful, sensible housewife, and,
after the manner Of the noble ladies of
former days, she is said to have some knowl-
edge of medicine. With genuine womanli-
ness she created for her husband home full
of comfort and genial warmth, and intelli-
gently shared for years his griefs and hopes,
sometimes even, as is evident from some
passages in Bismarcks letters to her reprinted
by HezekieD, to a certain measure in politi-
cal questions, although as a rule, she does not
belong to the class of women who take part
in politics Her correspondence with him,
ed them geographically, was very lively and
affectionate. He calls her ''my heart, f" ''my
dearest heart,'' in his letters; he sent her
jessamine from Peterhof, blooming heather
from Bordeaux, and promises to send her cid
elweiss from Gastein, where, on the sixteenth
anniversary of their wedding day, he remem
beers that this day, ''has brought sunshine in
to his bachelors life.'
HIS TASTES.
The chancellor Is stronger in modern than
in the two classical languages. 'When was
a sprimaner,, che said once at Eerrleres, 81
knew very well how to write and read Latin,
but at present it would be difficult, and Greek
l have altogether forgotten" History and
Geography have always been his favorite
studies, and in literature is well acquainted
with the authors of the past as well as the
present times. Goethe and Shakespeare are
his favortes, and he is greatly interested in
modern French and English novelists AL
though no connoisseur in painting and sculp-
ture, he likes the society of artists, and from
his Youthful days at Berlin he has retained
a great admiration for music, especially by
the classical composers. Among the great
masters Beethoven pleases him best. In
letter to his wife, written during the sum-
mer of 1851 he says that he is well and happy,
but is a little homesick for ''the woods, the
sea, the wilderness, you and the children, all
mingled with sunset and Beethoven"
HIS HABITS
IF Bismarck has ever had any taste for
gambling, it has long since lost him, and at
present he never touches a card. AS
youngster he rather like whist, and once re-
NAMED at the whist table for seven full hours
playing twenty rubbers. s'But," he said
once, when talking about this, 'Iwas only
interested when the stakes were high, and
that does not do for paterfamillas. -
It is true that in the summer of of 1855 he