Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-03

A change was shortly to come over the whole
life and character of the future prince and
chancellor. One of the neighbors with whom
he lived on terms OF intimacy was Moritz Won
Blankenburg, and in his house he made the
acquaintance of Johanna Won Putkammer,
which, during journey which the two made
in company with their common friends ripened
to a deep and lasting affection. The young
lady's parents were very quiet and deeply re-
llgious persons, and when the "mad Lord of
kniephof" wrote TO ask their daughters hand,
and she confessed that she had given him her
heart, their CONSERVATION was great. The father
confessed that "he felt as If he had been struck
on the head with an axe" but he did not feel
justified i'm opposing the wishes of the young
was only when bismarck appeared to plead his
own cause that she granted her consent. But,
having yielded, she did so frankly and without
reserve. She welcomed her future son-in-aw.
not only to her home, but to her heart, and he
proved himself thoroughly worthy of her conf
dence He became real member of the fam
lily, and the first serious difference which he
had with the parents of his wife also the
last; The marriage was celebrated on The 2Sth
of July, 1S47.
To understand the effect which this union had
on the whole character of the future statesman
1t l. necessary to remember several things. He
was at this time deeply disguised with his past
life. He had tried excess and found it weari-
ness; he was tired of the monotony of disSipa-
ton. He had been cast hther and thither by
the waves of chance and humor, and was fully
persuaded that the end of all this is vanity.
While young in body and in mind and dmiy
conscious that he possessed unusual powers. he
could find no idea, no aim, and no ambition
that fired and satisfied his IMAGINATION With
religion in the true sense of the word he had
never been brought into contact until he wooed
her in his bride. In his youth two spiritual in
huences had been predominant in Prussia-the
deism of Voltaire, slightly modified by that of
Leasing, and the mysticism of the romantic
house had been almost completely free, and
what he saw of it in later years was not calcu-
lated to attract the keen-eyed, hard-headed
open hearted youth.
But in his wife and her family he was brought
face to face with new power: Here We're men
and women, leading not only blaneiess but ac-
tive and useful lives. who had us strong Il hold
on the external reality of the world as any one
and who yet were moved by motives that were
not of this world, but constantly felt they were
in the presence OF IL judge, u father, and Il
friend. In such conviction he, too, might find
sought consolation and Strength in the ethics of
Spinoza, but. unlike the great poet, he had not
succeeded in finding them there. The thought
of Il personal loyalty to personal god Oh The
other hand, appealed to the deepest impulses OF
his nature; and the home into which he. the
wild wanderer, had been received, with hcsi-
tation ut first it is true, but then i'm perfect af-
fiction and confidence. was SO calm and Quiet
that it seemed as If the peace that passeth I'M
derstitndlng brooded over it, as indeed ii did
Bismarck became deeply imbued with his wiies
religious convictions, and he found in them the
motive power that had hitherto been wanting
IN ms NE; ms was the turning point; from
henceforth he had a purpose that filled and
satisfied his whole bcins-to do his duty before
living god. Doubtless, like all of us, he has
fallen short of his ideal ant; still more I'M
doubtedly, in the opinion of most he has at
times mistaken his duty; but always there has
been a power within him which enabled him
To despise the praise of men, and to appeal to a
higher standard than the phrase Of the fash
ion of the hour.
The time had now come when the man whose
youth had been so wild and hayward was
itical life of the age. But before CHANGING at the
work as it was given him to do, and the way in
which it was done, it may be well to translate IL
few passages from bis later letters. which show
the spirit lnwhich it was undertaken. In July,
ls2l, he wrote from Frankfort to his wife:
The day before yesterday dined with at
WieSbaden and viewed the scenes of nv former
folly with sadness and rather premature wis
dom. May it please God to fill with his own
champagne of youth then usclessly frothed
away, leaving nothing but fiat, dress behind.
what may be their lot? How many with whom
then firted, drank and played are now i'm
their graves. and through how many phases my
whole conception of life has passed in these
fourteen years each of which I thought per-
fectly true while il lasted; how much that then
appeared great now seems small to me: how
much venerable that / then mockedi What
new LEAKAGE may have budded, unfolded, with
cred and fallen away from our inner being be-
come, if We live to see it! cannot understand
how Il man who reflects upon himself and who
neither knows God nor desires to know him-I
cannot understand how such man can endure
a life so burdened with ennui and sef-con-
tempt. l cannot tell how used to bear it: if L
Were again Obliged to live a once did with
out God: without you and the children. really
do not see why should not cast this life aside
like dirty shirt. Yet this is the life most of
my acquaintance live. When l go through
them slngly and ask myself what reason so and
50 may have for living on, for bearing troubles
and yeXatiOn, for intriguing and Spying around
/ can find no answer Do not conclude from
thlSScribble that am in black mood: on the
contrary, L feel as we do when looking at the
yeilowillg leaves on bright September day
well and cheerful. but touched with sadness with
homesickness, with longing for forest, lake
and moorland for you and the children, all
blended with the sunset and Beethoven