Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-06-19
CARL SCHURZ'S STORY.
The Romance of His Early Life-HOw he
Became Rebel in Fatherland.

In0 Romance OF HIS Early Lne-HOW ne
Became a Rebel in Fatherland.
Sitting at the table of celebrated
pension" some time ago, the converse.
ton fell upon Carl Schurz and his honors
in the land of his adoption. "Carl
Schurzr' called Mrs. Captain Borchert
from the farther end of the room; ''he Of
all your countrymen interests me most,
for I knew the family we'll"
Supper finished, took seat at the
side of the venerable lady whose hus-
band was the hero of more than two bat
ties in the bloody days of the Franco
Prussian war and heard the following
story: was a child in the days of '48,
when the anarchical fame threatened to
consume all the monarchies of Europe.
Berlin was in the folds of the red flag,
Austria on the brink of ruin-em-
peror and king alike wild with distrac-
ton. Even in the peaceful valley of the
Rhine, whose hardy inhabitants had
known only loyalty for generations,
whose surrounding bills and dales, full
of their Legendary romance, had been
the Gordon Of assured allegiance, even
there the voice of discomfort echoed.
Above the hearths of the lowly peasant
huts, whose most warlike ornament had
been the inherited pipe which their faith
ers had smoked, the musket swung; the
demon of dissatisfaction drove to blood
Bonn, that romantic city on the banks
of the majestic stream, the seat of one
of the fatherland's greatest colleges, the
princes University" as it is called to
this day, forgot it's ancient traditions,
and its young men joined hands with the
leaders of the growing revolt. Gottfried
Kinckel, latter the servant and poet, then
a youthful 'docent'' in the institute of
learning, was the epitome of the revolu-
ZIONIST, in whose bosom the love of iber-
ty fairly famed. A brilliant band had
gathered about him, Simrock, Kaufman,
Schlouback and Becker, but it's center
was Johanna Mockel. A few years pre-
vious to the time our story begins, while
journeying one spring day on the Rhine,
beautiful woman took her seat with
Kinckel in an uncertain boat. He had
long loved her, but she had already
stood before Hymen's altar and promised
obedience to him who had given her his
name. They had parted once with
mutual VOW to keep asunder. Those who
watched might have seen the furtive
glances cast from one to the other and
read the inner struggle which the pres
ent meeting caused; but no word passed
between them. How cruelty and strange
ly fate oft works out her plans, discon-
certing human endeavor. A storm arose,
the boat whirled and tossed, the white
caps mounted and broke with fury un-
known. The tales of the Lorelei and
her siren song came back from their
cradles, like ghosts, to the frightened
passengers of the little smack. The
boat foundered and upturned; women's
wailings made the heart sick. But the
strong arms oftheyoung Kinckel quick
ly grasped the fainting form of his dona
and bore her safely to the opposite shore.
Faithfully he watched over her during
the long hours where life lowered in the
balance and when at last the great, ten
der eyes opened and found her hero
bending over her in knightly devotion
the heart melted she promised her love
to him who had saved her life anew.
The divorce followed and they were
It was Johanna, the cousin Of Schurz.
Her own pen-a noted one of her time
has described the romantic adventure in
verse Of touching beauty. A few years
after the establishment of their home IN
the poetical city on the stream which |
had brought about their union CARL
Schurz came az student to Bonn. Nat
urally he spent much time at the villa Of
his beautiful cousin and listened with