Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-06-21

dinary in its measure OF energy,
soon showed itself at its full force.
She began by interesting herself
in the debates of the Diet, then in
the threatening conflict between
the government and the camanlla
at Vienna, and In the first scenes
of the civil war. When she learn.
ed, in the month of October, that
the Hungarian army had arrived at
the gates of Vienna, she could no
longer contain herself.
"Adolph !" she cried one morn.
/ ing at the breakfast table, throwing
down the newspaper, "everybody
is taking up arms for the country !;
old men, women and children have
not hesitated TO sacrifice them
selves 4; do you intend to remain
behind ~
care you crazy " cried SOnnen-
field, with an indignant and al
most frightened air "what does
Hungarian liberty matter to me 7
| I am a Jew, and even if | should
have an idea of gong to war, peo-
pie would laugh at me, for | don't
even know how to load a gun"
"You can learn"
81 have no desire. We have
enough soldiers, and | am not a
hero"
Sonnenfeld was right. He had
nothing Of the hero abont him, and
his wife was soon convinced of it.
Some hussars passed through the
village, and those inhabitants who
had remained at home up to that
time hastened to follow the flag.
Sonnenfeld alone declined, and
disappeared as though the earth
had swallowed him up. He was
not seen again until the last cava-
lier had quilted Nagy.Nemethy.
Egla then learned that he had
concealed himself in the cellar,
where the cook carried him his
food. She was filled with disgust.
Her first impulse was to take her
children and leave this man, whom
she could no longer love; but
Sonnenteld besought her so, he
poured out 80 many tears, and his
weeping children pleaded so we'll
his cause, that Egla remained with
him. From that day onward, she
treated him with disdainful cold
ness that affected him much more
than reproaches and frequet quar-
rels would have done.
Egla's new attitude produced a
remarkable effect upon her hus-
band. Until then, he had shown
himself Indifferent to politics and
the struggles OF his country but
he now began to take an interest
in them; he hated the agitators
who had alienated Egla's heart
from him he desplsed the brave
combatants whose heroism reveal
ed him a coward.
When the imperial troops, com
manded by Windischgrets, crossed
the frontier on their way to the
Hungarian capital, Egla became
silent and sOmbre. SODnenfeld,
on the contrary, IN spite of all his
efforts, could not conceal his JOy.
When Budapest was taken By the
Imperial troops, and the Hugarian
government had retired to De-
breczln, Sonnenfeld thought that
everything was settled, He strut
ted about gaily, as though he
bad inherited a milllOnor gained a
great victory.
"lf had taken up arms for the
country what would be my recon-
pence today ?" he said "hls high
ness"-he always gave Windisch-
grets this title-"would have paid
me with the bastlnadO."
Egla did not deign to reply.
Shortly after this the first de-
tachment of light horsemen arrived
at Nagy-Nemethy They were
soon followed by a brigade, which
established its camp near the vii
lage. Some of the soldiers were
billeted on the inhabitants, and
the general selected Sonnenfeld''
house for himself. Egls, who
timld and hostile, kept out OF the
way, saw the general kick her has
band out of the house one day. Th'
sight made the blood rush TO hel
face, but she concealed her trouble
and suffered In silence.
Some days later, the Hungarian
hussars exchanged a few shot
> with the imperialists, and at nigh
the Hungarians advanced from al
sides and threatened to surrounC
. the Austrian brigade. Everybod.
Q was on the alert, and, while tn
cavalrymen patrOlled the uDfor
tunate country, all the women re
mained in the streets, anxiOusl.
telling their fears to each other.
Egla dressed herself hurriedly
She noticed that her husband ha'
= crept slyly out OF the house, ant
j she went down to look for him
e She soon saw him, standing nea
q the garden wall, talking to th
y general, who smiled graciOusly
o while Sonnenfeld bowed humbl
8 before him. She did not knOv
why, but the generals smile cau'
ed her more anguish than th
4 kicking he had given her husband