The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-15
THE TRAITORS WIFE.
How a Jewess Proved Her Devo-
ton to Her Country.

Close to the village of Macy Nemethy is a
ruined house surrounded by an uncultiva-
ted garden. Owls and bats have established
their abode in it, and when the sun spreads
its warm rays upon the rotten flooring liz
ards and snakes crawl out from the crew
ices in the walls to sun themselves. In sum
mer, tocks of birds make their nests in the
garden, where no one thinks of disturb
ing them. In winter, wolves, gaunt and
sinister-eyed, glide slyly among the leafess
trees and bushes.
In front of this gloomy house is a linden
tree, its large branches bare in summer as
in winter. Mistletoe still grows upon it's
trunk, which is almost dead but no one
ever touches the tree or the mistletoe. Eve
ry body hastens by, the Christians making
the sign of the cross and the Jews softly
murmuring prayer for the dead.
Nearly forty years ago, when the people
awakened on all sides and began to shake
off their chains, this house was inhabited by
a young Jewish family, Adolph Sonnenfeld,
grain dealer, and his wife, Sarah Her
second name was Byzantine, and she was
usually called Egla.
While Sonnenfeld recalled no Biblical
hero by his appearance or manners, Being
blonde, rosy and thin like any German
Egla was a real Jewish woman, beautiful,
intelligent and calm, with dark, passionate
eyes, small mouth and disdainful lips. 1t
would be impossible to find a stronger con-
trast than these two walking along the
streets; he, with his head inclined, humble
and smiling deprecatingly; she, with easy
step and proud air.
Their character and intelligence were not
less unlike. Sonnenfeld had remarkable
aptitude for the grain business, but this was
about all he was capable of doing. Egla,
on the contrary, was educ ated to certain
extent, and had read much more than was
usually the case with the Jewish country
girls of that epoch. He was a simple man,
but sly and practical She was witty, i'm
aginative and prompt at repartee. She
showed sometimes an energy of will which
seemed to lie at the bottom of her soul like
some mysterious and threatening power.
Her heart was always ready to be enthusi-
astic for every thing that appeared to her
sublime.
In spite of this great difference of tenn
permanent, intelligence and character, which
would seem frequently to provoke antipathy
and hostility, Sonnenfeld and his wife loved
each other tenderly. Egla even went so far
as to love her husband more than her coun-
oSNNA
was an exalted and ardent Hungarian pa
triot. She read the Magyar poetry with a
feverish interest, and rejoiced in the
growth of the revolution which was spread
ing in Hungary. Her favorite revolutionary
heroes were Petoefi and Kossuth Believing
in better future, she inculcated in her two
children the love of country and the passion
of liberty and independence.
Restricted to the narrow limits of her
household, Egla led a vigorously feminine
existence. But when the February revolu-
ton broke out at Paris, soon followed by
that of Vienna and the uprising of the
Hungarians her character, which had long
surpassed the ordinary in its measure of
energy, soon showed itself in its full force
She began by interesting herself in the de-
bates of the Diet, then in the threatening
conflict between the government and the
camariua at Vienna, and in the first scenes
of the cival war. When she learned in the
month Of October, that the Hungarian army
had arrived at the gates of Vienna, she
could no longer contain herself.
"Adolph!n she cried, one morning at the
breakfast-table, throwing down the news
paper, "every body is taking up arms for
the country; old men, women and children
have not hesitated to sacrifice themselves
do you intend to remain behind?"
Are you crazy!" cried Sonnenfeld with
an indignant and almost frightened air;
''what does Hungarian liberty matter to
mel am Jew, and even if should have
an idea of going to war, people would laugh
at me for don't even know how to load a
gun"
"You can learn"
II have no desire. We have enough
soldiers, and am not a hero"
Sonnenfeld was right. He had nothing
of the hero about him, and his wife was
soon convinced of it. Some hussars passed
through the village, and those inhabitants
who remained at home up to that time
hastened to follow the flag. Sonnenfcld
alone declined and disappeared as though
the earth had swallowed him up. He was
not seen again until the last cavalier had
quilted Macy Nemethy.
Egla then learned that he had concealed
himself in the cellar, where the cook carried
him his food. She was filed with disgust.
Her first impulse was to take her children
and leave this man whom she could no
longer love; but Sonnenfeld besought her
so, he poured out so many tears, and his
weeping children pleaded so well his cause,
that Egla remained with him. From that