New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-28
MOLTKE THE SILENT.
SCENES M A sosDrEs's LIE OF NINETY
YEARS.


ouiet little town Of Hohenfelde. In Northern Ger
r,.rv In The spscioun garden Of Pastor knick-
h.iu some half Q hundred boys are playing ct
war peasant boys all, save two' appefo0W
rsntleman's sons, who lead tho rival armies
Behind some shruhbery the pastor and the father
A. tie two boys watch the scene. The younger
~ the LITTLE generals is twelve years old. His
army ia tho smaller sad weaker Of the two ana
"a forced to retreat some prisoners are taken, aad
the conoueror calls out "Surrendcrl' The other
makes no reply; he 10 taciturn lad. But he
hnrr;es the remnant Of his army toward the lake,
thu enemy pursuing closely. Then, just as they
cet where seemingly, further fight Is impossible,
there Ia seen an island connected with the shore
nv a bridge formed Of q single plank. Across
this causeway, to this island, the vanqushed SOL
ders aee. thsjf commander CROSSING last anu him.
set withdrawing tie bridge just as the bafied
pursuery come up Then the two watchers lau
into each others arms, and the father exc!alms
rxultinely to the pastor: MY little Helmuth
He will make sodisr one day; Of that be sure !"
That providential island was not there few
days before. Helmuth and his soldiers had them
selves constructed 1t, in secret and at untoh ex-
ertiun, In preparation for exactly such an emer-
renev A this. But now that scventy-eight years
are gone. and good Pastor Knickbein Is long ago
departed, and little Helnspth ia noragenariar.
crowned with the honor Of the world, the island
Is still there in tile pastors garden. And the good
folk of Hohenfelde point it out to the visitor Win
reverence and awe, saying 1t was there that
Moltke won his first battlc!'
The time 10 the year 1866, and the place il
Koenisgraetz. Two men are seated In tent:
between them . card table Bnt o greater game
than cards Is being played, and only one Is play
ing it, There 10 a map spread on the table, Win
oolored pins stuck here and there. The player
Of the game moves them about. scarcely speaking
q word as he does so, until the lost strategic
movement is complete. and the Austrian pins are
swept together, spoils OF war. THAT Ii what VIII
be done tomorrow, your Majesty, says the quie1
pin-man and William Of Prussia clasps hlm 70 MS
heart. Out GO the orders tn the generals, and
Mo,tks ooes to bed ard to sleep. But after mid
night "a scout comes flying, all Wild with haste
and fear The enemy has moved far d1nercntiy
from what was anticipated, and all the plans OF
the pin-campaign must be recast. Moltke wakes.
listens in silence, then Portfolio No. A. Is all
he saws. as lie lies down again to sleep. IN port
folio No. arc 1onnd the orders, prepared long
a1o. exactly meeting the new conditions. Anu In
A few hours M9ltse sits in his saddle, silently smok-
,nn a good cigar, while Unser Fritz comes through
the mountain passe, just on schedule tlme' ana
Sadowa ends exactly IL was progressed IN inc
Portfolio No. A. The neat day Moltke was thc
r,ost famous soldier in the world. II have but
dome nv duty" was his reply to all the praises
showed upon him.
The time is the year 1871, and the place is
Versailles. Woerth and Sedan have happened
Paris has fallen Napoleon III Is at Wlholmshohe.
William OF Prussia is William Of Germany. The
iustrous leaders Of the victorious army arc seated
at n stately banquet to celebrate their triumph.
The Emperor rises In his place at the head OF
the table He turns toward Moltke. Tears are
flowing down his checks and his voice is tremulous'
He clasps the silent soldier to his heart and cries
my Moltke 1t is to thee that owe it-thas
Germany owes 1t alll'
The time is-any Of the last dozen years and the
place Is Kreisau, in Sesa. Here Moltke Is OF
home: here only Every morning at he rises.
as punctually as though battle were TO be
fought at G. He lights spirit lamp and makes
n cun of coffee Then he walks in the grounds.
rather for pleasure than for business, which only
begins at Z. Between and II he likes TO make
a thorough inspection Of his domain. He is
GOOD, practical farmer and famous Tor his caD'
baoes which have won several medals. On one
Of these inspections he caught groom smoking
in the stables, and gave him box on the ears.
the force Of which has been the theme Of admiring
comment by many a rural freside ever since
But. as a rule, his subordinates speak kindly OF
him and say he is a just and conslderate master.
Still, no one ever has chance OF forgetting the
iron hand which is covered BY the velvet glove.
At 10 the Marshal takes a kind Of second break
fast-a basin of soup, or q glass OF wine ana
biscuit BY this time the letters and papers have
arrived. and Moltke works till noon, Sundays
always excepted. On the Sabbath he goes to
church and reads good books" during the better
part of the day. At noon on o regular day he
takes q nap till dining time, which central cere-
mony of every mani day takes place in the Moltke
household at 2. After dinner a cigar and more
work By-and-by chat with friends II any are
STAYING with him, and perhaps stroll. At tea
is served. On a fine summer evening the Mar
shall will take another turn after tea, but almost
invariably goes TO bed at 10.
The stroll before tea almost invariably leads
toward a plain monument on the summit OF
little hill crowned with cypress Beneath tho
cross carved on a little mausOleum may be read
the motto: Love is the fulflment Of the law"
1t is his wife's tomb There he kneels and prays.
and lea YES there O wreath Of roses dewed with
tears.
The home OF Moltlse is plain, square building
Of two stories, with high gables The entrance is
up broad fight of steps, hanked BY big guns from
Mount Valerien, which were presented to him by
Emperor William. The entrance hall contains
three valuable bronze monuments on large ped
estals one Of them representing Emperor William
In cloak and helmet, another n copy OF Rauchs
Frederick the Great" and the third an elues-
TRAN statue of Moltke himself The walls OF the
hall are adorned with large bronze busts OF the
Prussian kings and of the Red Prince" Fred
erick Charles The house contains q large dining
room, a study, and bed and sitting rooms, all
furnished with extreme simplicity. Moike sleeps
on a low field bed Most Of the walls ore adorned
with large maps, and one with the many-branched
n.dirrc of the ,iotlle family. The upper story
| ,,dk, nortrnifs ~ "A