The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-02
A GREAT GERMAN.
Count Won Moltl1o tho Famous
Soldier and Patriot.
Bricf Review of Ills Grand Life of Four
Score Years and Ten and Iiis Services
to His Countrywide Secret of
Ills Longevity.

''Fcw and evil, even at their longest
and their best, are the days of mortal
life" So il effect, says the Saturday
Evening Herald, sang the patriarch,
Job. twenty centuries before the advent
of Christ; and the world is singing that
same song to-day. Few at best, even
il they should stretch out to three score
years and ten! Life looks long III the
morning, but when the shadows gather
and the day declines low speedily the
hours seem to have fed! Scvcnty years
looks Il long, long time, viewed from
the sunny hillside OF early youth But
the days of seventy years are al too
few fo, the great purposes that crowd
and throng The busy ways Of life: and
how few there are who ever reach this
far a"-ay goal. TO the overwhelming
majority the days arc few indeed, and
to very many it would seem us if they
were almost rs full OF evil as of good.
All the world, and Germany especially,
has just had its attention cullcd to Il
very remarkable man. whose days have
run in parallel lines with this cvcntful
century. Gen. Count Won Moltke was
born in the year 1900. It was his rare
lot to bear the staff of pilgrimage for
four score years and ten. If faithful
record of this great Germans life could
be made; II record of facts, Of thoughts,
Of feelings; n record of observations as
well us experiences, of defeats as we'll
as victories; Il true life of the man and
OF his time, what an Invaluable treas
ure it would be! 1t would be Il history
OF the century from German stand
point. from II great soldiers point
of view. There are some things
about this grim old soldier worth
passing thought at least. lie
is rcgardcd-by all Germans, of
course, and by many who arc
not Germans, as the greatest soldier of
this century. None will deny that his
ability, his sagncity and his success
make Il sweeping mark in the military
he fought to win, and he generally did
win. But this is to be said in his honor
that he did not delight in war, and that
as far as possible he sought to keep
peace amongst the nations of tho earth.
When war became Il necessity, and he
believed it was often Il necessity, then
lie wanted it to be short, sharp and de-
cisivc. He was ofteuer inclined to
hold" than to "lct slip" the dogs of
war; There would have been moro
wars and more disastrous wars this CEN
fury if it had not been for the restrain
ing policy Of Gen. Won Moltl;c AS
patriot, disciplinarian and
leader he ranks with the Duke of
Wellington and with our Washing
ton. our Grant and Logan. Ills great
est work was done III his maturcr
age He WIGS scarcely known outside
Of Prussia till he was more than sixty
years Old. The hardest and best work
OF his life was done when he had passed
tie three score years and ten. Up to
August, lSSS, when he resigned the Of
flee CT CHIEF Of staff, he did Ill the rou-
tine work Shat office demanded. Gen.
Won Moitllc was indeed Il grand old man.
bismarck will miss him Sorrly, and now
that his emperor is no more for
William can hardly be called Bis
marcll's cmpcror-nnd his Old colnratlc
in arms is gone, he too VIII soon "'gin
to be awcary o the sun" Not long ayo
an American physici;:n wrote 10 most
of the notable octogcnarians and asked
TIE secret Of their longevity. Molt.sc's
letter WAS long and characteristic. All
of Importance was crowded into the
last paragraph which wo herewith
quote, and so close OUR notice Of the
grand old German soldier.
III asked to nare the factors which IN M
opinion have contributed most to my great Ion.
gcvi'y. ! should sny they are: First temrcr.
ancc In oil the affairs OF life; second exercise
III the open air daily under all circumstances
without regard to the inclemcncy OF the wcath-
err third, regularity in my hours OF sleep, my
diet and Ill NY other habits; last-aad above
alto the grace. mercy and goodness OF Him
who so wisely and bcnehccntly rules tho uni
verse"
The Presidents Trip.