The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-01
PROF.KARGE, "THEGENERAL."
CONsPIRATOR, SOLDIER, AND IN
sTRUCToR OF LANGU AGEs.


mans, n Cavalry Leader who Brought the
Discipline orthe Camp Into Hts Class Room
When the newspapers told OF the sudden
death of Gen. Joseph Karge last Wednesday
every Princeton man graduated in the last
twenty-five years at once recalled the most
distinct personality in the Princeton faculty. q
personality 80 unusual in q college that every
detail of 1t could not fail to be stamped upon
the memory Of each student, whether OF his
classes or not. DR.. McCosh is remembered. but
not with sudh precision OF detail.
The General" rs all the boys called Prof.
Karee. who held the chair Of Continental
Languages. had led q remarkable life. such a
one as romaneers have told AGAIN and again.
He had engaged In conspiracies: he had been
condemned I'd death as a traitor. deserter
conspirator: he had fought many battles. and
after over twenty years Of incessant storm.
after fighting under the flags of three great
nations. and under a fourth flag once the
standard Of a powerful nation. but now. as
when he fought for II. the shroud OF past glory.
he became q professor In a Presbyterian col
lege. With the story OF his adventurous
life written upon his face. o~utcropping in
dress and manner and speech. he settled in
that placid New Jersey village. to fret away
his life witt the istupidities Of schoolboys.
Surely. the distaff could not have looked more
absurd in the brawny hand OF Achilles than
did the lecture manuscript under the arm Of
1.-THE General"
There was ono scene. repeated again and
again. which always brought this inooneruity
most forcibly to the mind Of the writer. The
Marquand Chapel at Princeton 10 q beautiful.
solemn church with q mournful memory OF
long prayers and tedious sermons. At the
Sunday morning service the members OF the
faculty sat In pews q bit raised above the floor
OF the church and raneed against the walls to
the right and to the left. II one glanced in
either direction one saw a long row Of white.
rather melancholy faces. the faces OF men
who have stepped aside. and. walking under
classic shades. have specialized and cata-
logued. but have never acted any but a trivial
part in the great melodrama Of life. But.
~glancing far enough along this line. ono sud-
denly saw and started at seeing a face in no
wise like these others. This face was q call to
action. Here was q skin Drowned and
touehened by the sun and wind and
dust OF battle1elds. q stormy. wrinkled
brow. deep dented by the blow Of
a cavalry sabre. Here were lines thai
told OF furious passions. OF deep sorrows. and
intense hatreds. And from the midst Of these
large. strong features. under bristling. far
projecting eyebrows. looked a pair of eyes
that strove in vain to benz lid. that could never
soften to the passionless. serene look Of tho
churchman and the student. On q battle
field. at q meeting whore q people was to be
reused to revolution. one would expect to find
such a face. To see such features looking out
over the top Of o black bound Presbyterian
hymnal was almost laughable.
But Sunday after Sunday the General" sat
there. looking out over his book. sometimes
with a queer little smile in his eyes. usually
trying to draw his face to the requisite length.
A~l ahA rIntAo. ~ AkA nhn~.I a4r.,fo-. -N,,II
listen with foigned or s.;ght interest to his
friends catalogue Of names. celebrated In the
world OF thought or the world Of college. But
when his eyes would light on the Generals"
is .Gst MANI And vh sati e +. doinS 5e5e"
but he, was never loved. because love was
something he did not wish from his scholars.
kno9 en' n rr Inc S5ais stSry n as thSe a!!f fsnd Fits H.
i Sstssiss and IND i HHfe e h0r ssaifs G sSm ssfs,esi lis IS
rooms would become bedian with the Gen;
above the roar Of battle. Kissing and booming
With rage: Tbs was not every day: bu. at
years Of his professorship.' Again. and this
s siv SR RIs e Rs ssgf sS e esh,66, rasioo 81 % ana SS. d
On rare occasions no would unbend. and. at
s un1 spnHffhi u% nj ms au{ RaRR1.s w ThH tel some sto his
from his Own experiencss 20 Eraphieelly that
eraGHI neyer bossted. and avoided all referenee
to gallant actions such as won him honor in
iss s1v II T Ys5s n a .nI' .o sSsPssS; II ~ would wsi SG 'sIl Il
There was = story about bis brother. swept
shroy ne " The sl Peiish r sSS5liviiI IN i n5tss IN IL 0 teid
how his brother was moarned for dead iora
ing as a convict in the Siberian mines. to
escape ut last and sci. out without food or
f mis sr % t Ssei fsll t IL w fhsa a. T sSssFs tribe It Is wS /
after deciding t99 spare his life for a while.
sssy ttsnaoRS1I%edissee S Sy T Sefpin ne t shsne out ss 81 g t %!1,t
Sis'S Se oSendsa the Tribe. and IL sole s" ., 1 Ms
This brother resolved not 70 wait. for his feet
their careiessness in guarding a man SO
MANNED. stole 2 horse aHd dashed away. He
sssHpe shd Sae hs' a hSfs sd 5sli Ssad mal hs at a Sqs ts
the hot sands OF the desert He was captured
by another tribe and sold as q slave. He at
biackened. Iimping man from the deserts Of
m man Wv war r and So to Aisiers SGiq from = which, ncin Se
sent his mother a letter. like a message from
The General was educated in the Uniyer.
sity, Of Breslau and aiterward in the. College
de France; After this he went into the Ger.
i"hh ailhys VI NV III
wsssisd f 81 th sG ias tsss %hish his IS s any : iers oi H.
over into Russia; He sa and - many . other Poles
were imprisoned in a fortress to await the day
OF execution. which. as may be imagined. had
not been set q long time ahead. He and one
other dug their way out and made Off the
their last.
But he escaped into Germany: was out Of the
rested him and soon discovered that he was
wanted as q deserter. y was at this point in
WAYS rose from his chair His eysbroYs would
look Of hate that showed he had completely
FORGOTTEN his open-mouthed audience ofAmer-
terances grew slower, more emphatic. and his
voice would gradually drop toward a whisper.
put me in cage And three regiments
who was helpless with my hands chained
down. each man spat in my faca."
ing whisper: Then he would raise his tall.
ing HIS elanchad hand. matmed nv n hullAt 0ha