Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1895-05-07
A GERMAN HEROINE.


fThe following tale was taken from a
! local Holstein newspaper and translat-
! ed by the eminent scholar, Max Muller,
who says of it ''that it came to him in
heap of other papers, fly sheets, PAM
| phlets and books, but it shone like di-
amond in heap of rubbish, and, !" Max
Muller adds, "as the tale of The Old
| Woman of Sleswiok- Holstein' it may
help to give to many who have becr
unjust to the inhabitants of the duchies
some truer idea of the stuff there is in
! that strong and stanoh and sterling race
to which England owes its language, its
| best blood and its honored name.
THE TALE OF THE OLD WOMAN OF sLEsw1cK-
| HoLsTEIN.
When the war against Denmark be-
gan in the winter of 1868, offices were
| opened in the principal towns of Ger
many for collecting charitable contri-
buttons. at Hamburg Messrs. l.. and
| K. had set apart a large room for re-
ceiving lint, linen and warm clothing
or small sums of money
One day, about Christmas, poorly
| clad woman from the country stepped
III and inquired in the pure Holstein di
alect whether contri buttons were re-
/ ceived here for Sleswiok- -Holstein. The
clerk showed her to table covered with
linen rags and such like articles But
she turned away and pulled out an old
leather purse, and taking out pieces of
money began to count aloud on the
counter, Zone mark, two marks, three
marks, - till she had finished her ten
marks "That makes ten marks, she
said and showed the little pile away.
| The clerk, who had watched the poor
old woman while she was arranging
her small copper and silver coins, asked
her, From whom does the money
comeP''
From me-" she said and began
counting again, zone mark, two marks,
three marks Thus she went ON emp
tying her purse till she had counted out
ten small heaps of coin of ten marks
each. Then, counting each heap over
once again, she said: "These are my
hundred marks for Sleswick Holstein
Be so good as to send them to the sol
| diers. %
While the old peasant woman was
doing her sums several persons had
gathered around her, and as she was
leaving the shop she was asked again in
tone of surprise from whom the mon
ey came.
''From me, " she said, and observing
that she was closely scanned she turned
back, and looking the man full in the
| face she added, smiling: "It is all hon.
est money 1t won't hurt the good
cause.
The clerk assured her that no one had
doubted her honesty, but that she her
\ self had no doubt often known want,
and that it was hardly right to let her
contribute so large sum, probably the
whole of her savings.
| The old woman remained silent for n
time, but after she had quietly scanned
the faces of all present she said: "Sure-
| ly it concerns no one how got the mon
| ey. Many thought passed through my
heart while was counting that money.
You would not ask me to tell you allf
'.rBut you are kind gentlemen, and
You take much trouble for us poor peo-
pie So I'll tell you whence the money
came. Yes, I have known want, food
has been scarce with me many day,
and it will be so again as grow old
er, but our gracious Lord watches over
us. He has helped me to bear the trou-
bles which he sent. He will never for
sake me- My husband has been dead
this many and many year. 1 had one
only son, and my John was fine stout
fellow, and he worked hard, and no
| would not leave his old mother. he
made my home snug and comfortable.
"Then came the war with the Danes.
All his friends Joined the army, but the
only son of widow, you know, is free.
So he remained at home, and no one
said to him, Come along with us, for
they knew that he was brave boy, and
that it broke his very heart to stay be-
hind. / knew it all. watched him
when the people talked of the war or
when the schoolmaster brought the
newspaper. All, how he turned pale and
red, and how he looked away and
thought his old mother did not see It'll
But he said nothing to me, and said
nothing to him. Gracious God, who
could have thought that it was so hard
to drive our oppressors out of the land?
''Then came the news from Frederical
That was dreadful night We sat in
silence opposite each other. We knew
what was in our hearts, and we hardly
dared look at each other. Suddenly he
rose and took my hand and said, Moth
erP God be praised, had strength in
that moment John, said, our time
has come. Go, in Gods name 1 know
how thou lowest me and what thou hast
suffered. God knows what will become
Of me if / am left alone, but our Lord
Jesus Christ viii forsake neither thee
nor me-
John enlisted as volunteer The
day of parting came Ah, am making
long story OF it all John stood before
me in his new uniform. Mother he
said, one request before we part-ff it
is to be. John, I said to him. I know
what thou meanest Oh, shall weep.
I shall weep very much when 1 am
alone, but my time will come, and we
shall meet again in the day of our Lord,
John, and the land shall be free, John;
the land shall be freeP -
Heavy tears stood in the poor old wo-
mans ewes as she repeated her sad tale.