The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

that must not invite you BOTH" 1t was our
Karl who astonshed the hostess to whom he
was sent at the last moment with apologies
rom an officer, Unexpectedly detained at bar
rack duty, by suggesting that he should bring
that unfortunate officer his dinner from the
just served table. Nor were these charming
Infelicities confined to his social and domestic
service. Although ready, mechanical and in
variaby docile i'll the anual and physical d u
ties OF IA soldier-which endeared him to the
German drillmaster-he was srill invincibly
ignorant as to its pusport, even the mean
ing and structure OF the military instru-
ments he handled or vacauty looked
upon. 1t was ''our Karl' who sug-
gested to his instructors that in field
firing it quicker and easier to load
his musket to the muzzle at once and get rid
OF its death-dealing contents at single dis
charge than to load and fire consecutively.
II was "our Kar1' who nearly Killed the in
structor at sentry drill by adhering to the
letter OF his instructions when that instructor
had forgotten the password. 1t was the same
Karl who, severely admonished for his reck-
lessness, the next lime added to his challenge
the precaution, "Unless you instantly say
'Fatherland,' 7 IL fireP Yet his perfect good
humor and childlike curiosity were unmis-
taxable throughout, and melted his comrades
and his superiors to show him every thing in
the hope of getting some characteristic COM
ment from him. Everything and everybody
were open to Karl and his good-humored sim
plicity.
That evening as the general accompanied
the Consul down to the gateway and the
waiting carriage figure in uniform ran
spon taneously before them ard shouted
"HerausI to the sentries. But the general
promptly checked "the turning out" of the
guard with paiernal shake of his finger to
the over-Zealous soldier, in whom the Consul
recognized Karl. HE is my burshe now,"
said the general, explanator1lv; ''my wife has
taken fancy 10 him. Achl he is very popu-
lar with these women" The Consul was still
more surprised. The Frau Generaliss Adler
kreutz he knew to be pronounced English
woman-carrying out her English ways,
propneties ana prejudices in the very heart of
Schlachstadt uncompromisin gly, without fear
and without reproach. That she should fol-
low merely foreign society craze or alter her
English household so as to admit the impos-
sible Karl struck him oddly.
month or two elapsed without further
news OF Kari, when one afternoon he sud-
denly turned up at the consulate. He had
again sought the consular quiet to write
few letters home; he had no chance in the
confinement of the barracks
"But bv this time you must be in the family
of field marshal at least" suggested the
Consul pleasantly.
"Not to-day-but next week." said Karl
with sublime simplicity, "then am going to
serve with the Governor commandant OF
Rhefnfes tung."
The Consul smiled. motioned him to seat
at table in the outer office and left him, un-
distur bed, TO his correspondence.
Returning later he found Karl, his letters
finished, gazing with childish curiosity and
admiration at some thick official envelopes,
bearing the stamp of the consulate, which
were lying on the table He was evidently
struck with the contrast between them and
the thin, fimsy affairs he was holding in his
hand. He appeared still more impressed when
the Consul told him what they vera
"Are you writing to youS iriends?" con-
tinued the Consul. touched by his simplicity
Zach jar said Karl eagerly.
"Would you like to put your letter in one of
these envelopes?' continued the official.
The beaming face and eyes of Karl were
sufficient answer. After all, it was a small
favor gran led to this odd waif who seemed to
still cling TO the consular protection. He
handed him the envelope and left him ad-
dressing it in boyish pride.
1t was Karl's last visit to the consulate He
appeared to have spoken truly, and the Con-
sui presently learned that he had indeed
been transferred through some high Off cial
manipulation to the personal service of the
Governor of Rheinfestung. There was weep
ing among the DIenstmadchep of SchIacht-
stadt and a distinct loss of origin ality I,
and Iightness in the gatherings of the gen.
tier dameu. His memory still survived
in the barracks through the later ed- |
tiors of his former delightful stupidities-
many of them, it is to be feared, were inven- |
tions-and stories that were supposed to have
come from Rheinfestung were described in
the slang of the offiziere as being colossal"
But the Consul remembered Rheinfestu and |
could not imagine it as home for Karl, or in
any way fostering his peculiar qualities. For
it was eminently fortress OF fortresses, a
magazine of magazines, depot of depots 1t
was the key OF the Rhine, the citadel of West
phalia, the "Clapham Junction. of German
railways, but defended, fortified, encom-
passed and controlled by the newest as
well as the Oldest devices of military strategy
and science. Even in the pipingest time
of peace whole railway trains went into
1t like rat in trap, and might have
never come out OF it; it stretched out
an inviting hand and arm across the river
that might in the twinking of an eye be
changed into a closed fist of menace You
"defiled" into it, commanded ut every step by