The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

ordinary SelI-COUJEOl, ne betrayed uelLler em-
barrassment nor alarm
The explanation he gave was direct and
simple. Trudschen had gone out with the
Corp Fritz for a short walk, and had asked h i IN
to keep house during their absence, He
had no books, no papers, nothing to read in
the barracks, and no chance to improve his
mind He thought the Herr Consul would not
objec: TO his looking at his books. The Consul
was touched--it was really trivial indscre-
tion-and as much as Trudschen's fault
Karpsl And if the poor fellow had any mind
to improve-his recent attitude certainly sug
gested thought and reiection-the Consul
we're brute to reprove him. He smiled pleas
sntIy as Karl returned stubby bit OF pencil
and some greasy memoranda to his breast
pocket and glanced at the table. But to his
surprise it was a large map that Karl mad been
studying, and to his still greater surprise,
map of the ConsuPs own districi.
you seem to be fond of map studying,"
said the consul pleasantly. You are not
thinking of emigrsting again 2"
Zach, nor said Karl simply sit is my
cousine vot haf lii near here. find her.
But he left on Trudschea's return, and the
Consul was surprised to see that, while Karl s
attitude toward her had not changed, the girl
exhibited less effusiveness than before. Be-
lieving it to be partly the effect of the return
OF the sergeant, the Consul taxed her with
faithlessness; but Trudschen looked grave.
"Ahi He has new frends-this Karl of ours
He cares more for poor girls like US. When
fine ladies like the old Frau Won Wimpfel
makes much of h1m-what will your" 1t ap-
peared, indeed, from Trudschen's s accoun that
the widow of a wealthy shopkeeper had made
a kind Of protege OF the young soldier ana
given him presents. Furthermore, that the
wife of his colonel had employed MIN to act as
page or attendant at an afternoon gesellschaft
and that since then the wives of other officers
had sought him. Did not the Herr Consul
think it was dreadful that this American, who
could vote and make laws, should be subjected
to such things?
The Consul did not know what to think 1t
seemed to him. however, that Karl was ''get-
ting on" and that he was in no need of
assistance. 1t was in the expectation of hear
ing more about him. however that he cheer
fully accepted an invitation from Aderkreutz
to dine at the caserne one evening with the
staff. Here he found, somewhat to his embar-
rassment, that the dinner was partly in his
own honor, and at the close OF five courses
and the emptyIng OF many bottles his health
was proposed by the gallant veteran Adler
kreutz in neat address OF many yllables
containing NIL the parts of speech and a single
verb 1t was to the effect that in his soul
friend, the Herr Consul, and himself was the
never-to be-severed union OF Germania and
Columbia, and in their perfect understanding
was the war-defying alliance of two great ma
tions, and that in the COnsuPs noble restora-
ton OF "Unser Karl' 10 the German army
there was the astute diplomacy of great
mind. he satisfied that himself
and Herr Consul still united in the great
future, looking down upon common brother
hood-the great Germanic American confed-
GRAFTON, would feel satisfied with themselves
and each other and their never-tc- b e. forgotten
earth-labors. Cries of "Hochl HochW re-
sounded through the apartment with the
grind ing roll of heavy-bottomed beer-glasses,
and the Consul, tremulous with emotion and
reserve verb in his pocket, rose to reply.
Fully embarked upon this perilous voyage.
and steering wide and clear of any treacher
GUS shore OF intelligence or fancled harbor of
understanding and rest, he kept boldly out at
sea. He said that, while his loving adversary
in this battle of compliment had disarmed
him and left him no words to reply to his
generous panegyic, he could not but
join with that gallant soldier in his
eartfelt aspirations for the peaceful al
lance OF both countries. But, while he
fully recprocated all his hosts broader
and higher sentiment, he must poiut out 10
this gallant assembly the glorious brother
hood, that even greater tie of sympathy
knitted him 10 the general-the tie of kim
ship! For, while it was well known to the
present company that their gallant COM
mander had married an English woman, he
the Consul, although always an American,
would now for the first time confess to them
that he himself was of Dutch descent on his
mothers sidei He would say no more. but
confidently leave them in possession of the
tremendous significance of this until then un-
known fact! He sat oown with the forgotten
verb still In his pocket, but the applause that
followed this perfectly conclusive, satisfying
and logical climax convinced him of his sue
cess. His hand was grasped eagerly by sue
cessive warriors; the general turned and en-
braced him before the breathless asse emily:
there were tears in the ConsuPs eyes,
AS the fes tivilies progressed, however. he
found 10 his surprise that Karl had not only
become the fashion military page. but
that his native stupidity and sublime simplic-
itv was the wondering theme and inexhaust-
ibe delight of the whole barracks Stories
were told of his genius for blundering which
rivaled Handy Andys; old stories of fatuous
ignorance were rearranged and fitted to "Our
Karl" 1t was sour Karl" who on receivine
n tip of 2 marks from the hands OF Young
lady to whom he had brought the bouqueto of a