The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21


wherever you ran away from?"
ITO see tie volks."
'But you are an orphan, you know, and you
have no folks living here?"
"But all Shermany is mine volks-de whole
country, don't it? Pet your boots? How's dot!
ehg"
The Consul turned back to his desk and
wrote short note to General Adlerkreuiz in
his own American German. H did not think
it his duty in the present case to interfere
wi tn the authorities or to offer his parole zor
Karl Schwartz But he would claim that as
the offender was evidently an innocent emf
grant and still young, any punishment
or m litary degradation be omitted, and he be
allowed to take his place like any other
cruit in the ranks If he mi -ht have the
temerity to the undoubted, far-seeing military
authority, OF suggestion making here-he
would suggest that Karl was for the commiS
sariat fitted. OF course, he still retained the
right, on production of satisfactory proof, his
discharge to claim.
The Consul read this aloud to Karl. The
cherubic youth smiled and said, "Zol" Then
extending his hand he added the word,
"Z>hakeT'
The Consul shook his hand a little remorse.
fully and preceding him to the outer room re-
signed him with the note into the inspectors
hands universal sigh went up from the
girls ana sIdHceS OF appear sought tHe con
sui, but he wisely concluded that it would b.
well, for while, that Kari. helpless orphan.
should be under some sort of discipline. And
the securer business of certifying invoices re-
commenced
Late that afternoon he received folded Bit
of blue paper from the waistbelt of an or
derly which contained in English characters
and a single word, alright" followed by
certain jagged pen marks, which he recog-
nized as AdlerkreutZs signature. But it was
not until week later that he learned any
thing definite He was returning one night
to his lodgings in the residential part of the
city, and i'll opening the door with his pass
key perceived in the rear of the hail his hand
maiden, Trudschen, attended by the usual
blue or yellow or red shadow. He was passing
by them with the local "'n abendl" on his
lips when the soldier turned h is face and sa-
luted. The Consul stopped. 1t was the cherub
Karl in uniform.
But it had not sabdued single one of his
characteristics. His hair had been cropped
little more closely under his cap, but there
its color and wooliness still intact; his
plump figure was girt by belt and buttons, but
he only looked the more unreal and more like
a com bfnetion OF penwiper and pincushion,
until his puffy breasts and shoulders seemed
TO offer positive invitation to anv one who
had picked up q pin. But wonderfuli-ac-
cordiEg to his brief story-he had been so pro-
ficient in the goose ste D that he had been put
an uniform already and allowed certain
small privileges-amoag them evidently the
present one. The Consul smiled and passed
on. But 1t seemed strange to him that Trud-
schen, who was tall strapping girl, exceed
ingly popular with the military and who had
never looked lower than a corporal at least t,
should accept the atten tions of an eiu jahriger
like that. Later he interrogated her.
each it was only Unser Karli Ana the
Consul knew he was sAmerikanischr'
'IndeedT
"Yesl 1t was such fearful story"
"Tell me what it is" said the Consul, with a
faint hope that Karl had volunteered some
communication of his past
Zach, Gott! There in America he was a
man-and could vote, make laws and, God
willing, become town councillor or ober
iutendant, and here he was nothing but a
soldier for years. And this America was a
fine country. thunderstorm There were such
big cities, and one, 'Boofio,' could hold all
schlacht tstadt, and had OF people 500. O0Ow
The Consul sighed. Earl had evidently not
yet got off the line OF the New York Central
and Erie roads. ''but does he remember vet
what he did with his papers?" said the Consul
persuasivey.
"Achl What does he want with papers
NAN SNNA~
dumb, stupid things, these papers to him."
But his appetite remains good, / hopper"
suggested the Consul.
This closed the converse ton although
Karl came on many other nights, and his toy
figure quite suppianted the tall corporal of
hussars in the remote shadows of the hall.
One night, however, the Consul returned
home from visit to neighboring town day
earlier than he was expected. AS he neared
his house he was little surprised to find the |
windows OF his sitting-room lit up, aud that
there were no signs of Trudschen in the lower
hall OF passages. He made his way upstairs
in the dark and pushed open the door of his
apartment To his astonshment Karl was
sitting comfortably in his own cnair. his can
off, before student lamp on the table, deeply !
engaged in apparent study. So profound was
his abstraction that it was a moment before
he looked up and the Consul had good look |
at his usually beaming and responsive face
which, howe yer, now struck him as wearing a |
singular air OF thought and concentration. |
When their eyes at last met he rose instantly !
and saluted, and his beaming smile returned. |
But either from his natural phlegm or extra