The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-11
IMMORTAL LOVE.


Eventful indeed was the bombarimeni
Of Friedrichstadt, Denmark, at the time Of
the secession Of Sleswiok- Holstein from
Danish allegiance to the German confed
Grafton In 1861.
A detachment Of infantry was sent to
clear a certain portion Of the nearer &C.
clivities, where the Holsteiners had in.
trenched themselves in the sloping vine.
yards. Their ranks were decimated. The
officers in charge went down one after the
other.
The detachment wavered. Left without
q leader, the men would have fallen back.
But at this moment the color bearer, a
young STRIPPING, gave mighty shout and
sprang ahead. With the colors held aloft
in one hand, a sword plucked from the
dead hand of his captain in the other, he
called on his comrades to follow him. The
men were inspired. They had found a
new leader, and the charge went on The
ranks Were closed up as by miracle, and
the astonished Holsteiners at last grabbed
up their traps and turned tail, joining the
reserves on the heights beyond, leaving
the intrenchments In the hands of the
Danes.
This was the turning point of the siege,
and, although the city was frightfully
wrecked, the Holsteiners were forced to
retire.
Gaining the stronghold Of the enemy
and cutting down gunners and stragglers
at the supreme moment Of victory, the
young officer fell upon his face while thou
sands were sounding his praises. A bullet
had gone cloan through him. 1t was some
time before the brave chap was discovered
III the wrecknge Of tho abandoned fortiti-
cations, now overstrcwn with the bodies
Of the Holsteiners and those of the charg-
ing Danes But after a search amid the
confusion Of II cross fire from over the val
ley the unconscious savior of the city was
borne down into the town and laid upon q
white cot In tho upper story Of an impro-
vised hospital.
His fame was in every mouth. The
route from the heights to hospital was a
short, triumphant iparch. Hundreds stroye
for the privilege OF carrying the litter
wherein the unconscious soldier lay, and
at the hospital the most skilled surgeons
were detailed to attend him. For hours
they worked over him. Then they left
him, uncertain whether the morrow would
sec him dead or alive.
Late that day the officer for the first
time opened his eyes There sat beside
him white capped nurse In a scarlet
blouse. She was young, with almost q
childlike cast Of feature, impressionable,
refined and Of gentle birth. The officer,
without pain Us yet, was trying to remem-
Der things. But the sight Of that simple
vision of patrician loneliness at his side
completely charmed him. He seemed to
doubther bodily existence, so motionless
she sat there in the chamber of suffering,
so likean angel of heaven in this hell of an
guish. Then tho warrior heart stirred with
its deep sense Of chivalry. Ibid we take
the heightsy" he whispered.
Instantly the fair nurse turned upon
him such look of delight and gratitude
for his return as from tho grave that the
officer felt himself lifted to heaven and en-
veloped in some celestial radiance Eyes,
thank God" she whispered exultantly.
"You saved the CITY,"
And you, gentle friend?"
~ am going to try to save you"
This fair daughter of Denmark was one
of the brave angels who had left her pala-
tial home to care for her oomrade, sick and
wounded, even as her brothers perhaps
had plunged into the thick Of battle. A
sudden admiration, coupled with profound
reverence, sprang up in the soldiers heart,
and when they wero alone, though he was
stretched out in helpless state, likely
martyr to the city's salvation, he account
cd himself the most fortunate of men.
For three weeks the faithful woman
watched beside the delirious soldier and
brought him out of the very jaws of denth
by her watchful care. During the long
hours they exchanged glances, simple
words and such tokens of the heart as
only they who love can find in silence and
in secret With her absence the sufferer
fell back, with her coming he rallied as If
by miracle When it came time for the
officer to resume his command, he had the
daring to reopen his wounds that he might
remain day longer in the heaven of that
woinan's presence. At last, however, he
went to tho front.
1t was months after that they met. 1t
was the occasion of the officers presenta-
ton to the king, Frederick VII, and his
receiving the decorations of honor. Among
ehS AtNiV' III Waiting W ItE IIdJeSty inc
queen the officer founda his faithful nurse
to whom he owed his very life. He was
amazed to discover that she was the daugh-
ter of high church dignitary and related
closely to the throne. In u safe little re-
treat the lovers found themselves alone. /
Both realized instinctiyely that 1t was for
the last time.
An inferior officer who had aspired to
the hand of Il princess of the blood would
have been disgraced. And yet tho old fire
was renewed in both hearts, and they be- |
came conscious that life without each 9TH
er was worse than death With arms en-
folding and lips pressed to lips for the first
and perhaps tho last time OH earth, they
made their resolves. That night the young
officer laid down his arms and uniform,
rcsigning his commission, and fed into
now become German territory.
Then they were married, like two sim
pie peasants, and from Hamburg set sail
for new land and fortune. As if to prove
their remuneration Of title, glory and re-
nown they became Mr.. and Mrs. Hum
BILE. y For 40 years they lived in tho out
skirts of Perth Amboy, N. J. 1t was 40
years OF uninterrupted honeymoon; never
Il word OF complaint, never q longing back
ward glance. Hardship and adversely
could not wedge them apart and pride
forbade their sending home for holp oven
in the depth of their later miseros. Then
came the sad hour of parting and Humble
held the dying woman in his arms await
ing the end At the very moment of her
passing he whispered the question which
was supreme in his heart and which could
brook no slmulations now:
dearest, did you ever regret?'
Never, never!" she murmured. GLOW
Gould when loved you sof And shall
we not go right on loving each other
through all eternity as we have in the
1astP"
"God grant it!' murmured the sorrow
III man, and he held her close to his heart
i'll she brrathcd her last. New York Jour