The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-03

loved was less delightful to Goethe than
it should have been. To gain time for
reflection he went off on a Swiss journey
with his friend, Count Stotbergt n0n his
return, ne found that LiIf's friends had
been trying to make her give him up
Lii herself showed more strength of
character than he and professed to be
willing even to go with him to America
Both young people, however, wavered in
their affection, and at last the engage-
ment was broken.
NUMEROUS MINOR FLIRTATIONS.
Not long after this, In the autumn Of
ITS, Karl August, Grand Duke of Wei
mar, passed through Frankfort and re-
newed an invitation to the poet to visit
his court. The young man was pleased
with the thought of change of scene and
he found life at Weimar so much to his
taste that he remained there. He had
not only the affection Of the grand duke
as congenial companion, but the uncle
of the little count found in Goethe de-
cided talents for organization and advis-
ing.
He made him geheime legations rath,
with a salary equal to about 81 900 a year
Of our money, and there at Weimar the
poet stayed until the close Of his long
life. We cannot speak at length of his
life at Weimar, Of his friendship with all
the members Of the ducal family, the
Duchess Luise, the Dowager Duchess
Amalia, as we'll as the Duke Karl. Nor
is there space to speak of minor flirta-
lions with Corona Schroeder and others
FRAU STIEN AND MISS VULPIUS.
His affection for Frau Won Stein was
the engrossing affair of his first ten or
twelve years at Weimar. His love for
Christiane Vulpius had marked influ-
ence on the next twenty years of his life.
Frau Won Stein was an accomplished
woman seven years older than he, and
the mother Of several children, when he
first knew her. Their friendship at first
platonic, grew into something stronger,
though no scandal ever attached to it.
In ISL he wrote, My soul is henceforth
irseparable from yours and later, You
are the only woman whose love has made
me perfectly happy"
But when, after years, she would not
agree to leave her husband and marry
him, a little change came over him. A
Journey to Italy gave him time for reflec-
ton, and his acquaintance with Christi
ane Vulpius in 1888 practically ended his
intimacy with Frau Won Stein While Ii
lasted they had seen each other almost
every day, and whether in Weimar or at
distance, had exchanged almost daily
| letters.
Christiane Vulpius, when he first met
her, was a young, almost friendless girl.
She came to him one day in the park to
present petition for help for her broth
er, who was a man of some literary pre-
tension. The young, beautiful girl gained
the affection of the poet.
He made her mistress of his house, in
stalled members of her family IT. it, treat
ed her in every way as his wife, although
the marriage ceremony was not perform
ed until 1906, when their son was seven
teen years old. Goethe's mother always
wrote to Chirstiane as to a daughter-in-
law, yet we can but wonder that a man
as large minded as Goethe should have
been willing to place the woman he loved
in so anomalous a position. She was not
received in Weimar society, and 1t is
hardly wonder that thrown so on her
own resources, she should have yielded
mere or less to her hereditary thirst for
| drink. Whatever her faults, the poet had
loved her fondly. She was apparently
an Intelligent woman, and shared many
OF his studies. When she died In 1876 he
was almost heart broken Thou wilt
not forsake me; no. no; thou must not
forsake me-" he cried at her death bed.
1t IS a. long procession, this file Of
women, who held for a longer or shorter
time the heart of Goethe Mother, sister.
wife, there is no doubt Of the genuine
ness of his feelings for them Gretchen.
Hatcher, Frederika-few of his admirers
doubt that his life would have been hap
pier If he could have married Frederick
Brion, the beautiful and amiable daugh-
ter of the Sessenheim pastor. He saw her
only once after their separRaon-eight
years later-though she lived to be an
old woman Charlotte. LII. Frau Won
Stein. ehriatsene shssa seven ssaa 81