The St. Louis Republic., 1902-04-13
duty to fight for her as long as was able II
Took His First HOnrd Home.

He went to his old home in Germany apd
poured a thousand dollars In gold. :ll his
savings. into his mothers lap. The old lady
| he tells me. had never seen any such :um
| of money in all her life. So ended his first
visit to America.
A little later he started out to seek his
fortune in South Africa. He was. - TO
speak. South African ''Forty-niner." With
his slender means he first started small
grocery store somewhere in the country,
After some months of this he fopnd that
the Beers required too long credit-six
months; n, ! think it was-and his capital was
| not sufficient He went to Cape Town 6rd
consulted the wholesalers who supplied Inn
with goods. Here surprise awaited him.
He was well known and trusted. 4 years
credit was offered to him if he desired it.
He pushed his business on a larger lass.
About this time he was offered some "a
supposed to be entirely worked out and al
most worthless. He bought them finally
for % mere song l don't recall what the
song was. but II was very trifing.
A few DAYS later he was approached by
no less a parsonage than Cecil Rhodes. who
offered 5000 for the mines. which had cost
a Few hundred. Now Sonnenberg knew little
enough about diamonds. but he reasoned
that if Rhodes thought the mines worth
to Sonnenberg. A little later Rhodes doubled
his first offer. Sonnenberg still reasoned the
same way, and refused Later the bid was
raised to $4,000. In the end Sonnenberg
enough to take half of the sum in stock.
Incidentally the stock has since paid 40
Sonnenberg no longer kept grocery store.
He bought a number of diamond mines and
at present owns 100000 acres of land in
stocked with cattle and ostriches.
Now Owns Mines and Ranches.
with his wealth have come several polit-
ical honors He is now member of the
Cape Parliament, and is more or less prom
1nent In the public life of his adopted coun-
try. But. though subject Of the King. he
may I1 be said to be very loyal American.
m narrN- no rnr,a
and his marriage was considerably delayed
on this account
And now comes his remarkable loyalty to
his old friends. AS l said, he travelled all
the way from South Africa to find his old
comrade. When he asked me how to find
him. l suggested the newspapers. He asked
me how many newspapers there were in
America-if there were a thousand. "Oh.
yes;w Iw !, l said land many more"
sand and he did So
And these Advertisements continued for
some days. I don't know what it cost him,
but the figures must have been large.
Remarkable Gratitude Shown.
Well. he located his man. away out West
somewhere 1t was not enough to write to
him; he wanted to embrace him. he told me
and SO started West. He found his old COM
ne was far from want. But Sonnenberg was
NOT content to leave him so. He settled
sH,ougn INC, money upon him. believe, to make
lsfed The man had no claim upon him
VI MWnateVer; except that he had once befriend-
eo MIN when he (Sonnenberg) was friendless
sonnenberg came to bid me good-by and
S0nnoed in me that he should like to see |
WASHINGTON and the representatives Of the |
government for which he had calamity
iought and bled. I gave him notes to Pres- |
ooeIt u IN mckinley. to Vice President Hobart |
and Speaker Reed
PRESIDENT Mckinley received him cordially
ana talked to him Of war times for several |
lninateS y And the honor was fully appfeci- |
Parliament. he was entitled to go upon the