Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
GREAT SOLDIERS LOVE LETTERS,
In Some Cases Worth More Than in
Others-Napoleon and Nelson.

pOACOu anu N e1SOu.
From It'll Bits
Those who scoff at the idea of love
Iong surviving matrimony," said Lord
Aooerts recently, should read some of the
letters written by the worlds greatest
soidlers to their wives after years Of life
together. For tenderness and deep af-
lection these letters penned by men whose
hfe one would think, left little room for
sentiment. may well challenge comparison
with the effusions of the most ardent lover
IN the halycon days of courtship." How
true is this statement by a great soldier
who Is himself still as ardent a lover Of
MS wife as he was nearly fifty years ago,
the following examples will prove:
To his last day there were few more de-
voted husbands than Prince Bismarck, that
grfmmest of soldiers, who, to the world,
was known as the Man Of Iron" Indeed,
the letters written to his wife. many of
them amid scenes of carnage and all the
horrors OF war, are among the most beau
tiful In any language. MY beloved heart"
my, my dear heart my love- my angel"
sweetest, dearest heart" my hearts
Name, my beloved Man, my little
dear'-his letters are crowded with these
ana countless similar pet names. while
every letter. to the very last, breathes the
most charming and tender devotion
My angel" he writes. IF only had you
mere and could take you with me! My
Would that could hold you in my arms
for only one moment, and tell you how 1
love you; and beg you to pardon me for
S what evil have ever done you. my sweet;
sick with longing that had to weep when
I lay in bed" 1.-THE prolonged separation
is very distressing. What are all
festivities and gifts to me If you fall Ill?
Misery would then take the place Of JOY"
1.-The place is really splendid: :. it only lacks
you, my angel. SO that might enjoy this
prospect with you; then it would be quite
perfect. DO write to me very often; it
Is my only ray of light here when see
letter from you, which forms the long.
thin thread Of communication between my
like machine" These are extracts taken
quite at random from two volumes full of
similar evidences Of the deep, passionate
love which this stern arbiter of Europe
carried through all the long years OF his
happy welded life.
Marlborough's letters to his beloved
duchess, Sarah, reveal a similar passion.
1T do love and adore you with all my heart
and SOUL" he writes, so much that by all
that is good I do and will ever be better
pleased with your happiness than with my
own; but, oh! my soul. II we might De
poth happy, what inexpressible JOY that
would be! l will not dare to expect more
favor than you shall think fit to give me;
but you could love me, think the happl-
me immortal" And again: II am impa-
tient to have you with me; do not lose
moment in coming to him who adores you
above his own soul
are similarly infused with all the ardor
of the passionate lover. II have arrived
at this place, my dearest love- he writes
land my first thought is Of writing to you:
Your health and your image have occupied
all my thoughts on the way miner. l snaLl
not be at ease till I receive letters from
you 1 expect them with the greatest Gag
erness. It is impossible to describe to you
nv impatience. feel dull sad and half-
sick. If the deepest and tenderest love
can make you happy, you ought 10 pc So
I am overwhelmed with business ra,, a1 ners
Of yourself, and think Often very oh'eh VI
me- IT,: ;ea
ore equally full of the tenderest endear-
ment. He calls her my pet, my sun,
shine" my little somebody" my daring
and his dying words to her were: Cneer
up, Anne! you know love pr.sn. want ant to
a sick room. Speak distinctly "ah' ~
hear every word you say. Loo. h;s
oliver Cromwell was to the last ms
wife's adoring lover. Thirty years aIie ea
he led Elizabeth Bourchier to the aItar ~. ne
wrote to her: ''Truiy. if 1 love you not TOO
we'll I think err not on the other manu-
much. Thou art dearer to me than any
rreature; let that suffice" r And she i an
is but half life in your absence.
Nelson's letters to his wife prove that
sailor can be loving husband as a
soldier. After eleven years u "euueu NO
he wrote: Rest assured of my most per-
feet love, affection and esteem Ior your
nerson and character, which, the more see
of the world, the more 1 admire" My
dearest Fanny, absent from you feel no
pleasure; it is you who are everything 70
me- Without you care not for TINS "orio;
These are my present sentiments. God
Almighty grant that they may never a
change! Nor do I think they will indeed,
there is as far as human knowledge can
fudge a moral certainty that they can
cot And Lord Collingwood. Nelson's
friend, thus wrote to his beloved a., Ire part
ner the year after Trafalgar: In rms Gay
riaye so and I wish for many returns OF it:
If ever we have peace I hope to spend my
latter days amid my family. when Is th .,
only sort of happiness ! ENJOY ~ We ~
volir side is heaven to me.