The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-16
GREAT SOLDIERS LOVE LETTERS.
In Some Cases Worth More Than in
 Others-NapoIeon and Nelson.

From Tft-Bits
 "Those who scoff at the idea of love long surviving matrimony'' said Lord Roberts recently. should read some of the letters written by the world greatest sol- diers to their wives after years of life to- gether For tenderness and deep affection these letters penned by men whose life, one would think, left little room for sen timent, may well challenge comparison with the effusions of the most ardent lov- CT in the halcyon days of courtship." How true is this statement by a great soldier who is himself still as ardent a lover of his 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 grimmest 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 beautiful in any language. My be- loved heart" My dear heart" My love-" My angel" My eighteen-year beloved heart" My sweetest. dearest heart" My hearts Nanne,'' My beloved Man." My little dear'-his letters are crowded with these and countless similar pet names, while every letter, to the very last breathes the most charming and tender devotion.
 My angel" he writes, If I only had you here and could take you with me! My angel when shall we see. each other again? Would that I could hold you in my arms for .only one moment, and tell you how love you. sand beg you to par don me for what evil I have ever done you, my sweetheart" Last night I grew so sad and sick with longing that had to weep when I lay in bed.'' "The prolonged separation is very distressing. What arc all festivities and gifts to me if you fall i'll? Misery would then take the place of joy" 'The place Is really splendid; 1t only lacks you, my angel. so that I 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 I see letter from you, which forms the long, thin thread of communication between my love and me: otherwise live here simply like machine" These arc extracts taken quite at random from two volumes full of similar evidences of the deep, passionate love which this stern ar bitter of Europe carried through all the long years of his happy welded life.
 Marlborough's letters to his beloved duchess. Sarah. reveal similar passion. "I 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, if we might be both happy, what inexpressible joy that would be! I will not dare to ex- pect more favor than you shall think fit to give me; but yon could love me, think the happiness would be so great that it would make me immortal" And again: "I am impatient to have you with me: do not lose a moment in coming to him who adores you above his own soul"
 Napoleon's letters to his wife Josephine. are similarly infused with all the ardor of the passionate lover. T 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 hith- CT. I shall not be at ease till I receive letters from you. expect them with the greatest eagerness. It is impossible to de-