Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-06-30
Prof. Max Wiegand to Doctor Gustav

(copyrighted by Short Stories Co.. Ltd.)
Prof. Max Wiegand to Doctor Gustav
Strauch. Berlin, November 20.
Dear Gustav: have some news to
tell you today which will certainly sur
prise you. have separated from my
wife, or rather we have separated
from each other. We have come to an
Amtcable agreement henceforth to live
entirely independent of each other
MY wife has gone to her family in
Frefburg, where she will no doubt re-
main. am for the present in our
Old house; perhaps in the spring
may look for smaller house !. !.
perhaps not, for can hardly hope to
md SO quiet q workroom as now
have, and the idea of moving appals
me. espe cfally when think of my
large library. You will, of course,
y want to. know what has happened,
though. to- tell the truth, nothing has
happened.
My wife and l are too unlike. Be-
tween her views of life and mine
there yawns an impossible gulf The
hrst few years hoped to influence
her, to win her to my ways of think
she seemed SO docile SO yielding,
took so warm an interest in my work.
90 willingly allowed herself to be
taught by me. Not till after our chill
6ren.s death did she begin to change.
Her grief at this loss-a grief which
neither OF US has ever been able to
I've down matured her !.
made her Independent OF me- A ten
dency to morbid introspection took
possession of her and gave Increased
Henacity to those ideas and convic.
lions which NY influence had hitherto
held IN check, though not wholly
eradicated. She plunged deeper and
deeper into those mists Of sent.
mentally fantastic imaginings, pas
sionately demanding my concurrence
"a her views. She lost all interest In
my professional work, evidently re-
Gagding the results of my researches
An natural science az troops from an
enemy's camp. At last there was
hardly subject In the wide realm Of
nature and human existence on which
we agreed. To be sure we never
came to an open quarrel, but the
breach between us was constantly
Every II ~ q ID we saw more
and more plainly that though we lived
side by side, we no longer belonged
20 each other. This discovery irritated
and distressed us, and at last forced
Ill other feelings into the back
ground. # we had not once loved each
other SO dearly, or even il we had
now ceased to feel mutual respect
this state Of affairs might perhaps
have lasted for years, but our ideas
Of the true meaning OF marriage were
too lofty. our sense of our own dignity
Ne human beings too profound to per
nit us to be content with so incom-
plete q realization of our ideals.
hardly know who spoke first, but our
resolution was at once taken and the
decisive words uttered as calmly and
naturally as the overripe fruit falls
eromNthe tree. For the first time In
many years we we're able with perfect
lnanimity of sentiment to discuss a
subject of the greatest Importance to
US both, and this fact alone soothed
our overweight nerves. We parted
yesterday with the utmost decorum. i
without a word of reproach, note Of
aiscord. Memories of our early mar
ried life. Of the long years we had
lived together made it difficult to re-
rain from some manifestation Of ten
1erness, and ] assure you that / never
,elt greater respect for my wife than
1t the moment when, all petty con-
siderations cast aside, the true mag
aanimity Of her nature asserted itself
Prof. Max HNiegand to DR.. Gustav
Strauch, Berlin, December IL.
Dear Gustav Pardon me that / have
10 long delayed thanking you for your
lnsWer of friend sympathy to my
ast letter. sss
ar have been In no condition to write,
ind even now find 1t diflicult. You
me without reserve on /
/ step which you regard as essential
D my welfare and to my intellectual |
eldpment, but you do not take into
what it means to sep
rate from one who has for IL years
,een ones constant companion, day
md night Indeed, It Is only during
hese last dreary weeks that |. my.
Jolf, have realized what the change
Iignifies to me. Habit Is all powerful.
specially With men who, like you and I
ia; i've 1n the intel lectual world and ! !,
> rsqaire solid substruct ure.