The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-04
An
Unpronounceable
Name
BY MARTHA V. MONROE

Two American girls stopping in
Munich one morning asked their land
lady what there was in the way or
sights in the country round about
They had done the city, and it only
remained for them to take in anything
remarkable in the environs.
The Wohlfarth schloss is a very old
building" the woman replied. 1T is
not far from here. You will find it
very interesting"
rs it a ruin?''
"Oh, no! 1t is occupied by the Wohl
farths"
Good! said one of the girls.
''Well go. I'm tired of ruins and pic
lures of saints and martyrs being \
roasted on gridirons. Let's go, Belle"
Pm with you, Rosie. l would like
to see a real old castle that's kept up .
In modern style"
Alighting at a railway station, they /
4 asked the way to the castle of an Off \
\ cial who showed them the towers ris- |
/ ing above the trees within walking /
distance. He informed them that |
Count Wolfgang Wohlfarth occupied /
the castle and sometimes tourists were
admitted to inspect it. On reaching
it they crossed a drawbridge, passed
under a portcullis and told the gate
man in German, which they spoke
tolerably well, that they were Ameri
can tourists and would like to see the
castle.
"Ich w-w-w"-
Can you tell US to whom to apply?''
asked Belle.
4 "H-h-h-h"-
II The man broke down again.
Poor fellow said Rosie. II sup
pose he fell to stammering by trying
to pronounce his masters name, Wolf
gang Wohlfarth. How would you like
to be Countess >Wolfgang WOhlfarth,
BELIEF"
I'D rather be the countess without
the Wolfgang Wohlfarth.'
Both girls laughed, and just then a
man came toward them in clothes that
they supposed were livery. He bowed
politely to the girls and waited for
them to speak. They told him that
they would be obliged if he would go
to the count and get permission for
them to see the castle. At the same
time Belle put a silver coin in his hand.
He put it in his pocket, replying that
he had authority to show the castle to
visitors and would be happy to do so
in their case.
He seemed to be well versed in the
history of the castle, showing them
apartments the Emperor Charles v
and other notables had occupied, a
tower that had been battered down
and repaired in war with the king
of Sweden and no end of arms that
had been taken in battle by the Wohl-
farths of olden times. Indeed, for a
lackey he seemed remarkably familiar
with the history of Europe during a
period that few Americans are not in
D terested in. The girls, however, had been
sufficiently educated to recognize the
e fact that the man made no historical
l. blunders-at least none that they could
detect When they had finished the
# tour of the different objects of in.
5. terest and they were about to depart
r. Belle thanked the man and said:
10 Please tell your master that we
d have been very much pleased with his
# castle. We are from Milwaukee, in the
d United States. If he ever comes tc
America shall be happy to show him
1t my fathers home"
1t ''Milwaukeew exclaimed the man.
ID Yes; we have a great many Ger
1T mans in our city"
r The man changed the language h'
Of used from German to fair English anC
lie said that the count had relatives liv
ing in Milwaukee. If the visitor
f. would wait for a few moments b,
al would like to ask the count if he would
&c not wish to meet them. They assent
e. ed, and he ushered them into a waiting
SIS room. Presently he returned with al
OF invitation from the count to remain t
Id lunch, then turned them over to a maid
When the visitors entered the draw
at ing room they were received by al
er elderly lady, who welcomed them gra
of ciously, though she did not speak Eng
lish. and the girls German was no
al readily understood by her nor hers b
N. them. While they were chatting t
re gether in came the man who had show
no them about the castle. lie had doffe
IN his livery, which was really a hundn
TO- costume. and appeared in the everyda
,or dress of gentleman.
ev This is my son. Wolfgang," said til
no lady who had received them.
And this is my mother, the Counties
cd Wohlfarth.' replied the young mai
,ic she has a cousin living in milwaukee
and therefore ! presumed she woul
no like to meet one coming from the san
city,
,ad You are Count Wohlgang'-
The count smiled and begged her n
no to attempt so difficult vocal feat as
,os pronounce his name. He then told Il
guests that he was about starting Of
inc to shoot in his preserves when he sa
,ell mem anu eouiu hol ieiiain iion :