Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-09-02
An Episode
OF the Big
European War
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

ed soldiers in Germany, entered upon
her service With an admonition from
her father in this wise:
My daughter, desire that you do
not permit yourself to contine your
nursing to any one patient. There is
no more prolific field for love affairs
than n%ursin&, y young man. grateful
for the attention he receives, falls in
love with his nurse. the nurse pities
her charge, and pity is akin to love. l
wish you to remain fancy free be-
cause Of his proposed match between
you and your Cousin Adolf in America,
a match desired as much by my broth
er, his father, as by myself. The
American branch Of our family has
grown rich, while we have remained
poor. 1t is therefore desirable that you
should marry your cousin, who, as you
know, will come over from America
for the purpose as soon as this war has
ended"
Eyes, father" replied Wilhelmina,
you will find me q dutiful daughter
in this respect us in all others. We
German girls Know what is due to our
parents, but L have heard that in
America it is ditferent-that in that
country there is but little respect for
age or parental authority. and young
people consult their own wishes in
stead Of those to whom they owe ODE
diencc."
This dialogue. which illustrates the
difference between foreign and Ameri-
can marriages, was satisfactory to Herr
Bischoff, who felt sure that his daugh-
ter would heed his admonition. But
the old mans reasons for caution were
stronger even than he had stated them.
a young soldier who had been wound
ed in Belgium came under Wilhelmi-
na's care, fell i'll love With her, and
the pity she felt for him rs well as
the love he offered her caused Il recip-
rocal feeling to arise within her OWL
heart. He asked her all about herself,
her name, the place i'll which she lived
and told her that as soon as he was
convalescent and should be granted 4
brief leave he would so to her father
and ask for her hand. To this she re-
piled that she Was to marry IL cousin
who was to come from America as
soon us the war was oyer,
WHAT" exclaimed the soldier, mar
~ one who takes no part in the de-
Tense OF the fatherland and refuse one
who has given his blood for it? | am
astonished that SO lovely u girl should
do such Il thing"
To this Wilhelmina replied that she
owed the same duty to her parents
that she owed to her country and
whatever her father babe her she
would do. The soldier insisted that he
would go to her father and represent
to him his want of patriotism and was
sure that he would relent- But the
lover added that Wilhclmlna must be
at home when he came, that she might
add her Supplications to his. Wilhel-
nina consented to this. but averred
that without her fathers consent she
would not accept her soldier suitor.
When the young mar became well
enough to totter forth from the hos
pital he was given a months leave,
and Wilhelmina preceded him to her
home to break the matter to her par
ents. When the lover came he found
the father obdurate. Wilbelmina had
represented the matter to him, and he
replied that it was the soldiers duty
to serve his country and he was not
entitled to q reward, especially such a
reward as he asked. The American to
whom Wilhelmina was engaged had
been born in another country, and his
duty was to his own state. Therefore
no more should be said about the mat
ter. Wilhelmina should await the ar,
. rival of the man whom she was to
marry.
When the soldier arrived and was in
formed of the situation he made mat,
tiers worse by declaring that he would
marry Wilhelmina in spite of her ia
Their, her mother and all her American
relatives, including the cousin.
You don't talk like Il German at ALL
said Herr Bischoff angrily. You talk
like an American, for l have under,
/, stood that in America there is but little
respect for age and parental authority,
Get you gone back to the army, and ii
Is ilopeu tudL your country IldJ SCI Nv
Of o on the battlefield"
II will marry Wilhelmina first" the
soldier retorted.
You will do no such thing"
We'll, at least give me five minutes
parting conversation with her alone;
then if she wishes it l will give her up
This promise induced Herr Bischof1
to grant the interview. after which the
soldier bid them all goodby. That night
! he eloped with Wilhelmina and in the
morning neither of them put in an ap
pearance. Herr Bischoff hunted high
and low for them, but was unable tt
find them. However he learned thai
they had been seen together going
back in the direction from which they
came, and he followed them. Over
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