The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-16
What's I'm
A Name?
Sometimes There Is a
Lot of Trouble
By F. A. mitchell


<<~~~~>~~%~~<~<<~<<>><<~<S
Caspar Kneiblitz's great-great-grand-
father was a German. He was not
Prussian nor a warrior, but a Han
overian and a professor. Indeed, the
old fellow was bookworm, who, IL a
ny had attacked the tip of his nose.
would have been too absorbed In his
studies to have defended himself. And
II the fly had succeeded In arresting
his attention he would not have In
jured the intruder for the, world. he
would have opened a window and put
It out
His son. Caspar, was called to the
chair of a university in France.
Thenceforth the family became French.
The men, Of course, kept the German
surname, but by the time the fourth
Caspar Kneiblitz came this was all
the German there was about them.
Not one Of them could speak a word
of German, and the third Kneiblitz
had given his life for France in the
war Of 1870.
When Germany advanced into Bel
GUM to seize Paris, Caspar Rneibttz
of the fourth generation, the hero Of
this story-If the word hero is a proper
appellation-was twenty-one years old.
He was only deferred from Joining the
colors by being so desperately in love
l. hnE hn
unable to tear himself away from her,
though IL must be admitted that II he
had been able to master his own feel
ings sufficiently to leave her she would
not have let him go.
For a Frenchman to have German
name accrued to his disadvantage as
soon as the war broke out. Caspar
Kneiblitz was at last driven to part
with his beloved Hortense on this &C.
count. When others had Joined the
colors and Caspar remained at home
it was suspected that the reason he
did not go to the war was because OF
German sympathies. When he came
to know of this suspicion he was
much panied. He told Hortense that
he must not listen to the voice of love
any longer and at once began to make
preparations to 60 to the front.
OF course he met with great opposi
ton. Hortense was sure that she
would never see him again and that hel
life would be blighted. He tried Il
reassure her, but in vain. However
since the suspicious Of his countrymer
that he was loyal to a country he hat
never seen and Of whose language h
did not know a word had been aroused
his resolution was taken.
In order to make the separation
easier for his sweetheart he promised
to write her letter every day that 4
would be possible for him to write
Another thing she insisted on which
would not likely be possible was tina
after every battle, II he came out alive
he telegraph her to that effect. Caspa
fully realized the crowded conditions
Of the telegraph lines, especially i'm
mediately after battle, and that the.
were under control Of the government
L
known to the girl, thus denying he
this crumb of comfort. However, no
knowing what possibilities might arise
he drew up cipher code by which h
might add few endearing words o
information concerning himself.
1t was decided by the lovers tina
they would be married before a sep
aration that might last forever. TIL
ceremony was performed privatel
with few persons present. Within
week after its conclusion Caspar de
parted for the front.
While Caspar's loyalty to France wa
not questioned by those who knew
him personally. his name at once eS
cited suspicion in strangers. He ha
scarcely broken away from the cling
ing Hortense and gained his regimen
before he began to be looked upon q
possible German sympathizer, thong
why he should be in the French arm
II he was loyal to Germany was nc
explained. Truth is that many a ma
loyal to France or England who ha
German blood in his veins experience
a like suspicion.
Caspar Joined the army as a privat
and would have been promoted ha
II not been for his German name. SeN
eral times he distinguished himself
and, officers Immediately above hir
having been killed off, there were VI
cancies. But when 1t came to a quei
ton of filing them and Caspar was pr
posed his name caused his rejection.
what! Lieutenant Caspar Kneiblit
to command Frenchmen? Impossiblel
OF course Caspar knew nothing Q
this; he only knew that when vacancie
occurred he was not promoted. 1t di
not trouble him. for his heart wa
with his dear Hortense, and all b
desired was that the war should b
ended and he might return to her.
As luck would have 1t; Caspar foun
a friend, an operator In the militar
telegraph department. One day whe
he was feeling very homesick Casps
went to the Office and asked his frien
to send dispatch for him. No fgh
ing was going on at the time, and th
telegraph was not very busy, so tn
friend told the lover that If he woul
leave his message with him he woul
endeavor to smuggle 1t through b
tween messages for the government
Caspar left his message, which Il
operator put on file without looking
1t and when convenient time fl
sending it arrived took 1t up for Il
purpose.