The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-06-30
What's I'm
A Name?
Sometimes There Is q
Lot of Trouble
By F. A. mitchell

iruSSlan nor warrior. but Han
Overian and a professor. Indeed. the
old fellow was bookworm, who. if
fly had attacked the tip Of his nose.
would have been too absorbed In his
studies to have defended himself. And
IL the fly had succeeded in arresting
his attention he would not have in.
Jured the intruder for the world. He
would have opened window and put
1t out
His son, Caspar, was called to the
chair of 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 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 Kneiblitz
Of the fourth generation. the hero of
this story-if the word hero is proper
appellation-was twenty-one years old.
He was only deferred from joining the
colors by being so desperately In love
with Hortense lie Verrier that he was
unable to tear himself away from her.
though 1t 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 Frenchman to have a 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
1t 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 go to the front.
OF course he met with great Opposi
ton. Hortense was sure that she
would never see him again and that her
life would be blighted. He tried to
reassure her but in vain. However
since the suspicious Of his countrymen
that he was loyal to n country he had
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 il
would be possible for him to write
Another thing she insisted on which
would not likely be possible was that
after every battle. If he came out alive
lie telegraph her TO that effect. Caspar
fully realized the crowded conditions
Of the telegraph lines. especially i'm
mediately after battle, and that they
were under control of the government
but he had not the heart to make II
known to the girl, thus denying her
this crumb of comfort. However. not
knowing what possibilities might arise
he drew up cipher code by which he
might add a few endearing words of
information concerning himself.
1t was decided by the lovers that
they would be married before sep
aration that might last forever. The
ceremony was performed privately
with few persons present. Within
week after its conclusion Caspar dc
parted for the front.
While Caspar's loyalty to France wa
not questioned by those who knew
him personally, his name at once eX
cited suspicion In strangers. He had
scarcely broken away from the cling
ing Hortense and gained his regiment
before he began TO be looked upon a.
a possible German sympathiZer, though
why he should be In the French army
If he was loyal 10 Germany was not
explained. Truth is that many man
loyal to France Or England who had
German blood in his veins experienced
u like suspicion.
Caspar joined the army as private
and would have been promoted had
it not been for his German name. Sew
eral times he distinguished himself.
and, officers Immediately above him
having been killed off, there were va
But when 1t came to ques
ton Of filing them and Caspar was pro
posed his name caused his rejection.
''What Lieutenant Caspar Kneiblitz
to command Frenchmen? Impossible!'
OF course Caspar knew nothing OF
this; he only knew that when vacancies
occurred he was not promoted. 1t did
not trouble him, for his heart was
with his dear Hortense, and all he
desired was that the war should he
ended and he might return to her.
As luck would have it. Caspar found
n friend. an operator in the military
telegraph department. One day when
he was feeling very homesick Caspar
went to the Office and asked his friend
TO send dispatch for him. No fight
ing was going on at the time, and the
was not very busy, so the
friend told the lover that IL he would
leave his message with him he would
cndeavor to smuggle 1t through be
tween messages for the government
Cnspar left his message, which the
opcrator put OH file without looking nj
II and when q convenient time fof
sending 1t arrived took 1t Up for the
purpose.