New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-11
THE elderly Major Won Adelsberg com

II Landsturm battalion. The order TO go
to the front came at the most trying time for
these midde-aged, in many cases gray-haired,
troops. 1t was in the rough winter OF the great
Carpathian battles Of 1914-15.
But without a murmur or a complaint, with
out grumbling or sulkiness, they stood in posi-
ton up there, intrenched in the SHOWS, and
peeped across at the Russians, who ever and
again delivered assaults on our lines.
And even more monosyllabic than any Of his
men was Major Won Adelsberg. He was
gray-haired veteran, nearly seventy, for thirty
years or more retired a pension. He had
married well, had taken charge of his wife's
estate and had become tired of peace service.
Why should he stay any longer in the army?
So he had retired, had managed his wifes
property, had buried her at an early age ana
had devoted himself thereafter to the educa'
ton of his daughter until she reached the thir-
ties and would no longer submit to his sort OF
education. She had developed her own Will;
she wanted to assert her own independence.
Yet he had sought to hold her by all the ties
of love, and in the midst of this silent struggle
on her part against an estrangement the drums
of war had beaten their fanfare.
Then
been stirred again--the soldiers blood that
under Prince Eugene and under Radetzky had
fought and had been freely shed. They laughed
in the little provincial capital in August, 1914,
when the almost seventy-year-od veteran was
TO be seen again in uniform doing garrison
duty. There were so many younger men. But
soon the major found that army service IN gar
rison in war time was almost as tiresome as
army service in peace. He kept asking more
and more approximately for an assignment to
the front.
When they formed the elderly Landsturm
battalion he became its major. That pleased
him greatly.
He was strict disciplinarian, but the troops
loved him.
ayes, Adesberg," they said; "he busters
but he has a heart of god'
And in his pure absorption in duty his pre-
occupation with his work, he had almost for
gotten his daughter Eva. Only now and then
he wrote her brief field postcard. Otherwise
his thoughts centred on his men.
Up TO Christmas Day Major Won Adelsberg
had scarcely thought Of his daughter at home,
and now, with pang of remorse, he reflected
how lonely she must be. But the thunder OF
cannon is poor accompaniment to thoughts
of home. and so he had soon forgotten her
again, for his adjutant, First Lieutenant DR..
Wittinger. came and announced that attack
on the position was again in preparation. 80
there was work to be done till midnight
bloody Christmas Eve work.
When the major late that evening, returned
TO his hut, which he shared with the first lieu
-1.oJ Abo Nuhp the
Christmas mail had come.
NO." was the answer.
And the major had said
an that case we will postpone the celebra-
ton until it does come-even if we have to
wait until New Year"
Then they had thrown themselves on their
wooden bedsteads. But neither slept.
Doctor (the major always called the lieu
tenant doctor" because he was a physician
who had volunteered for service as line Off
cer)-"Doctor, have hardening of the ar
teries. That cant be helped. Feel my pulse
beat Do you tank that the old machine will
last out the war In case a Russian bullet doesn't
smash it up?
The doctor had to feel the majors pulse once
more.
man of your age, major
He said nothing more, for he knew that the
cid gentleman had undertaken too much in
coming to the front.
"Only so that don't have heart collapse
here in the field. Gracious God! pray every
day for that Rather Russian bullet"
1t happened that the post came on New
Years Day. toward evening, and some pack
ages, which were all the more joyously greeted
because they were behind schedule. There was
a package for Major Won Adelsberg and let
ter with it, both from his daughter.
And suddenly all his love for his daughter
famed up. He had no other relatives. For
the moment he had also forgotten what scenes
there had beenrin the house when she told him
of her wish to marry Berglin, the painter, and
the old major had roundly refused his consent.
IAN artist and a widower with a child" the
rnaior.had shouted. "Neverl Neverw
He opened the box and then the letter. And
when he saw all the little tender remem-
ORANGES he realized how old he was, how very
old, and how long ago it had been since he had
had real Christmas
The box gave him, after so many years
real Christmas pleasure. And he read the let
seg. the very energetic and resolute letter, Of
his only daughter Separation had given her
coolness ard courage:
You are at the front, and Bergiin is at the
IL.