Evening star., 1934-08-03

swiftly drawing TO q close. II was
then that the old gentleman in his
gloomy. heavily-shadowed ONCE talk
ed Of his childhood and OF his great
est days.
Recalls His Boyhood.
Looking back to that long-distant
boyhood. asked him II it were true
that he had met in the woods around
Neudeck, while his grandfather was
alive, a soldier of Frederick the
Greats army. His face Softened and
he leaned back in the great chair
with q smile Of pure hoyiSh happi-
ness. It was, he admitted, the clear
est reminiscence Of his life.
THAT is So" he assented promptly,
Of this venerable memento of the
Great Frederick, whom he had found
hopping along on two crutches.
"His nanne," continued Hindenhurg,
precisely. was Old Steve. He was an
old gardener and odd Job man, work.
ing for my grandfather, and a soldier
under Frederick the Great. However"
he added. with his love for exactness,
che was a recruit for only Ia days"
Paurs father was moved from post
to post. and the boys chief pleasure
wss the occasional visit to the Neu-
deck home over which his grand
father ruled. The patriarch had his
memories, not only of a long life Of
ancestral heroes, but Of his own ex-
periences, including an unsatis-
factory petition. personally presented.
to the great Napoleon, then riding
very high, indeed, and not disposed
to show much consideration TO local
dignitaries.
Paul learned much from his father,
who liked to take the two older boys
for walks and teach them how TO
observe as well as see.
"I owe much to the influence Of my
father" he remarked, "and especially
for the live interest he gave me in the
meaning of geography" He makes a
somewhat similar comment In his
memoirs (Aus Meinem Leben).
Writes VIII at IL.
The family was longer at Glagau
than anywhere, and was still there
when the time came for Paul to
enter the cadet corps. The date
being set, he drew up his last will
and testament. as told by his younger
brother, Bernhard. and. seated before
his toy cupboard, disposed of his play
things and books to his visible heirs,
his brother and sister.
One unusual stipulation sets this
instrument apart from the common
run of such testaments. At his urgent
request, his mother had given him
daily sandwich for one Of his
schoolmates, belonging to poor
family. He did not wish this prac-
tice discontinued. and, in his will,
laid down that Otto, the older
brother, must take Schreiger a sand
wich to school each day.
This important document concluded
with the usual phraseology; then,
below the signature, was an elaborate
flourish, copied from the label of an
old cologne bottle. in one corner be-
low the signature he wrote: ''Frieden
un ruhe bite ich sur INNER aus"
Il crave for eternal peace and rest)
He was to enter Wahlstadt Mill
tary Academy. He said good-by to
his father at the gate Of this institu-
ton. IT was bidding farewell" he
says, mot only to my dear father,
but to my whole past life" He
couldn't prevent a few tears; they
fell on his new uniform-the vest
ment Of dedication. "A man can't be
weak and cry in this garb." he as
serted stoutly, If unconvincingly, to
himself. So he wrenched free and
marched among his new comrades,
and thus into history.
He was IL years old.
copyright. 1894, by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Incl