BISMARCK'S COURTSHIP AND MARRIED LIFE.
j " The R-eminieoesoes of Bismarck " coni tains aai interesting account of that statesman's courtship. ( He was merely a young Prussian officer . whei? he first met Johanna yon Puttkamer but he was so smitten that he made ap- . plication at once to the lady's father for permission to pay> his addresses. Aghust at Bismarck's proposal lie- old gentleman t did, not absolutely decline it. Instead, he wrote doubtfully, giving rather grudging permission fox the \oung lover to pay a sort of "visit of" inspection" at the • -Puttkamier home. i Bismarck eagerly hastened to Reinfeld. I -Th/e whole Puttkamer family was lined upJ to! greet, him. The father and mother glared at him solemnly, and Johanna herself stood between them, her eyes cast modestly downward. It was an awkvard moment. The swift, whirlwind decision that scored Bismarck his later political triumphs came now to the front, and hv carried the situation by storm. Galloping up tfos driveway, lie leaped from his horse, ran forward and flung his arms around Johanna, taking no heed of her scandalised parents, catching he* ', to his breast, and covering hei blushing ' face with kisses. ' After that there could be no "talk of "probation" or "waiting." The betrothal was an accepted fact. Bismarck in his old age used to tell the story with more ; delight than he took in describing his • statesmanship victories, and usually., he would wind up by saying, "She made me what I am." To the «nd of that married life the couple wrote each other long and loving letters each day whenever they were not together. The Iron Chancellor began usually, "My Angel," ".Deanast Heart," or " Most Beloved." They contained, somewhat prosy descriptions of the work he was doing,- but here and there he speaks lovingly of her • " blue-grey-black eyeß," calfe bes. his. "Black Sun," 1 and ma»kes similar remarks. - Once lie said, "My j metaphor of the ' Black Sun ' is^ false, j Atfe you not rather a dark, warm, summer night, with fragrance of flowers and heatlightning?" ■ v Tho countess never cared foiy nor cul- 1 tivatsd marital trouble. She stood • between Bismarck and a horde of, diplomats, bores, avants, human donkeys, and politicians, and took care that his buttons | were on and that the laundryman did not iron saw edges on his collars and shirts. Incidentally she loved him and softened down his rough places until he became quite human. A •woman who understands is the whole NeufchateJ. • Johanna understood. — Liverpool Post.
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Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 75
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415BISMARCK'S COURTSHIP AND MARRIED LIFE. Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 75
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