Richard, who was obliged to examine several candidates for the doctor's
degree, accompanied him.

I felt surprised that Ludwig should leave me so soon, but by noon it
was clear to me that he had acted wisely. His wife and son were much
more at their ease when they found themselves alone with me; for, with
all his kindness, there was something commanding in Ludwig's manner
which made every one feel as if under restraint while in his presence.

His wife was quiet and self-contained, and, seeing that I noticed this,
told me that she had been living on a lonely farm with her father, who
was very sparing of his words, and that she had thus acquired a habit
of silence. After her marriage and her father's death, which soon
followed it, Ludwig had been obliged, by his engagements as constructor
of water-works, to spend days and weeks away from home. It was not
until the last year, when they had moved into a city, that he was more
at home; but, even then, public affairs claimed a great share of his
time. During the war, he had been in the field with the army for at
least two years.

She had seen much trouble. She was but twelve years old when the family
emigrated to America. During the first few years, her parents employed
themselves as teachers; and when, in rapid succession, the mother and
her brother and sister died, she and her father moved to the farm.
Assisted by a couple of free negroes who helped in the field, she was
obliged to conduct the whole household. The two children she had lost
had died because medical assistance could not be obtained in time, and,
for that reason, they had moved to the city. Their eldest son had died
while Ludwig was in the army, fighting against the secessionists.

She gently hinted that it was her wish to remain in Europe, but that
she would not urge this, as she feared Ludwig would not find a large
enough field for his energy. She said that he was accustomed to
constant and varied activity, and stood very high at home.

It was with some hesitation that she asked me whether I objected to the
fact of her having only been married by civil process, and that
Wolfgang belonged to no church. I reassured her, for I felt well
satisfied that Johanna had already made persistent attempts at
conversion in this quarter. My daughter-in-law became much attached to
Joseph's wife and the school-master's. She was very fond of raising
flowers, and determined to take many different kinds of seeds back to