me,
sad, that the American who has made money, and wishes to do something
for the public good, knows of nothing better than to build a church.

"My idea--and I have distinguished friends who agree with me--is
to establish, as our celebration of the centennial of American
independence, a German University in America; an International
High-School. I need not point out to you, how great a significance such
an institution would possess for the New World, as well as for the Old.
After our German students have studied for a year at the American
Athens, how much wider their range of vision will be, and how much
greater their knowledge of the world! In this way, a cable of quite a
different kind would be laid; an intellectual electric current, binding
the Old World to the New."

Richard took Ludwig's hand, and congratulated him on having conceived
this grand idea.

"Thus should it be," he cried; "let Germany be fully and entirely its
own, and then send the messengers of its intellectual life to all the
world. The ancients carried their gods of marble and bronze, wherever
they went; we carry divine thoughts over the whole inhabited globe."

Offenheimer whispered something to Richard, who pressed his hand
gratefully.

I sat there quietly and felt unutterably happy, because my children
possessed new ideals so different from our own. Their clear, organizing
minds stretched into the far distance, and their schemes embraced the
welfare of all mankind.

When in Strasburg, I felt deeply pained that such men as Ludwig and
Wilhelmi should be driven into exile. Not always does our life give an
answer to such questions. I received one now.

We were interrupted by Ikwarte, who begged to be excused. He had
noticed his brother among the marching soldiers. He was sergeant and
had received the Iron Cross; he had recognized him, and called out to
him from the procession. Ikwarte now asked permission to go and seek
his brother.

Ludwig granted it of course. We were all pleased with Ikwarte's firm
sense of duty, to which even his brotherly love had to yield.

As Ikwarte was leaving the room, Julius entered with his wife. She
carried my great-grandson on her arm.

For a while, every one turned to them. Then Ludwig began:

"It is well that you have come, Julius! We are here among friends; are
you ready to answer a question regarding your future?"

In a quiet tone, Julius answered, he would first have to know what it
was all about.