had sought him. Did not
the Herr Consul think it was dreadful that this American, who could vote
and make laws, should be subjected to such things?

The consul did not know what to think. It seemed to him, however, that
Karl was "getting on," and that he was not in need of his assistance.
It was in the expectation of hearing more about him, however, that
he cheerfully accepted an invitation from Adlerkreutz to dine at the
Caserne one evening with the staff. Here he found, somewhat to his
embarrassment, that the dinner was partly in his own honor, and at the
close of five courses, and the emptying of many bottles, his health was
proposed by the gallant veteran Adlerkreutz in a neat address of many
syllables containing all the parts of speech and a single verb. It was
to the effect that in his soul-friend the Herr Consul and himself was
the never-to-be-severed union of Germania and Columbia, and in their
perfect understanding was the war-defying alliance of two great nations,
and that in the consul's noble restoration of Unser Karl to the German
army there was the astute diplomacy of a great mind. He was satisfied
that himself and the Herr Consul still united in the great future,
looking down upon a common brotherhood,--the great Germanic-American
Confederation,--would feel satisfied with themselves and each other
and their never-to-be-forgotten earth-labors. Cries of "Hoch! Hoch!"
resounded through the apartment with the grinding roll of heavy-bottomed
beer-glasses, and the consul, tremulous with emotion and a reserve verb
in his pocket, rose to reply. Fully embarked upon this perilous voyage,
and steering wide and clear of any treacherous shore of intelligence or
fancied harbor of understanding and rest, he kept boldly out at sea. He
said that, while his loving adversary in this battle of compliment had
disarmed him and left him no words to reply to his generous panegyric,
he could not but join with that gallant soldier in his heartfelt
aspirations for the peaceful alliance of both countries. But while he
fully reciprocated all his host's broader and higher sentiments, he must
point out to this gallant assembly, this glorious brotherhood, that
even a greater tie of sympathy knitted him to the general,--the tie of
kinship! For while it was well known to the present company that their
gallant commander had married an Englishwoman, he, the consul, although
always an American, would now for the first time confess to them tha