r keynote. It
seemed far more agreeable to a German to partake of the national
sacrament out in a beer garden.

His attitude seemed to be that his race were born so
constitutionally and thoroughly in line with Divineness that they
did not need to _do_ anything about it. The religious element, as a
shaper of conduct and thought, was accordingly not required. As for
any restraining power, the Government furnished all of this that was
necessary.

At any rate the rulers looked after religion. They observed
all-sufficiently its rites. They stood next to Deity and represented
and protected the people. Kirtley remarked that when the ordinary
German began talking of God, which was rare, he was soon talking of
the Emperor. Both deities were ever solicitous for him, working
tirelessly in his behalf. The Kaiser was properly the national
busybody, the head schoolmaster, who attended to everybody and
everything and drove all constantly forward toward a unified and
splendid destiny.

Thus arose the firm belief of the Germans in their natural
righteousness--the righteousness of how they act, what they
possess. Gard saw there existed among them little virtue in the way
of religion to offer the youth of other lands. To send an American
son or daughter to Deutschland for such influence and benefit was
but another example of the prevailing misconception of real
Teutonism.

Many an evening the family dined at the famous Schiller Garden which
stretched along the shore, just across the river. Knitting and
sewing and books were taken along, a large table was secured, and
there the members ate and refreshed themselves with liquids in
leisurely fashion from six o'clock until bed time. There would be
plenty of talking and smoking and plying of needles as the moonlight
or river lights danced forth to guide the active river traffic and
also the large inflowings and outflowings of restaurant guests. And
all to the bracing music of a capital orchestra reeling off jubilant
marches and waltzes.

These were good times when the German was to be observed under the
most favorable colors. After Tekla's little tragedy snatched her
away from Villa Elsa, as will soon be seen, this dining out became
the regular event of the day.

On one of these occasions in the Schiller Garden the conversation
fell once more on America. The subject had not been touched since
the eruption over Yankee "pigs". It had lain dormant under the
mesmeric effect of Jim Demin