28 Ten Years of my Life. 



The family of the Prince was of course not willing to pay 

 such recklessly contracted jjebts. The position of the young 

 spendthrift in Vienna became at last too hot ; he went first to 

 Paris, and at last to America, where he arrived in 1861, after 

 the outbreak of the war, provided with letters of recommenda- 

 tion from the Crown Prince of Prussia to the Prussian Minister 

 at Washington, Baron von Gerolt zur Leyen. 



Baron von Gerolt had been in Washington, I believe, since 

 1846. He was well acquainted with all leading American men, 

 who all respected him highly, both as a diplomatist and gentle- 

 man. No minister of any Power had at that time more influ- 

 ence than tlie Baron, who was the intubate friend of Mr. W. H. 

 Seward, the American Secretary of State. Baron Gerolt is a 

 very kind-hearted man, and many Germans, not only Prussians, 

 whose ministers or charges d'affaires were too indifferent to 

 trouble themselves about poor people, obtained advice and 

 help from Baron Gerolt, who even assisted political refugees, 

 though he was very far from approving their political views. 



The Baron, following his instructions, and still more the 

 prompting ot his kind heart, did all he could for the Prince, 

 and in consequence of this he found everywhere a very kind 

 reception. Though rep'iblicans, the American people were no 

 enemies to princes ; and knowing them only from fairy tales 

 and novels, they entertained about tliem the most wonderful 

 ideas. A live prince was an object of great interest to both 

 gentlemen and ladies, and though pretending not to care for 

 titles, American ladies make always a great fuss about a prince, 

 a count, or a lord. 



The modest Prince was quite terrified when he was oft'ercd 

 the command of a brigade of cavalry, which he, however, de- 

 clined, because he did not understand the language, which was 

 indeed a great drawback. He expressed a wish to serve with 

 his countrymen, and General Blenker was glad to receive him 

 as the chief of his staff. Maybe that the old German Freis- 

 chiirltr felt flattered to have a German prince under his com- 

 mand. 



I need not tell a love story. Everybodv has experienced 

 similar emotions, and my affair did not differ from the usual 

 course. When I left General Blenker's camp I left behind an 

 enamoured Prince, whose feelings were far from being indif- 

 ferent to me. We saw each other again ; the sweet malady 

 increased, and the Prince proposed. 



