A Painfal Sight ^ 823 



frightful proportion died in the hospitals ; for having been with- 

 out food or any stimulant, their little remaining strength, already 

 taxed to the utmost by the amputation, became utterly ex- 

 hausted by the cruel and rough transportation on common 

 peasant cars, in which they lay often for many hours, huddled 

 one upon the other like calves sent to the market. Many, I 

 am sure owed their lives to ' Mother Simon's ' being on the 

 spot. I hope the lesson taught by her will not be forgotten 

 whenever another war shall occur. 



We soon found the grave in which the officers of the Augusta 

 regiment had been buried together. On the top of them stood 

 the rough deal coffin in which my poor Felix had been laid, 

 together with Florentine ; it was only slightly covered with 

 earth and a corner of it protruded. 



When the men had laid the coffin bare, I insisted on the 

 removal of its lid, notwithstanding the remonstrances of my 

 brother-in-law and others. I wished to look once more on the 

 face of my dear, beloved husband, believing myself stronger 

 than I was. When the men complied with my request, and I 

 saw instead of the dear face only a black mass, my strength 

 failed me and I fainted. 



I must not speak of these moments. Every feeling reader 

 will understand them. I had the coffms with the two bodies 



placed in a waggon which followed the carriage of a 



knight of St. John, who kindly accompanied us on this sad 

 journey. Thus we returned to Ars-sur-Moselle. There I had 

 to remain a day longer to wait for wooden cases, which had to 

 be made for the zinc cofiins, according to the sanitary regula- 

 tions. 



Meanwhile an order from the head-quarters of the king had 

 arrived, placing at my disposition an extra train, and on it I 

 started for Anholt, accompanied by Mrs. von Berenhorst and 

 Miss Runkel, my brother-in-law remaining behind, as he 

 wanted to be near his two sons, in case anything should 

 happen to them. 



The night of the 30th we passed in a little hotel in Lune- 

 ville, the following in the train, arrived on September i in 

 Mayence, and on the 2nd in Anholt, where the two bodies 

 were placed first in the little chapel. 



On September 3, the obsequies took place, with all the 

 funeral pomp becoming the family. The two coffins were 



