Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/103

the Holy Ghost and does not improve it. When, however, there is no opportunity, what is one to do? My husband was a man who knew the world, he knew how to write, too; in short, he was fit for a wagon or a carriage. And that is well; everybody might be so!

“I wove blankets as before and earned many a handsome groschen. Those were hard times war, disease, and famine everywhere. A bushel of rye cost a hundred guilders in bank notes! that is something to say. But God loved us, and so in one way and another we managed to pull through. The distress was so great that people went about with money in their hands unable to buy. My father was a man whose like is seldom found; he helped every-body where and how he could. When the neighbors were driven to the last extremity, they usually turned to him. Sometimes the poorer peasants came to him saying: ‘Let us have a bushel of rye; we haven’t a crust of bread in the house!’ He would say:’As long as I have, I give; when I have no more, others will do it,’ and at once mother was sent to fill the bag. Money, however, he would not take, no, indeed! ‘Why, we are neighbors, and if we do not help each other, who will help us? When God blesses your harvest, return the grain and we shall be even.’ Thus it was that father had thousands of ‘God repay you’s!’ And mother was the same. Why, she would have gone to the cross roads to look for a beggar, if none happened to come along. And why should we not help people! We had enough to eat, enough to wear; why should we not share the remainder with others? This is no merit, but merely a Christian duty. But when a person denies himself to help others, that is a real virtue. Indeed, it came to that pass that we ate only once a day, that others might have something, too. And we stood it until the sun shone again. Peace returned to the land, and times grew better and better.

“When Casper finished his schooling he wanted to learn weaving, and I did not object. A trade is a master. When his apprenticeship was finished he went into the world. My husband used to say that a tradesman rolled out on the oven (who never goes away from home) wasn’t worth a kreutzer.

“After several years he returned, settled at Dobrusitz, and is doing well. The girls I trained carefully to do housework. About this time, my cousin from Vienna came into the village; she took a liking to Theresa and said she would take her to Vienna and care for her. It was very hard for me to part from her, but I thought it would not be right for me to stand in the way of her fortune. Dorothy is a good woman; they are well-to-do and have no children. She cared for Theresa as for her own child, and when she married gave her a good outfit. At first I was somewhat vexed that she chose a German, but now I do not mind it. John is a good and worthy man, and we managed to understand each other. And the children—they are mine. Johanna went to Dorothy in Theresa’s place, and she, too, is well pleased with her home. This new generation is quite different from the last. I never wanted to go away from home, epecially among strangers.

“After a few years my parents died only six weeks apart. They left the world quietly as a candle is blown out. God did not leave them to suffer, and they did not mourn for each other long; they had lived together for sixty years. Soft they made their bed, and softly they rest. God grant them eternal glory!”

Czechoslovaks have now three universities, as well as two polytechnics. To the ancient University of Prague, founded by emperor Charles in 1348, has been added the Masaryk University in Brno and the Komenský (Comenius) University in Bratislava. For the current semester 7049 students were registered af the Czech university in Prague; 2764 study law, 2560 medicine, 1696 philosophy and 29 theology.

A constant struggle is going on in Bohemia for the lifting of restrictions on sale of food. One notable victory was secured by the consumers, when goose, the favorite Bohemian bird, was permitted to be sold without any other restrictions except those imposed by it price which is beyond the ordinary pocketbook.

While Prague is the seat of the executive and legislative branches of the government, the Supreme Court of the Republic was placed in Brno, the capital of Moravia.

After nine months’ work the American Y. M. C. A. has now 26 buildings in various garrisons and army posts in active operation, 10 more centers are being organized and 40 American secretaries are employed. In addition 8 officers and 104 soldiers have been lent to Y. M. C. A. by the army command. Recently a fine building was opened in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, in the presence of the chief military and civil dignitaries. The senior secretary is Irving D. Kimball.

The Czechoslovak Republic has 142,000 square kilometers (about 54,800 sq. miles); the population is approximately 13,750.

Tourists will be welcome in the Czechoslovak Republic this summer. They may visit Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) and the other world-known cures, if they like, but they will be urged to stray into less known parts of the Republic, like the Šumava (Bohemian Forest), the Macocha caves and the High Tatras in the Carpathians.