The new
owner of Fertoeszeg had interested herself in the fate of the destitute
children whose fathers had gone to the war, and, in order to render
their condition more comfortable, had undertaken to found a home for
them. She had already given the necessary buildings, and had furnished
them. She now applied to the sympathies of the well-to-do residents of
the county for assistance to educate the children. In addition to food
and shelter, they required teachers. Such sums as were necessary for
this purpose must be raised by a general subscription from the
charitably inclined.
The count promptly responded to this request. He sent the pastor fifty
louis d'or. But in the letter which accompanied the gift he stipulated
that the boy whose mother was in prison should not be removed from Frau
Schmidt's care to the children's asylum.
It was quite in the order of things that the baroness should acknowledge
the munificent gift by a letter of thanks.
This missive was beautifully written. The orthography was singularly
faultless. The expressions were gracefully worded and artless; nothing
of flattery or sentimentality--merely courteous gratefulness.
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