Neander's Last Birthday (concluded) [pp. 186-189]

THE LAD]ES' REPOSITOR.
moved about more restlessly; Hannchen's look
was more fierce and defiant.
"And this as yet unknown assistant is in our
midst."
"Strauss, no, that is too bad, that is mean,"
Hannchen here burst forth.
But with a beaming countenance Strauss
went on: "I take pride in bringing now to the
cooperator, or rather to the co6peratrix of the
Church History a thankful vivat-Hannchen
Neander, the most faithful of sisters, who de votes her whole life to her brother, who keeps
away from him with anxious solicitude every
thing that might disturb or disquiet him-Hann chen Neander, who is so intimately interwoven
with the life of August Neander-Hannchen
Neander, whom I call for these reasons very
justly the coiperatrix of Neander's Church
History-may she live long and happy!"
A storm of applause now burst forth, while
the "Neander children," with the utmost tenderness, looked at each other, and Strauss
laughed that the table shook. This toast has
become a regular one on Neander's birthday.
"Strauss, now the toast!" is the regular call,
and, although every one is acquainted with it,
yet it is received every time with the same eclat.
The simple meal is ended; leaning on the
arm of Strauss, Neander goes to his study, and
the older guests follow him.
This circle of friends is still large and glorious, although many noble spirits have left it.
Wilhelm Neumann and Adelbert Ion Chamisso
have been called away by death; but August
Varnhagen von Ense has left it because he
loved the joys of this world more than those
of religion. The Norwegian, Henrich Steffens,
and others, have slept these many years by the
side of Schleiermacher and Marheinecke in the
Dreifaltigkeitskirchhofe.
But of all the deaths of dearly beloved friends
none affected Neander so painfully as that of
his disciple and intimate friend, Hermann R6sel, who in manly beauty, by his speculative
and poetical genius, by keenness of intellect
and depth of feeling far overtopped all his fellow-students. He was called hence four years
before Neander, who had ardently wished to
hand to this "p rincetsjuvent utis"-this "prince
of youths "-the torch to let it shine before
men. To him he had transferred every thing
that was "the soul of his life." Yet even in
this case Neander did not lack all consolation;
"it is from God, and we must thank him for it."
Meanwhile Hannchen has taken her company likewise to her room. This room contains a thousand wonderful and strange things,
for the most part presents of friends, and is as
variegated as the dress of its mistress. Many a
one of these presents of foreign friends has a
story of its own about the cunning which its
owner had to practice in passing the different
borders, as Hannchen prides herself to be the
inventrix of the Zollverein. Among these play things there is preeminent a beautiful marble
bust of Neander, one of Drake's finest works,
and presented to Neander by the students on
one of his birthdays.
Some of Hannchen's female friends, gener erally young girls, join the company, and lively
scenes now commence. Various diverting plays
are played, riddles and poems improvised, ad ages quoted, and in the dimly lit room the most
horrible hobgoblin and ghost stories related,
and Hannchen is the leading spirit in all these
diversions.
All at once the light of a hundred torches
rises from the street below, and by as many
clear, youthful voices the beautiful Psalmxxiii-is sung: "The Lord is my shepherd, I
shall not want." They are the students that as
usual have formed a torchlight procession in
honor of their most dearly beloved Professor
on his birthday, and now make the welkin ring
with their vivats.
A committee of students enter the room in
order to congratulate, in the name of all, their
dearest Professor on his birthday, and, especially, to thank him that he has not suspended
his lectures, notwithstanding his sore ocular
afflictions for the last three years. In former
years the students used to make a present to
their revered Professor, on such occasions, of
some superbly bound Church father, but of late
Neander has declined these presents. But the
students have, notwithstanding this, collected
among themselves, and now hand to him the
large collection, praying him to receive it for
his foundation, the institute for the relief of
sick students.
Deeply moved, his eyes moistened, his hands
folded, Neander stands before his students.
In former years he used to thank the students
below, in a shorter or longer speech, from the
window, but on account of his sore eyes this
has been impossible for him for several years.
"But I must thank all my young friends; please
request them to come up," he says.
Hannchen becomes a little alarmed on account of the scanty number of her saucers and
butter-breads, but soon finds comfort in the
idea, "one after another."
Throwing their torches together, the students
now sing,
"Vivat academia
Wivant professores," etc.
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