Oliver Otis Howard, Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, major general , United States army : volume 2

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[531] and took another coveted glimpse at the outside of the Grand Cathedral. The train moved on and I reached the city of Hanover by the middle of the afternoon. The day was delightful. Hanover was neat and seemed finished above any city I had seen. It was very complete and attractive, even at the railway station; but I was troubled, in spite of the instructions which my son had given me, namely, “Speak English slowly and you will be understood.” I did so, but everyone shook his head, saying, “Verstehe nicht.” The Swiss captain had left me at a previous junction so that I was indeed feeling like a stranger in a strange land. I asked that my luggage be transferred from one station to another so as to take the train for Gottingen. At last I came across an official who understood my French, so my purpose was accomplished. After a little amusing experience at the main station at Go(ttingen, where I was making an effort to find my way to Bodemeyer Cottage, I met Mr. Arthur Lawrence, of Boston, whom I knew. He interpreted for me and conducted me to the home of my friends.

The order and completeness of everything in this university town strike the stranger at once. The little home of the family (von Bodemeyer's) was no exception. The family consisted of an aged mother, Frau Morestadt, her widowed daughter Frau von Bodemeyer, and the three grandchildren, young ladies. There was a brother who was then away at Dresden. The grossmutter was the widow of a clergyman, who had died while working as a missionary abroad. In this sweet home was a household of five good women. They took into their family students from England and America, and instructed them in the German language. Those who came into the family were fortunate,