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

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[532] for they were taught the very best German, and their student life was made happy. When I arrived my son was absent with two of the young ladies, Adelheid and Hedwig. They had gone on an excursion into the country. The youngest, Gertrude, who spoke English with some difficulty, welcomed me pleasantly and introduced me to her mother and grandmother, and was my interpreter until the return of the excursionists. I once read “Undine” and was greatly interested in the character of an aged grandmother, who had the homage of all the family and occupied the chair of honor. The grossmutter at Gottingen had the homage and almost the worship of this family, and she too occupied the chair of honor, which was a little elevated and apart. My conversation with her, even by interpretation, was delightful. I found her remarkably intelligent and well versed in history, especially in the accounts of Napoleon's battles which took place on German soil and at a period that she well remembered. Her strong sympathy seemed to be with Bonaparte, perhaps because Hanover had been absorbed by Prussia.

After the return of my son and the young ladies I became better acquainted with the family. Adelheid and Hedwig spoke English perfectly, and very soon this home in Gottingen became to me a home indeed. Jamie was a little ashamed of his father, I think, at that time, because of his having a swollen face, and nose much too large. He soon, however, took me to a skillful German doctor who could speak English. My son explained to him with some care that his father had not been in any convivial company or place. The doctor hushed him instantly and said in plain English, “Oh, no, no, this could come from dust in a railway ”