German composition

Section 136. DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF YOUR ORIGIN⁠[1]. I.

Reading edition

Section 136. DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF YOUR ORIGIN⁠[1]. I.

General Bau, a German (S. 101, N. 1) officer in⁠[1] the service of Russia, who had contributed much to the elevation of the great Catherine⁠[2], had⁠[3] orders to march to Holstein with a body of troops of which he had the command. He was a soldier of fortune, and no one knew either his family or his native place. One day (S. 19, N. 2), as he was encamped near⁠[4] Husum, he invited the principal⁠[5] officers to dinner. As they were sitting down to the table, they⁠[6] saw a plain miller and his wife brought into the tent, whom⁠[7] the general had sent his aide-de-camp to seek. The poor miller and his wife approached, trembling (S. 53, N. 12) with⁠[8] apprehension. The general reconciled them to⁠[9] their situation, and made⁠[10] them sit down beside him to dinner, during which he asked⁠[11] them a number of questions about their family.

Notes in this chapter

Note 2 · one day, eines Tages; one morning, eines Morgens; one evening, eines Abends, etc.Note 12 · The Present Participle may be used adverbially, as in English, to denote manner or state. Say ‘who told him kneeling and weeping bitterly, t Note 1 · National adjectives require a small initial in German.Note 1 · Origin, Herkunft, f.; in the service of Russia, in russischen Diensten.Note 2 · Katharina I., Kaiserin von Rußland, wurde am 15. April 1684 geboren und war die Tochter eines lithauischen Bauers, namens Samuel Skawronski.Note 3 · Say ‘had the order’; render ‘to march — command,’ liter. = with an under his command standing body of troops (Truppencorps, n.) to (S. 72, N Note 4 · near = not far from, unweit.Note 5 · = first.Note 6 · = they saw that a simple miller and his wife were brought into the tent.Note 7 · die der General durch seinen Adjutanten hatte holen lassen.Note 8 · [1] Origin, Herkunft, f.; in the service of Russia, in russischen Diensten. [2] Katharina I., Kaiserin von Rußland, wurde am 15. April 1684 Note 9 · made them sit down, ließ (or hieß, bade) sie ... platz´nehmen; beside him = on his side; to dinner, beim Essen.Note 10 · to ask a person numerous questions, einem viele Fragen vor´legen; about, über.