Fraternity-Testvériség, 1960 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1960-09-01 / 9. szám

FRATERNITY

3

some trouble making ends meet on occasion. At times she inquired about various commercial ventures, including the raising of silkworms, and once went into the cotton business for a brief period.

Great occasions were not lacking in the Kossuth household, however, and they occupy a prominent place in Mme. Ruttkay’s letters. On Kossuth’s eightieth birthday, a great celebration was held in his honor in Hungary. More than 70 telegrams arrived in Turin, and he learned that over 100 banquets were held in Hungary in his honor. An album of

30,000 signatures was presented to him. Mme. Ruttkay observed that it was astonishing that the memory of her brother was still revered by the youth of Hungary even after 33 years of separation.

The stream of Hungarian visitors to the Kossuth household continued. At the same time, pleas for Kossuth to return to Hungary increased. He would not. In a banquet arranged in Turin on July 5, 1889, some 850 Hungarians arrived to assure Louis of their loyalty to his ideals for a republic and a Danubian Federation. Among the visitors were judges of the Supreme Court, deputies of Parliament, professors, lawyers, doctors, deputations from various counties, journalists and artists. Many gifts were given to Kossuth. The ladies presented Mme. Ruttkay with gifts in a handsome case bearing the inscription: “To Mme. Louise Ruttkay, the patriotic daughter of Hungary and the devoted sister of Louis Kossuth, as a sign of love and great esteem from her countrywomen.”

As Kossuth’s ninetieth birthday approached in 1892, again there was some controvery in Hungary over the exact date of his birth — April 18 or September 18. Since the Kossuth family Bible had been lost, neither Kossuth nor his sister knew the exact date. So congratulations began to pour in in April 1892, and then again in September. In December a deputation from Budapest brought a diploma conferring the title of honorary citizen of the Hungarian capital upon Kossuth.

By the end of the following year, although very feeble and suffering from kidney and heart disease, Kossuth still busied himself with his work. His sister wrote, . . he is always sighing for the end. You can imagine how sad that does make me too! What will become of me if Providence should keep me longer than him? The wish of my heart would be to return to America, where I had some very dear friends — and where my poor orphaned grandchildren are, but how could I, so old and feeble, dare to undertake such a long voyage? If I would go to Hungary, which is nearer, I would be among my people, who show me a great deal of affection, but then I shall never see my grandchildren. Let us take comfort in the faith that He who doeth all things well will arrange for me what will be best!”

On March 20, 1894, while returning from his customary walk, Kossuth was stricken by fever and forced into bed. By the time the head physician and family friend from the nearby hospital arrived, he found his patient beyond human help. Upon the death of Kossuth in Italy, arrangements were made immediately to take his body back to Hungary. After services in the Waldensian church in Turin where Kossuth had regularly worshipped, Madame Ruttkay accompanied the funeral train to Budapest, where thousands of mourners greeted the train. Even the humblest houses