The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-08-02
ChristIan ROth,s Story.
tstustgart, May, 1881

totuttkaiti mhys AooTl
I've called, Mr. Consul, this morning. to asl, IL you
please, your advice
On matter that gives mo great worry" Let's
hear It wants money know)."
Here's my citizen-paper-("An right MI was born
In tho Sohwarzwalder Kreis,
At scbramberg, and went to America forty-Gve
years ago.
Yes, Pm near seventy now, and you sec that my
step is unsteady
Plenty Of trouble. tell you'll settled in North
Illinois,
And there, ever since, I've been working and saw
Ing up, 60 that already
I've got nice farm, Mr.. Consul that goes-by -nnd
bye to my boys.
How many chldren7 There's four three boys and
q girl. We've had seven;
But when tho war came along, my William and Carl
marched away.
Both Of them fell on the field, and last winter the
good Lord in Heaven
Called home our dear little Ninne-she's twelve
years old to-day.
Yes, the old woman 10 living She's there with the
boys on the place,
And our Lima keeps house for them ALL Next
spring she'n be Just twenty-four.
She's the hnndsomest girl in the county; there's
sunshine all over her face;
can hear even now her sweet voice as she told me
farewell at the door,
Why / left7 Well, perhaps, Mr. Consul, twere bet
ter the truth weren't told.
But no matter-it wasn't my fault. Ny old woman
and had q fight.
She is sick and can't work any more, and she's idle
We're both getting old;
80 she's cross, and win have It that I'm always
wrong and that she's always right
II hasn't been always that way. In the days when
we worked for our bread
And hadn't a dollar laid by in the bank, she and
were ell good
And happy together; but since we began to be get
ting ahead
She has tried to be boss over me, and didn't in
tend that she should.
And when our poor dear Minnie died, had hoped
that the fight would die, too,
But II lived on just the same, and one day about
four weeks ago,
The old woman sent out for lawyer, and then, for
the nrst time, ] knew
That she wanted to separate from me-from me, who
have borne with her SO.
And the boys they all tried to make peace; she
would listen TO naught that they said,
Bnt my Lima stood mp by my side-though she spoke
not, twas easy TO see,
AS abe put her sweet arms round my neck and rested
her beautiful head
On my breast, that her dear heart was full OF the
tenderest pity for me.
And said: "My Christina, we've labored and
struggled together till now;
Our children are grown, and you want us to sepa-
rate, now we are old7
No lawyer can part us, Christina, no lawyer can
sever our vow,
But IN leave you and go forth alone on my way
Through the rain and the cold"
Then my poor Lima cried, and she bade me re-
feet, and the boys they said Stayp
And paused for a moment and looked at Chris
tina--she said not word.
One word would have kept me. But no, 1t came
not, and hurried away,
And my Lina's sweet voice, "Oh, dear father, come
bdck," was the last that heard.
And so have wandered back here to the scenes OF
my childhood and youth
Have stood by the grave ofmy father and mother
have seen the old home
On the hillside at Schramberg-andy yet, Mr.. Consul,
TO tell you the truth,
find that cannot be happy while far from the
loved ones roam
For my sweet Llna's words Z" oh, dear father, come
back" always ring in my eah,
And Pm going this day; but for fear there should
come on the journey some III,
There's no telling, you know, what might happen,
perchance, to man of my years,
have come, Mr.. Consul, this morning to ask you
TO draw up my viii.
And want you to make my old woman entitled to
AL that I've got
In case Of my death After all can trust her to do
what Is fair
By the children in case she survives me- Just say
that /. Christian Roth" What!
Is your name Christian Roth q? Here's letter sd-
dressed to you here in my care"
A letterl Ny Lina's handwriting, and postmarked
at Scott, Illlnos
Here, quick, let me read IL: "Dear father, my
mother implores you to come
She tenderly asks your forgiveness; and now, she
and and the boys
are lovingly waiting your coming, and eager to
welcome you home"
George L. Catlin