New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-25
cHRISTIAN RO7H'S STORY.
rstuttgart. May, 1881

tStuttgart, May, le'@-J
Pve called Mr. Consul. this morning, 10 ask, If you
please, your advice .
On a matter that gives me great worry" Let's
hear II wants money, / know,
Here's my citIzen-paper-f All rght"l-l was Dorm
IN the SchwarZwalder kres,
At Schramberg, aud went TO America forty-fve
years ago.
Yes Pm near seventy now, and You see that my step
Plenty Of trouble tell you-I settled in North Hi
nOls,
And there. ever since I've been working and saving
up so that already
I've GOT NEE farm. Nr Consul, that goes by-and
by TO my boys.
How many children There's four, three boys and
glrl We've had seven; -
But when the war came along, my W llllam ana Carl
marched away.
Both OF them fell on the field, and last winter the
good Lord m Heaven
Called home our dear little Mlnnle-sbes tWeiNc
years old to-day.
Yes the old woman is living. She's there with the
And our Lima keeps house for them all Next spring
she'll be just twcnty-tour.
She's the handsomest girl IN the county there
sunshine al over her face,
can hear even now her sweet voice as she told me
farewell al the door.
Why leit7 Vel, perhaps, Mr.. Consul twere
better the truth wercn tod.
But 70 10 matter--ll wasn't my fault. NJ OLD woman
aud ! had fight
Size is sick and can't work any more and she's idle.
We're both getting Old;
So she's cross, and vill have IL that I'm always
wrong and that she always night.
II hasn't been always that way. In the days when
we worked iOI our bread
And hadn't dollar LAID by IN the bank, She and l
And happy together; but since we began to be get
She has tired to he boss over me- and didn't intend
that she should
And when our poor dear Minnie died had hoped
fl.. t~hf r,rtftf a TOO
But MOI il lived on just the same, and one day. about
four weeks ago,
The old woman sent out for lawyer and then, fol
That She wanted 10 separate from me--from me, who
have borne with her 50.
And the boys they all tried to make peace she
would listen 70 naugAt that they said
But my Lima stood W BY my slde-thOugh she spoke
not, twas easy 10 see,
As She pat Ter sweet round my neck and rested
On MY breast, that her dear heart was full of the
tendeTest pity Tor me.
And said: My Christina. we've labored and
struggled together Ill now
Our children are grown, and You want US to sepa-
rate now we are old
No lawyer can part Us, Christina, no lawyer can
sever our vow,
But iii leave You and 90 forth alone on my way
through the ram and the cold
Then nv poor Lima erred and she babe me reflect
and the boys they sand STAY
And paused fof a moment and looked at Christina
she said moi a word.
One word won lave kept me. But no, 1t came
not. and hurried away
And NV Iina's sweet voice " Oh, dear father, come
back was the Last that heard
And so have wandered back here to the scenes Of
NY childhood and youth;
Have STOOD by the grave of my father and mother
have seen the Old home
On the 1iliside al ~chr4mberg-and.yet Mr.. Consul
10 tell you the truth,
| find THAI cannot be happy while far from the
loved ones roam.
For NV sweet Lina's words "Oh. dear father, come
back always ring III my ears,
And Im going this day; but for fear there should
come Oh the journey some Ill,
There's no telling. YOU know, what might happen,
perchaucC. 10 a man of my years,
| have come. Mn Consul tins morning 10 ask you 10
draw up my Will
And want You TO make my old woman entitled to
In cas-. 81 nv death After all can trust her to do
what is Iar
Bv tbc children in case she survives me. Just say
thar l. Christian Roth WHAT!
Is vour name ChTistian Roth Here's letter ad-
dressed 10 You here III my care"
4 letter! Ny Lina's handwriting and postmarked
a. scott, Illinois
Here 0uic1 let me read il: " Dear father, nymOther
iupores yOu 10 come
she tendcrv asks yOur forgiveness; and now, she
and and the boys
Ere loving waiting Your coming, and eager TO wei
come you home