Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-01

tstuttgart, May. 1891
I've Called Mr. Consul, this morning, to ask If you
please, your advice
On matter that gives me great WORKPLACES
hear it wants money, / know)"
here's my c.tizen,paper-t"All rlght."1-I was
born in the Schwarzwalder Kres,
AT Schramberg, and went to America forty-fve
years ago.
Yes, I'm near seventy now, and you see that nv
step is unsteady
Plenty OF trouble, tell you'll settled in North
And there, ever SINCE rye been working and
saving up, so that already
I've got nice farm, Mr. Consul, that goes by-and-
by TO my boys
How many children? There's four, three boys and
girl We've had seven;
But wnen the War came along, my William and
Carl marched away.
Both or them fell the field, and last winter the
good Lord in Heaven
Called home our dear little Minnie-shes twelve
years old to-day.
Yes, the old woman is living She's there with
the boys on the place,
And our Lima keeps house for them all Next
spring she'll be just twenty-fonr.
She's the handsomest 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 l left7 Well, perhaps, Mr.. Consul, 'twere
better the truth weren't told.
But no matter-it wasn't my fault. My old woman
and had fight.
She is sick and can't work any more, and she's
idle. We're both getting old:
So she's cross, and viii have it that I'm always
wrong and that she's always right
1t hasn't been always that way. In the DAYS when
we worked for our bread
And hadn't dollar laid by in the bank, she and
were all good
And happy together; but since we began getting
ahead
She has tried to boss over me, and didn't intend
that she should.
And when our poor dear Minnie died, had hoped
that the fight would die, too
But no! 1t lived on just the same, and one day,
about four weeks ago,
The old woman sent out for lawyer, and then,
,, for the first time, knew
That she wanted to separate from me-frOm me,
who have born with her so.
And the boys they all tried to make peace: she
would listen to naught that they said.
But my Lima stood up by my side-though she
spoke not, twas easy to see,
AS she put her sweet arms round nv neck and
rested her beautiful head
On my breast. that her dear heart was full OF the
tenderest pity for me.
And said: "My Christiana, we've labored and
struggled together till now;
Our children are grown, and you want us to Sepa-
rate, now we are Old?
Nolawyer can part us, Christina, no lawyer can
sever VOW,
But I'll leave you and go forth alone on my way
through the rain and the cold"
Then my poor Lima cried, and she babe me reflect.
and the boys they said "Siay!"
And paused for a moment and looked at Chris
tina-She said not word.
One word would have kept me. But no. it came
not, and hurried away,
And my Lnas sweet voice, sob, dear father, come
back" was the last that heard
And so have wandered back here to the scenes
OF my childhood and youth;
Have stood by the grave OF my father and mother
have seen the cid home
On the hillside at Schramberg-and yet, Mr.. Con-
sui, to tell you the truth,
find that l cannot be happy Willie far from the
loved ones | roam
For my sweet Lina's words. "Oh, dear father, come
back," alwaysr ring In my ears,
And I'm going this day: but for fear there should
come on the journey some Ill,
Ihere'S no telling, you know, what might happen,
perchaHce to a man OF my years,
nave come. MI. Consul this morning to ask you
to draw up my Will.
And want you to make my Old woman entitled to
all that I've got
In case OF my death. After all l can trust her to
do what is fair
BY the children In case she survives me. just say
that /, Christian ROth-''Wlat!
Is your name Christian Roth? Here's a letter ad-
dressed to you here in my care.''
letter! My Linas handwriting, and postmarked
at Scott, Illinois;
Here, quick, let me read 1t: "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.'
T