The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-07-13
Christian ROth's Story.
[Stnttgart, May, 1882. ]

tStuttgart, May, 1891
I've called, Mr.. Consul, this morning, to ask, if yo
please, your advice
On a matter that gives me great worry" Let
hear 1t wants money know"
Here's my citizen-paper-C'Allr right VI was borr
in the Schwarzwalder Krels,
At Schramberg, and went to America forty-lv,
years ago.
Yes, I'm near seventy now, and you see that m,
step is unsteady
Plenty of trouble, tell you-I settled in Nortl
Illinois,
And there, ever since I've been working and saw.
ing up, so that already
I've got nice farm, Mr. Consul, that goes by-and
bye to my boys.
How many children? There's four, three boys and
a girl. We've had seven;
But when the 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 Minnie-she's 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 oil. Next
spring she'll be just twenty-four.
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 left? Well, perhaps, Mr.. Consul, 'twere bet
ter the truth weren't told.
But no mattcr-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 will 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 I
all good
And happy together; but since we began to be get
ting ahead
She has tried to be boss 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 no it 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 borne with her so.
And the boys they all tried to make peace; she
would listen to naught that they said,
But my Lima stoodu by my side-though shes spoke
not, twas easy to see,
As she 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 I 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 old?
No lawyer can part us, Christina, no lawyer can
sever our vow,
But I'll leave you and go forth alone my wy
through the rain and the cold"
Then my poor Lima cried, and she bade
fleet, and the boys they said "Stay!"
And paused for moment and looked at Chris
tina-she said not word
One wcrd would have kept me- But no, it came
not, and hurried away,
And my Lina's sweet voice, "Oh, 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 ofmy father and mother
have seen the old home
On the hillside at Schramberg-and yet, Mr. Consul,
to tell you the TRUTH
l find that cannot be happy while far from the
loved ones | roam.
For my sweet Lina's words, "Oh, dear father, come
back" always ring in my ears,
And I'm going this day; but for fear there should
come on the journey some i'll,
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 will.
And want you to make my old woman entitled to
all that I've got
In 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? Here's letter ad-
dressed to you here in my care'
A letter! My Lina's handwriting, and postmarked
at Scott, Illinois;
Here, quick, let me read it: "Dear father, my
mother mplores 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 i. Catlia.