The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-09
BRlTTA'S STORY.

BklTTA'S STORY.
A young, bright.looking girl from
Sweden, with . small package in her
hand, stood before lady curtsying and
smiling.
1.-THE Swede pastor sends you me-.
she said. "He say he send me more a.
some other girl, cause clean and loove-
" for works--and-and"-
"What else did he say?"
"And for cause l such glad girl. In
Brendabure, my home, where lives Mr..
Janssn's fader. the peoples all calls me
"Britta the Glad" .ns -5r.sl .%a'@
WAS this all?'' ~, - =....s 3->
No; he say he sends me, for cause l
been speaks such loovely English, like
been here sax month; been but only
three, and many Swede say they think
been horned in 'Merica. such English l
han!"
"How soon could You come 10 me.
Britta?" said the lady, smiling At the
girls innocence. ,. -"
II is coined nowl' cried Britta, hold
ing up the little package, and adding,
"Here been my workine-gown, and
apron, and slipper, for walk easy and
soft in lady house."
In twenty-four hours Britta was at
home in her duties as maid-of- all work
in the Iady's house. The days wore on.
and her smile never faded before cinl-
ers. or dust, or soap suds.
When her first Monday came the
clothes-line broke, letting the moist
clothes down on the sandy bricks: and
been good thing that sand wash out
more as paint"
Company came Unexpectedly one day
when dinner was over. When she set
about getting another meal, Britta re-
| marked, witha smile, ut been good
God give us more as is all eat by selves,
then strange one not 20 hungry!"
Such serenity of temper and more
than willing service led the mistress to
remark that the angels were not al! in
heaven!
Britta, as she went from room to
room, saw tokens of a little boys pres
! ence, but no little boy. Connecting this
fact with the sable garb and the sad
| day, in a tender tone and in respectful
manner, II think You been give some
little boy to God?'
The lady told her of the loss by death
of her only son and of his long sickness.
"Ah! I hope you been glad for that"
said Brltta, clasping her hands and rails
| Ing her eyes.
"Gladl' exclaimed her mistress, in
surprise. GLOW could l be glad?"
81 mean hope you been satisfy"
''No; not glad or satisfied, Britta. I
think perhaps you have never had any
trouble, or you could not talk in that
way" said her mistress.
The first shadow she had seen there,
now fell over the girls face, and clasp
ing her hands on her heart, she said,
has one big one on my heart now. but
1ader up there help me and keep me all
times glad"
Craving sympathy from even the low
lest trusting heart, the lady drew out
this story Of Britta's life.
Near, close to my home. runs my
years sick with cripples, that never lets
| him walk. He makes little brOoms OF
small sticks. for beat egg and stir things.
My Moder much sick and not work hard
but knits all time. l cook, and wash,
and makes garden.
"Once every month goes to big town
| to sell small broom and knit thlnRa-mit-
ten, and stockings and shawl. In sum-
mer | walks on road over loovely green
fields! In winter skates there on my
dear river. sells all, and brings back
fish, and meal, and little tea and sugar,
| and white meal for my dears
looyes been die when gets home. NY
heart say first it go break. But men,
beers he been say many times, For
what You keep me here, Lord? wants
60 home up there! So L gives him to
God, and ] been glad ever after-so glad
God got him safe!
''Then | must work more hard. /
goes to farmer and works in field all day,
| and when night come ! go to his house
and scrub floors till bedtimes. Then
farmer-wife let me go home, one mile,
for sleep with my moder, and take care
for her.
"When four clock morning come, 1
make moder some tea. and make good
her bed. and goes off to farmer, and dig,
and rake all day. See how my fingers
work.
I'm winters, when no work in field,
then spins, spins. After feed cows
home and spins by my moder. At night
goes back and feeds cows and mike
more tore goes to bed in my little
house.
"Ah! 80 glad when can stay night
with my small, dear m0der and not
! leaves her lone; for she been more sick
since fader go from her, and lie much
times In bed now"
"But, Britta, how could you leave her
to come to American" asked the lady.
~ 'fraid you think me fool il been
tell you all things"
mo, I want to know how you can al
ways be 70 glad with . mother go sick
and poor far from vou."
The roses mounted to her cheeks a.
Rritta replied, II been got friend oil
my life; name, Knude Knudesen. He
80 dear land goodl He, too, had old
moder and grandmother, and he work.
work SO much for takes care of theml
But sometimes they boths die and 20
home to God up high. Then poor Kn1d
been all lone in hie small house when
he comes home from his work in field.',
Hal he no wife?" asked the lady
HE but only twenty year! But [
been promise him long time l will be bis
wife when we been rich and can marry.
he cannot leave Moder and grandmother
end live with me in my small house
when they lives; and now they dead. l
will not leave my dear moder to live in
bis .small house. Oh, 20 small those
two housed"
"Well, if you had Knud to leave, az
we'll as your mother, how could you
come to AlDerica7" asked her mistress.
Il tells you ma'am. My farmer-so
kind to me--always give me one day in
one month for 20 to town and sell nv
moder's knit. and get medicine and tea
and white meal for her.
Zone night, eight months gone,
comes home skating on river, 80 glad
that been sing all the way from town.
I meets mans on river carrying dead
sheep to town on their backs to sell,
and they says to me, I hear you sing
long way, Britta the Gladl"
think no trouble anywhere for mo.
got my little moder and Knud; and
God got my fader dear; and on my head
in knakot IN al snO,d tkinoa e. o<>,,, r. -