The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-06-23
The German Emigrant.

blended tears ana laughter On the
| Santa Fe train was large family Of
Germans so fresh from the ship that Won
could smell the steeragc odor. There
were fathers and mothers, brothers and
sisters, and raft of little ones. Soma
were able to crawl up and sit on seat
Others were still at the breast. Tbav
were all bound for the Neosho Vallay
All were tired, hungry ard worn-ont
from 4 four weeks passage They had
left crowded Germany, where they had
been struggling for an existence, and
they were going to their new home in
the new world. If they started with anv
money it gave out before they reached
Kansas City, for on the train they were
eating black bread and salt When the
children cried for meat or sometime
better than the stale black bread the
mothers hushed them and told them
that they would soon be at Plymouth.
beyond Emporia, where they would
meet Uncle Heinrich and Aunt Lena
and when they got out onto the farm
they would all have meat and milk.
go, it will be Heaven" said one Of
the women, ito live in country where
our children can have all the milk and
meat they want!''
As the train passed Emporia the poor
Germans began to raise the windows
and admire the beautiful country along
the Santa Fe Road. The next station
was to be the long-hoped-for newhom9.
The mothers, wreathed in smiles, began
to wash the children's faces for the list
TINA 'Ibnn ha ohoofph
children were fixed they took vlite
handerchiefs out of their bags anjput
them around their own necks. Poor
women, they had but one dress onarth,
but as they were going to see b5thers
and sisters and neighbors who hi been
away from Germany and ivingn Kan
sas for five years they wanted tloQk as
well as they could.
The next station is the plce," said
a big, heathful German as ne tied
blue handkerchief over his Did soiled
collar, land here well neve'be hungry
again. Here my little babiS can have
all they want to eat"
''Will your friends NEE you at the
tramp | asked, becomin deeply in
terested in the poor bat now happy
group.
Eyes, they know we az coming this
week, and they'll be OWN to every
train. Heinrich's farm isonly two miles
off. "
There they are waitig for u.s." said
the wife, stretching herhead out of the
window, and sure enough there stood a
crowd of twenty Acknowledgements ON
the platform as the train drew up.
Soon the fathers and mothers lead the
way off the train, carrying the big
bundles, the children blowing with the
dozens of little packages. As they struck
the platform brothers and sisters and
fathers and children came together in a
long embrace. Every eye was dimmed
with tears. Every voice faltered and
every throat choked with emotion. 1t
was the pother of great joy. But soon
they wiped their tears away and began
to laugh and pat ndsmooth each other
on the back. Then the Kansas Germans
lead them across the street to hotel
where a big dinner was ordered For
the first time in their lives these poor
German emigrants ate beefsteak, and
tried eggs and cake, and pie and fresh
Texas cabbage. 1t was worth DAYS
travel to see those appetites appeased.
| became so absorbed in the little cpl
sode that could not keep my eyes oft
OF them. 1t was q scene Of the most
heartfelt joy | ever witnessed. | could
not look at the scene without wipino
away tear myself, and cannot speak
of it now without my throat choking
with emotion.
When the dinner was over they all
went out and got into new lumber
wagons, with bright green boxes and
rode out to the new home on the farm.
Having occasion to lay over in the
town, | rode out to the new German
farm this morning, to see how the new
emigrants were getting along. | found
the Kansas Germans had had them all
over the farm before breakfast. When
l got there they We're showing their
stock. The happy emigrant would put
his hand on a colts back and smooth it
like kitten. Then he would examine
a harness, then take hold of pillow
handle
This, said the Kansas brother. sis
the span Of horses I've got for you,
John"
Then John would 90 and pat them on
their faces and look into their ewes.
The talk of the women in the house
sounded like school intermission.
They were showing their stoves and
kettles, and showing how they burned
coal and wood instead of sticks, and
telling how, in Kansas, every one has
all the white bread and meat they want
''Then," said one woman, there is no
army here to take our men away. We
are sure our husbands will ALWAYS stav
at home"
In two years these German emigrants
who looked so hungry on the cars will
own good farms. They will have horses
and COWS and green wagon to ride to-
town in, and in ten years their farms
will be worth forty dollars an acre.
Their grandchildren will 90 to collepe.
be perfect Americans and fill positions
OF honor and trust in the best State for
the poor man the sun ever shone on
Kansas.-EH Perkins, IN Chicaqo Trib-
7L3l9