Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-10-13

strength and skill and Ursula's faith
fulness soon won the confidence and
regard of their employer.
One day Mr.. Martin came upon the
pleasant-faced German woman bending
over a bed of lettuce, with one hand
busily pulling up the weeds. with the
She was talking softly to herself. He
stopped, and Ursula, looking up sudden
ly, saw a kind but curious gaze fixed
upon her.
She began to tell her story, half in
English, half in the mother-tongue, but
with an artless pathos more eloquent
than words
"Hermann makes toys by night" she
added, "and l knit stockings and shawls
to sell to the Germans in Milwaukee.
But the children will not be here for the
Christmas festival! The money comes
too slowly, though Hermann drinks no
more a glass ofbeer, but puts the money
in the box for the children"
From that day money came faster
to the strangers. There were ready pur-
chasers for the German toys, and. they
brought a larger price than in the home
markets. Soon they were settled in Il
cozy little home with four rooms, and
by the middle of September, with MI.
Martins help, the father semitic tickets
and the money for the children's long
journey.
If you could only have seer the glad
faces, fyou could only have heard the
glad shouts when the package came!
You would know then surely that the
hearts of German children are Just as
eager and loving as those of American
children.
Aunt Katrina's home would be very
lonely without them, she said. And how
could such little folks go so far alone?
But there was q letter for the Captain
and money for warm clothing and tick
cts to bring them all the way to Ger
mania, where the father and mother
We're working and waiting for them.
"We are not afraid to trust Ulrich
with his sisters" wrote the father. The
boy grew manly and strong in spirit as
with glowing eyes he read those words.
So Aunt Katrina gave the three chill
dren into the care of the genial German
Captain. Then she put in dear little
Gretchen's hands a tiny Testament to
carry all the way. On the tiy-leaf were
written the names and ages of the chill
dren, where they came from and where
they wished to go-for Aunt Katrina
was a sensible woman-and these words
were added:
sJesus said, whosoever shall give to
one of these little ones a cup of cold wa
ter only he shall in nc wise lose his re-
And now came the long, long voyage
of sixteen days. Passengers and crew
were kind to the Captains little friends.
Many a hrppy hour they passed on
deck, watching the waves and listening
to the songs of the sailors. Some
times the odd little group would be seen
nestled in the shelter of the cabin,
Gretchen fast asleep with her curly head
against her brothers. shoulder, and the
Testament tightly clasped in her hand.
When q storm came and the good ship
rolled heavily in the trough of the black
pillows, Ulrich was fearless and cheer
full. He told the sisters fairy tales, and
watched by their box-like berth every
night till the big, blue eyes were fast
closed in sleep.
New York City looked like a new
world to these simple peasant children.
There were forests of masts, and great
ocean steamships and crowded steam
ferry-boats. A multitude of Americans
were waiting to welcome %long-absent
friends. There was laughing and cry
ing and shouting and motioning.
II see my papa! l see my papa!n
exclaimed little Elsie all at once, as the
ship drew slowly neal the crowded pier.
mo, no, Elsie! l see that man, too,
but it is not papa. Oh, 1 wish it
was!"
"But it isl"
No, it was the father of the little Ger
man boy who had played with them
during the voyage, and who had come
with his mother from Berlin. 1t made
our little folks cry for Joy and envy to
see him welcome his child. But Ulrich
quickly brushed away his tears.
"Do not cry, sisters" he said.
''After two days more we shall see him,
and the mother, too"
So they watched the passengers leave
the ship, watched the custom-house
officers Inspecting the luggage, and by
and-by, when the November twilight
was fading into night. and the great
wy was VI aSloW Will lights, came
their kind Captain.
"Come now, my children" he said,
cheerily. Tonight you shall stay
with me: Tomorrow 1 shall start you
off for Germania."
Tightly holding each others hands
they followed him down the half-de-
serted pier to a carriage which was wait
ing for him. A steward followed with
their box and the Captains handbag,
and soon they were rolling through the
streets.
Sitting on those soft cushions the lit
tie %emigrants gazed about them in
wondering, awe-struck silence. Surely
they had sailed away into fairyland!
They were aprince and princesses riding
in a crimson chariot through streets
paved with precious stones to the door
of a splendid palace!
A colored servant put the children to
bed. Poor little Gretchen cried for
fright. She had never seen a negro be-
fore.
In the morninp the Cantain fool