Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-08-23
All They Want to Eat.

THE EXPECTATIONS OF POOR GERMAN ENI-
GRANTS.
| ONE DAY AFTER ARRIVAL IN KANSAS.
Letter to Chicago News.I
blended tears and laughter. On the Santa
Fe train was large family Of Germans, so
fresh from the ship that you could smell
the steerage odor. There were fathers and
mothers, brothers and sisters, and a raft Of
little ones. Some were able to crawl up
and sit on seat others were still at the
breast. They were all bound for Neosho
valley. All were tired, hungry and worn
out from 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 any 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 some
thing better than the stale bread, the moth
ers hushed them and told them that they
would soon be at Plymouth, beyond En-
poria, where they would meet Uncle Helm
rich and Aunt Lena, and, when they got
out on the farm, they would all have meat
and milk.
1 "Oh, it will be Heaven said one of
the women, "to live in a 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 San
Ia Fe road. The next station was to be the
long hoped for new home The mothers,
wreathed in smiles, began to wash the chill
} drens faces for the last time Then, when
the rosy checked children were fixed, they
I took white handkerchiefs out Of their bags
and put them around their own necks Poor
women they had but one dress on earth, but
as they were going TO see brothers and sis
ters, and neghbors who had been away
from Germany and living in Kansas FIVE
Years they wanted 10 look as well As they
could.
The next station is the place" said a big,
healthful German. as he tied blue hand
kerchief over his old soiled collar. land
here we'll never be hungry again. Here
my Little babies can have all they want to
eat"
"Will your friends meet you at the tram"
| asked, becoming deeply interested in the
poor but now happy group.
"les they know We were coming this
week, and they'll be down to every train
Heinrchs farm is only two miles Off"
There they are, waiting for US = said the
wife, stretching her head out of the window
and sure enough. there stood crowd of
twenty American Germans on the platform
as the train drew up. Soon the fathers and
mothers led the way off the train. carving
the big bundles the children following with
the dozen Of little packages. As they struck
the platform brothers and sisters and faith
srs and children came together in long
embrace. Every eye dimmed with tears.
Every voice faltered. and every throat
choked with emotion. II was the pathos of
great JOY. But soon they wiped their tears
away and began to laugh and pat and smooth
each other on the back. Then the Kansas
Germans led them across the street to a ho-
TEL where big dinner was ordered. For
the first time in their lives, these poor Ger
man emigrants ate heefsteak, and fried
egg, and cake, and pie, and fresh Texas
cabbage. II was worth 4 days travel TO
see these appettes appeased. became so
absorbed in this little episode that could
not keep my eyes off of them. 1t was
scene Of the most heartfelt JOY | ever wit
messed. | could not look at the scene with
out wlplng away tear myself, and can
not speak Of it now without my throat chok-
ing 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 10 lie over IN the town to
meet a lecture engagement, | rode out to
the new German farm this morning to see
how the new emlgrants were getting along.
| found the Kansas Germans had had them
all over the farm before breakfast. When
| got there they were showing their stock.
The happy emigrant would put his hand on
colts back and smooth it like kitten.
Then he would examine a harness, then take
hold of plow handle.
This" said the Kansas brother, "is the
span Of horse, I've got for YOU. John
Then John would 90 and pat them on
their faces and look into their eyes.
The talk Of the women in the house
sounded like school intermssion. They
were showing their stoves and kettles, and
showing how they burned coal and wood
instead Of sticks, and telling how. in Kan
sas, everyone has all the white bread and
meat they want. Then" said one wom-
an, "there is no army here to take our men
away. We are sure our husbands will al
ways stay at home"
In two years these German emigrant,,
who looked so hungry in the cars, wilt 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
$40 an acre. Their grandchildren will go
to college, be perfect Americans, and fill
positions Of honor and trust in the best state
for the poor man the sun ever shone on
Kansas.