Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-08-10
BRITTA'S STORY.

smiling.
'SThe swede pastor sends you me,'
she said He say he send me more as
some othergirl, cause clean and looye-
ly for orks--and-and'!--
"What else did he say?"
"And for cause | such a glad girl. In
Brendaburg, my home, where lives Mr..
Jansen's lader, the peoples all calls me
"Britta the Glad"
''Was this all?"
mo- he say he sends me, for cause
been speaks such loovely English, like
been here sax month; l been but only
three, and many Swede say they think l
been borned in 'Merica, such English |
hast
GLOW soon could you come TO me,
Britta?" said the lady, smiling at the
girls innocence.
81 is coined now" cried Britta, hold.
ing up the little package, and adding,
"Here been my working-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
III lle lauy HOUSE. Inc utyS wore oii,
and her smile never faded before cind-
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
she was heard to remark to herself, 'lt
been good thing that sand wash ont
more as paint"
Company came unexpectedly one day
when dinner was over. When she set
about getting another meal, Britta re-
marked, witha smile, "It 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 all in
heaven!
Britta, as she went from room to
room, saw tokens of little boys pres
ence, but no little boy. Connecting this
fact with the sable garb and the sad
face of her mistress, she said to her, one
day, in a tender tone and in a respectful
manner, 81 think you beer give some
little boy to God?'
The lady told her of the loss hy death
of her only son and of his long sickness.
"Ah! | hope you been glad for that"
said Britta, casping her hands and rails
ing her ewes.
"Gladv' exclaimed her mistress, in
surprise. GLOW could be gla,i?''
81 mean l hope you been satisfy"
'No; not glad or satisfied, Britta. |
think perhaps you have never had any
trouble, or you could not talk in that
way said her mistress
The rst shadow She had seen there,
now fell over the girls face, and clasp
ing her hands on her heart, she said,
"Ah, | been many troubles. | been
has one big one on my heart now, but
fader up there help me and keep me all
times glad"
Craving sympathy from even the low
liest trusting heart, the lady drew out
this story of Britta's life.
Near, close to my. home, runs my
river. My dear, looving fider been long
years sick with cripp'esI!I hat never lets
him walk. He makes little brooms of
small sticks, for beat egg and stir things.
but knits aIltlme, Il ,.sook, and wash,
and makes garden.
"Once every niontli'a goes to.big town
to sell small broom and Knit thlngs-lhit-
ten, and stockings and shawl In sum-
mer walks on road over loovely green
fields! In winter Il skates there. on my
dear river. | sells I'LL, and brings back
fish, and meal, and little tea and sugar,
and white meal for my dears.
looves been die when gets home. NY
heart say first it go break. But [ mem
bers he been say many times, For
what you'keep me here, Lord? | wants
20 home up theren So gives him to
God, and been glad ever after-so glad
God got him safe!
'Then | must WORK more hard. l
goes to farmer and works in field all day,
and when night come | go to his house
and scrub floors till bedtimes. Then
farmerwife let me go home, one mile,
for sleep with my moder, and take care
for her.
"When four clock morning come, I
make moder some tea. and make good
her bed, and goes Oft to farmer, and dig,
and rake all, day. See how my fingers
bended-never come right, from hard
work.
"In winters, when no work in field,
then / spins, spins. After l feed cows
and milks, farmer-wife let me take wool
home and SPINS by my moder. AT night
I goes back and feeds COWS and miIks
more lore l goes to bed in my little
house.
''Ah! l so glad when can stay night
with my small, dear moder and not
leaves her lone; for she been more sick
since fader 60 from her, and lie much
times in bed now"
''But, Britta, how could you leave her
to come to America?" asked the lady,
''I 'fraid you think me fool if I been
tell you all things" 81
No, want to know how you can al
ways be SO glad with mother.so sick
and poor far from YOU"
The roses mounted to her cheeks as
Rritta replied, Il been got a friend all
my life; name, Knude Knudesen. He
so dear band good! He, too, had old
moder and grandmother, and he work.
work SO much fol takes re'of theml
"But sometimes they boths die and go
home to God up high. Then poor Knud
been all lone in his small house when
he comes home from his work in field.'
Had he no wife?" asked the lady
He but only twenty year But
been promise him long time Twill be his
wife when we been rich and can marry.
He cannot leave moder and grandmother
end live with me in my small house
when they liyes;and now they dead:
will not leave my dear moder to live in
his Small house. Oh, so small those
"Well, If you had Knud to leave, al