The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-10-13
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beneath the caves filled my heart
with a quiet joy. Ali those were
happy days that followed. We had
few wants and no cares.
When our baby boy came, and then
our little daughter, our JOY seemed
complete. But sunny days were not
to last always,-hard times came to
England; hard time such as you know
nothing about in America. We
struggled along as we'll as we could,
often not having enough bread 1t
is only as you know the condition of
the slaves in the South, that you can
imagine how the poor of England
were oppressed. Your grandfather
was very Independent man, a sup
erior man in every way, and this posi-
ton of serfdom was very hard for
him. His strong independent nature
rebelled against the English govern
ment. He wanted a voice and vote
in the government under which he
lived. To bare his head and speak
with bated breath to those who had
rank and title was most CALLING to
| him.
Another baby came and we worked
harder than ever. Your grandfather
worked on the public highway for
eleven cents day, and earned
little more picking hops for our
neighbors. Sorrow came in the death
of my parents. Life seemed hard.
James came in one evening and
said, Margaret, l hear such great
things about the new country. Let
me 90 to America and make home
for you there" How my heart stood
still at the very mention of the name
America. Some of our neighbors
had gone to America and had never
been heard from. To think of losing
my husband was more than | could
bear, "Ohl james, cried, anything
but that, anything"
He came home few evenings after
with such bitter, hard look on his
face, Margaret" he said, "Set your
mind at rest about my going to Ameri-
ca I went around to the townsman
to see,-oh, just went around with
friend" he said, as he saw my face
blanch- "to see if I could get per-
NIT to go if wanted to. Neighbor
Eyre was before me. The officer gave
him money for his passage, you know
what worthless fellow he is, and
they wanted to get him out of the
country, but when stepped up he
said, No, you can't go. You've got
good muscle, get to work and earn
your salt He knows how I've begged
him for work, and can get none. I'm
willing to do anything. Margaret,
Margaret can endure it no long
en-" and he paced the floor like
Gagged lion. So day after day the
fury of his pent-up emotion spent it.
self upon his troubled heart.
One morning I awoke with a start
to find James up. "Why so early
WONDER" said /, and then / found
letter tucked under the pillow, and
at once the truth burst upon me.
"James has gone" I cried, and tore
open the letter.
Don't look so indignant, DEAR"
said grandmother, as started from
my seat, angry with my grandfather
and this heartless desertion. He
meant it for the best, and, dear, the
letter heleft me was so precious. He
told me how he had struggled with
his pride as he saw me bringing in
his daily bread, and how he felt sure
I could support the children as l had
been doing. How he felt that his
heart would break as he bent over
his sleeping babes ana knew ne was
leaving them. He was sure it would
only be for little while, and then he
would come back, and we would all
go to the blessed free land, America.
And then, dear. he told of his love
for me in such way that in all those
dark days l never for one moment
doubted his love for us, or his inten-
ton to do what was the best. l wore
that letter over my heart. and it
seemed like a living presence. He
said he could not get permit oleaye
the country, so he had stolen away
and hired on ship to work his pass
age over.
My first impulse was to hurry to
the dock and stop him if he had not
sailed, and then l knew if he should
be discovered he would be brought
back and put in chains. l must not
do that. can scarcely tell you ofthe
days that followed. 1t seems so real
to me, and grandma wiped her eyes.