Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-08-31

POoElo aEc htlbuer ueHu nor AilV6. II
only I had more work, if only I could
earn more money and get little more
room somewhere in the fresh air and
get where can see trees and green
things. And this noise-this endless
roar of wagons and changing of street
car bells! All, fear 1 am going mad
that my brain is ill"
1t was the same old story-little or
no work, wretchedness of heart and q
desperate lack of money. pitied her
and felt that strong sympathy which
| only one woman can have for another.
How much richer was I, thought,
| than this poor, friendless woman alone
in a foreign country. How could I
complain after that?
She told me her history; her Grim
soned cheeks grew brighter as she
continued an her hands moved ner-
vously as if she we're i'll.
Her mother. it seems, had been q
widow of considerable wealth and
moved in the best society in Berlin.
When she, my visitor, was fifteen years
old, her mother married again. The
stepfather, having the usual old coun-
try view of womans incapabilities in
business affairs, promptly relieved his
wife of the care of her money and
thereafter positively refused even to
consult her as to either its use or its
disposal. He entered into several en- =
terprises which failed dismally; then
he began to speculate, with the usual
results. In four years the widows little
fortune had drlfted away and her hus-
band plunged into disaipations that
soon brought his earthly career to an
end. Mother and daughter struggled
along as best they could, giving French
and music lessons and doing what sew
ing they could beg from their rich
friends.
During this time of poverty and dis
tress manly young German had fallen
in love with the hard working
daughter and they became betrothed.
He, too, was battling with hardships
and one day he came to his little sweet
heart and told her that he was going
to America, that place OF freedom
where opportunities for work and ad-
vancement are to be had for the ask
ing. He would sent for her soon, ne
said. She and her mother were to
come to him, to little home that he
would have ready and waiting on the
other side of the great ocean.
She smiled bravely when he left her,
but as she watched his broad figure
disappear in the soft evening twilight
despair seized her heart and strange
forebodings made her tremble with
fear and distress.
What On age it was until his first let
ter arrived The waiting for it so
filed her thoughts that she failed to
notice that the dear, frail mother was
growing weaker and paler each day.
Before the second letter reached Ber-
lin the mother was dead.
For six months the young girl
breasted the storm of poverty. Then,
to her great JOY, her lover in far away
America wrote that she was to come to
him at once. She gathered up the
small belongings and heirlooms that,
although worthless in money sense,
were OF such priceless value to her and
with these she sailed away to her
new home.
When the great boat landed her in
the noisy city of New York she found
her way to an address that her Ger
man sweetheart had sent her, expect.
ing to find there o friend OF his who
would put her on train that would
take her to the small town il Pennsvl-
vania where he had secured work.
There he would meet her at the station
and, after saying over the holy words
that were to make them husband and
wife, take her to the little home he
bad prepared. The plan was a good
one but something was wrong some
where. At the address in New York
there lived no person by the name
which he had written IN her letter and
the poor girl was in despair. She
found lodgings, and the next day
iourneyed on to the little Pennsylvania
town, where she was unable to discov-
er the whereabouts of her betrothed.
With but a few dollarsleft she returned
to New York and by some miracle i'm
mediately secured employment us
governess. In another week she was
on her way to Mexico, having in her
charge two small children of a wealthy
Gothamite.
Then came two years OF hard work,
during which she went from one situ-
alton to another and finally became
our nelghbor in "Ihe RUNS"
81 have but two pupils now," she
explained. Zone 1 am teaching
French, the other German. But two
pupils-they bring me hardly enough
to pay my rent and to buy fuel and
provisions. l cannot hold out much
longer-and [ thought perhaps you
could tell me where could get work.
l have tried everything-everythingl" +"
L promised to help her even while
doubling my ability to secure employ
ment for her, for knew that hope
never fails to warm the heart and that
encouragement is pleasant even to the
doomed. She said goodby and went
up the dark, creaking stairs. As she
took my fingers l noticed that her
hand was hot and fevered and that her
ewes looked stranpe and rastlaos