The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-11-24
TWO THANKSGIVING.

The story Of u Swedish Girls Expo
rience In This Country.
She sat patiently awaiting her turn
In the crowded intelligence office late
in the afternoCn of 4 chilly November
dsy. There seemed to be more appli-
cants for work. than places to be
filled, and Dagmar'S pale face grew
more tense and almost hopeless when
gay, chattering trio came in to regis
ter for places. She had heard the
questions asked of those who applied
for work: 'Were they strong?" Could
they cookY' ''Were they eXperiencedT'
Heart and courage failed her when
they asked her these questions. She
was not strong, she could not cook,
and she had had but little experience
in housekeeping.
After all, she concluded, perhaps she
had done very foolish thing when
she left the comfortable old home ir
Sweden There she was a child among
her schoolmates; here she must take
her place among the working people in
the world
If she only had Siegred's address!
Siegred was her school friend and
companion, who had come to America
a year before, and had written once to
her old friends in Grenna Ct the Won-
ders of the new country. Siegred had
married a rich husband. who had
store of his own. Dagmar had not met
anyone who could tell her about Sic
cred or her rich husband or his store,
and there were more stores III the
great city than she ever dreamed OF;
so she concluded that to find SleSred
was out of the question.
::After walking several blocks she
saw a sign: Girl Wanted and tim
idly rang the bell. All fear of being
questioned had left her, and III her
simple, guileless brain there arose the
brilliant plan of lying-of answering
satisfactorily any questions as to her
ability: but her tender conscience was
spared this necessity, for the lady was
not oyerexacting in the matter of quail
iticationS for a chambermaid, and took
her in with no other reference than her
honest ewes and the bundle Of clean,
well made clothes.
But little sleep came to Dagmar that
first night in her new home; she was
trying to think of herself under these
new conditions. She felt so worldly
wise with her large experience OF the
last two weeks, this simple, little, falr-
haired maiden. Surely, if her father
could know how we'll she had man
aged on the long journey, he would no
longer think her q child. Dagmars
heart was quite full when she thought
of the dear father who had been her
friend and companion in her child
hood and budding womanhood she
loved him none the less, only had felt
hurt when he had brought home
young wife-a girl not much older
IN Cr11N u l.
WAYS been loving and dutiful daugh-
fer? Could anyone in all Sweden
mend his socks or cook his herring bet
fer than she? Now, since Signe had
ccme to preside over the little house
hold. he never found time to take long
walks with his little girl in the sum
mer twilights along the ford, as she
had always done since her babyhood;
for now the old man had eyes or ears
for no one but the dark-eyed Signe.
He did not even offer serious objection
to Dagmar,s proposition to seek her
fortune in America.
No one seemed TO care very much
about her going. only Lars, ana ne,
big. good-natured fellow, cried when
she left-then Dagmar cried, too-ev-
cry one did when the boat was leaving.
She thought of the good times she had
had on Christmas and OH the Kings
birthday and Midsummer day, and
Lars seemed to be the center of all
these pleasures.
She was awakened by shrill alarm
that the cook had sent for her, and
She arose rather heayy-eyed but anX-
ious to assume her new duties. She
saw preparations for q great dinner
going ON and the whole house wore
festal appearance:
The cook told her it was Thanks
giving day. .And do you thank God
only once a year in America! she
asked. II have always said my pray
ers e'rcry niSllt.