Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-06-17

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One morning l was called to the study
to see several foreigners with whom RAN
knew little German and less English.
With my assistance we managed to un-
derstand that the couple he had brought
in were recent immigrants and that the
conversationalist of the party wanted q
place in some ones household for the
girl.
The couple stood modestly waiting. side
by side 1t was already cold weather, and
the woman had a cheap plaid shawl over
her head. bright ribbon tied around it
to form Il hood | spoke to her in kind
voice, and she looked me full in the
face with the bIuest pair of eyes | had
ever seen.
The two were lovers from the extreme
northern part of Sweden. They We're the
children of fisher folk, poor. They had
despaired of marriage at home, but one
day walked away together, reached a
seaport town, and there both, with hard
labor had earned enough money to come
across the ocean. The interpreter was
her cousin. He was also poor and had a
family
"Magnus has a place in the railroad
yards" explained the cousin. He lives
with me. She live with you. After while
they have money and they get married
1t was finally decided that Christina
Erd should come to US. The lover was to
bring her chest from the railroad station
at once. 1t arrived in an hour, huge
affair. and carried by the man, Magnus
Liefssen. without apparent effort. She
helped him take it up stairs, then the two
said farewell in my presence.
Christina had removed her shawl and
rough cloak. Her head was crowned with
heavy braids of fiaXen hair. Her skin
WAS white us milk, and on each cheek
burned a spot than was like pink rose.
When she saw that her lover must go,
she went to him. They took each others
hands and stood silent for few mo-
ments; then his lips moved. He drop
ped her hands, and she turned away to
me- haunting look of pain in her blue
eyes.
| was therefore left with a maid who
could not understand a word said or re-
ply to me. | pass over the trials of the
uext few days. l grew patient because
of the girls extreme willingness and real
intelligence, and began to realize what
dumb faithfulness meant. At first she
was timid, but in a few days she began
to repeat names of articles, address us
and grew more cheerful. At the end of
a month we got along quite well.
Three times week her lover came to
see her for two hours. 1t was not long
before I happened to 20 into the kitchen
nj both lal or
copybooks. They were learning To write
English. with the Cousins small son to
guide them
Our household settled down into peace
and comfort Christina was so strong so
determined, so CHEEKY and became so full
of resources as time passed that we Won
dered we had managed to live without
her.
Have you any fault to find with me ?"
asked Christina one day in the spring
time. "Is all the work finished well?"
| believe / am Just. ! told her / had
no reason to complain about it.
After that their hoard grew, and as it
did the spirits of the two rose. When
Magnus sat at the copybooks, Christina
sewed swiftly on all things necessary to
their house fitting. Not once did she lose
her head. All she bought was sensible,
good, necessary for Il neat home.
Christina was indeed good and beauti-
full. When she came to church, as she
often did with A1agnus, l saw that peo-
pie observed her. l told her story to one
of our church societies, and heard that
they intended to add to her modest out
fitting by present.
l must confess that at times felt that
Christina might do better than to wed
such a stupid man as Magnus Leifssen.
But suddenly the man / thought stupid
rose to the height of a hero.
1t was all in the morning papers. Ran,
dali ate the breakfast Christina had pre-
pared and unfolded his journal while l
slipped my coffee. He jumped to his feet.
Where is Christina?" he asked in a
low tone, his mouth twitching.
She was singing somewhere. She had
voice like lark.
"What is it, Randall?" / cried, running
around. to him.
He pointed to the great, black head
lines. read, breathless, of the attempt
ed robbery of railroad pay car prepar-
ing to set out i'll the gray dawn. The car
had been drawn up in the switchyards
and guarded By the policeman and sever
al section men. 1t had been foggy night,
and the attack on the car was made so
suddenly and quickly there was not
second of time to give whistle of alarm.
Two section men were knocked down,
one fed, and the car door was defended
alone by brawny Swede, who fought
steadily. doggedly, stubbornly, his eyes
filled with blood, his wounds Incredible.
NJ Il, l,,J bn
was in the roundhouse, not so feet away,
telephoning to headquarters, when the
fleeing Irishman hurst in upon him with
the news. Help arrived in time to save
the car from being looted, but Liefssen
was picked up for dead. He had been
taken to the hospital and was the city
hero. There was little hope for his life.
Beloved pastor end | took Christina in
a carriage to the hospital. Her face had
been like marble since we told her.
He had not regained consciousness. He
was only poor bandaged mummy when
we stood at his bedside. Christina said
not Il word. She stopped and, III spite of
the nurses protests, took him into her
two strong arms.
There WAS Il perceptible Shudder in his
frame.
Speak to him. cried the surgeon,
coming up. HE may rousn."
From Christmas lips burst forth ter
ribe tenderness. She called him endear-
ing names in her strange language, she
showercd kisses upon his cheek, she laid
hers upon his unhurt hand. At last he
opened his eyes and gazed stupidity Mt
her. then smiled and muttered word.
Christina laid him down and stood
erect. She looked full at Randall.
Beloved pastor" she said i'll her splen-
did voice. I'VE have done wrong. We
have serve too long for money. He have
called me wife. 1t is now the right
time
And in the afternoon their serious ap-
10. hin. ta dn1lcn ,,.aS OF