The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-12
A Serious Apprenticeship.

1
One morning was called TO the study
to see several foreigners with whom Ran
dali was talking. One was a Swede who
knew little German and less English.
With my assistance we managed TO I'M
derstand that the couple he had brought
in were recent immigrants and that the
conversationalist of the party wanted a
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 cheap plaid shawl over
her head, a bright ribbon tied around 1t
to form a hood. spoke TO her in kind
voice and she looked me full IN the face
with the bluest pair of eyes 1 had ever
seen.
The man beside her appeared stupid and
heavy to me. I wondered if he was her
brother, and asked our interpreter. He
managed TO tell a story which afterward
proved true in every detail.
The two were lovers from the extreme
northern part of Sweden. They were the
children of fisher folk, poor. They had
despaired Of marriage at home, but one
day walked away together, reached sea-
port town, and there both, with hard Ia
! Dor, had earned enough money to come
! across the ocean. The interpreter was
her cousin. He was also poor and had a
family.
"Magnus had a place in the railroad
! yards" explained the cousin; he lives
with me. She lives with you. After
awhile they have money and they get
| married.
1t was finally decided that Christina Erd
| should come OF US. The lover was to
! bring her chest from the railroad sta
| ton at once. IT arrived in an hour, a
huge affair, and carried by the man, Mag
| nus Leifssen, without apparent effort.
She helped him take it up the stairs, then
the two said farewell in my presenc.
| Christina had removed her shawl and
! rough cloak Her head was crowned with
heavy braids of faxen hair. Her skin
| was white as milk, and on each cheek
burned a spot that was like a pink rose,
as clear and fine. She wore her best
dress, a heavy blue skirt, a white waist,
an old girdle. About her white neck were
heavy silver beads, curiously engraved.
| When she saw that her lover must go
she went to him. They took each others
hands and stood silent for few moments.
| Then his lips moved; he dropped her
hands and she turned away to me, a
haunting look Of pain in her blue eyes.
| L was therefore, left with maid who
| could not understand word said or re-
ply to me. I pass over the trials of the
next few days. o grew patient because
| Of the girls extreme willingness and real
| intelligence, and 1 began to realize what
| dumb faithfuiness 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
month we got along quite well.
Three times a week her lover came to
see her for two hours. 1t was not long
! before I happened to go into the kitchen
one evening and found both laboring over
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?"
| askekd Christina one day in the spring.
time. as all the work finished weI?"
| believe am just. I told her had no
| reason to complain about 1t.
After that their hoard grew. and, as
| 1t did, the spirits of the two rose. When
| Magnus sat at the copybooks, Christina
sewed swiftly on all things necessary to
| their house-ftting. Not once did she lose
her head. All she bought was sensible,
| good, necessary for neat home
| Christina was indeed good and beau
| tiful. When she came to church, as she
often did with Magnus, I saw that people
| observed her. 1 told her story to one of
| our church societies and l heard that
they intended to add to her modest out
fitting by a present
must confess that, at times, felt that
viz ,rr,% do
such stupid man as Magnus Leifssen.
But suddenly the man 1 thought stupid
| rose to the height of hero.
1t was all in the morning papers. Ran
| dali ate the breakfast Christina had pre-
pared and unfolded his journal while 1
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 a
voice like lark.
What is it, Randau?" I cried, running
around to him.
He pointed to the great black headlines.
read, breathless, Of the attempted rob-
berry of railroad pay car preparing to
set out in the gray dawn. The car had
been drawn up in the switch yards and
guarded by the policeman and several sec
ton men. 1t had been foggy night and
the attack on the car was made so sudden
ly and quickly there was not a second Of
time to give a whistle of alarm. Two
section E:en were knocked down, one fed,
and the car door was defended alone by
a brawny Swede, who fought steadily,
dOggedy, stubbornly, his eyes filed with
blood, his wounds incredible. No shot had
been fired. The policeman was in the
roundhouse, not fifty feet away, telephon-
ing to headquarters, when the fleeing
1rIshman burst in upon him with the
news. Help arrived in time TO save the
car from being looted, but Leifssen 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 and 1 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 word. She stopped, and. in spite
Of the nurses protests, took him into her
tw strng arms.
There was perceptible shudder in his
frame.
Speak TO him." cried the surgeon, COM
ing up. He may arouse"
Firm Christmas lips burst forth a ter
rible tenderness. She called him endear-
ing names in her strange language; she
<howered kisses upon his cheek, she laid
hers upon his unhurt hand At last he
opened his eyes and gazed stupidity at
her. then smiled and muttered a word.
Christina laid him down and stood erect.
She looked full at Randall
Beloved pastor" she said IN her splen-
did voice, I'VE have done wrong. We have
served too long for money. He has called
me wife. II is now the right time"
And in the afternoon their serious sp-