The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-04-05
A SERIOUS APPRENTICESHIP

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 understand
that the couple he had brought in were re-
cent immigrants and that the conversation
alist of the party wanted u 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
form 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. l wondered if he was her
brother, and asked our interpreter. He man
aged to tell 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, very 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 and to Kansas City The
interpreter was her cousin. He was also
poor and had family.
Magnus has a place in the railroad yards
explained the cousin; me 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, a huge affair,
and carried by the man, Magnus Liefssen,
without apparent effort. She helped him
take it up the 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 faxen hair, Her skin was
white as milk, and on each cheek burned
spot that was like a pink rose, as clear
and fine. She wore her best dress, heavy
blue skirt, 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, haunting look
of pain in her dark eyes.
l was, therefore, left with a maid who
could not understand a word said or reply
to me. l pass over the trials of the next
few days. l grew patient because of the
girls extreme willingness and real intelli-
genee, and l began to realize what dumb
faithfulness meant. At first she WAS very
timid, but in few days she began to re-
peat 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 l happened to go into the kitchen
one evening and found both laboring over
corybooks. 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
Gered we had managed to live without her.
"Have you any fault TO find with me?'
asked Christina one day in the springtime.
is all the work finished well?"
;, 1 believe I am just. 1 told her I hac
no reason to complain about it.
Il see that Mira, she at the next door,"
the girl went on gravely, 'goes out in the
evenings. What would beloved pastor say
if l go sometimes?"
WltH MaSnuS, you mean! / asked,
rather startled.
yes, ma'am. He got me Job; car-clean-
ing at night. He carry all the water-help
Il get money"
These two people meant to work all night
or great part of it after days of toll. 1
thought it my duty to interfere and expos
tulate. even had "beloved PASTOR talk
to Christina.
no Nd hot \
for her health she put back her head and
laughed
You folks too careful. I never know
bout being tired. At home I work all
night, two, three times a week. Garry
boats, big baskets, fish. Oh, such fish you
never did sect"
All Magnus said to the beloved pastor
was, ';It is very long to wait"
After that their hoard grew, and, as
it did, the spirits of the two rose Wher
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 neat home.
Christina was indeed good and beautiful
When she came to church. as she often
did with Magnus, I saw that people OBJ
served her. I told her story to one Ct our
church societies and heard that they il
tended to add to her modest Quitting by a
present
l must confess that. at times, felt that
Christina might do better than to we'd such
a stupid man as Magnus Liefssen But sud
denly the man 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 /
slipped my coffee. He jumped to his feet.
Whore is Christina?" he asked, in a low
tone, his mouth twitching.
She was singing somewhere. She had
voice like a lark.
what In it, Randall?" I cried, running
around to him. ~
He pointed to the great, black headlines
read, breathless, of the attempted robbery
of railroad pay car preparing. to est out
In the gray dawn. The car had been drawn
ua 81 hesswiGeh yards and guarded BY the
pills Sads sstersl section men. It had
been 8 foEgy night and the attack ON the
car waEae,sa sudden and quickly there
was not second u. sn q q issvs i whistle