The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-02-20


be 80 marks and told them to collect
K in New York. | said wanted them
20 call for the box at p. In. and that
they must be careful with 1t and keep
/ 1t Fight side up.
II hurried home and put on two
suits OF clothes. Then | told my land
ta(y that | was going out. but that
let them get the box from my ROOM
Chen | went outdoors. but came in
again and reached my room without
beng seen. watched until the ex-
presSnlen came to the house. Then
before the; could climb up to my room
on the third floor | got into the box
and fastened the lid from the inside
The exnleSsmen called early. heard
them read the warning on the box lid,
NIGHT sturzep which meant take
care They carried me down the three
dightS of stairs with great care and
put me in the wagon without Shak ing
nle UP was comfortable in my box.
They put me down carefully on the
steamship pier. d
"When had lain on the pier long
time the box was suddenly pushed
over and l could feel that a rope sling
was being fastened around it. Then /
heard whistle. and felt myself fly
ing through the air. Another whistle.
and was sinking fast. All my settler
j bottles We're along the floor of the left
side of the case. tucked in beside the
bedding. SO as to save them. but when
the men raised me up in the hold and
piled my boz on top of a big packing
case they rolled it over for moment
on its side and let it drop few inches.
The jolting broke three OF my settler
bottles. That meant water for three
Gays. but still had eleven pints left,
and thought that would last. don't
think the men saw the water that
leaked out None of them said any
thing about it.
81 knew | was piled up high on the
top of the cargo of my deck. There
was still little light in my box-not
real light but grayness-that came
through the cracks of the wood. About
an hour after was loaded on the ship
l heard the men close the iron door Of
| the bulkhead. Then | was in black
darkness. Still was comfortable. By
bending my knees little could lie
fat OH my back.
II could tell when night came. The
noise of footballs ceased in the steer
age When all was still. could hear
the men on watch walking about i
could hear them talking-that Is.
could hear the tones of voices. but not
the words-when one watch relieved
the other invented way to tell
time. j took the crystal off my watch
and felt the hands. When both hands
were together at the top right under
| the chain ring. knew 1t was IL
O'Clock. II there were many feet scuf-
fling about the deck. knew 1t was
midnight. Soon l learned to tell the
| hour hand from the minute hand.
could always discover the time within
an hour or SO.
II was asleep most of the time for
| the first two days and nights. One
thing surprised me. the noise Of the
rats. could hear them running over
the cargo. their claws scratching on
| the wood Of the packing cases. They
ran across my case. too. and scratched
at it. | suppose they smelled food in
side and wanted it. | was afraid to
make a noise to drive them away. be,
ca use did not want any of the sailors
to hear NE and drag me out. 1t was
| CHASTITY to hear the rats running
around and squeaking while was ly.
ing there in the dark like rat caught
in IL trap. Still they did not gnaw al
my box or try to attack me- in any way.
How did spend my time! BY build
ing air castles for Johanna and myself.
Johann. sai,i you must find
work in America. 1t is rich country.
and every man who is willing to work
hard can make a fortune. You will sooD
be there If you can get work at your
trade as painter. good. If not. you
are young and strong. and you can
sweep the streets if necessary to make
a beginning. When you get 100 marks,
you can send for Johanna and marry
her. and then you will both work hard
and make a fortune. and some day you
can go home and visit Germany for a
few weeks. and you won't have TO trav-
ell elike this | was always building
these air castles when | was awake
ut must have been on the thirteenth
day that | found that ! had not one
drop of water left. immediately my
thirst began TO torture me. ! did moi
dream of streams and fountains. but
Sas asleep nearly all the tilnea sort
of dreamy doing. was tempted to
crawl OFT Of my box and knock Al the
deck right above me for help, but
sad: No. If you Knock. they will catcE
you and senl you back 10 Germany
You are almost IN America row Have
courage for Il little while thought.
the voyage lasted fourteen days. but
the people tell me | WAS sixteen days
in the ship.
4 shall aever forget the CLEAN Of
gray that came through tile Sits in the
box when the steveGoresg opened tile
bulkhead and began to take out cargo
~, "A