The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-12-21
MARY CHR1sTMAs.
Rx -cARoLxEs 8 sALEY.

1t was a green "day before Christ
mas" at the Island. The harbor re
fected sky as blue as any that evel
shone above Italy, the wonderful sky
line of the great metropolis glowec
and glinted with luster that only
New York sun atop a sky scrapel
knows, the lawns OF the Island were
still green and gay with their carpet
of grass, and athwart 1t all, lowered
Liberty" her uplifted finger point
ing to an open port and a struggle
for existence in which the battle goes
always to the man who "elbows'
most, and seldom to the weak.
Three ships were in harbor. "Etru
ria, SOL" New York, 1904" Gale
donia, 767 in steerage," the govern.
ment official checked them off on the
bulletin board. The examining ply
sicians and nurses took their stands,
the attendants gave final sweeping
to the long pens which were soon tc
hold their lines of would-be citizens,
the captain of the Caledonia bustled
in with his lists, the barges began to
unload their masses of humanity
and Mary Christmas put by her
knitting.
She was little, bent, old, Danish
woman of sixty five. Her lowered
petticoat and starched apron were not
long enough to cover her white stock
ings and hobnailed shoes. Over her
head was tied red kerchief, upon
her back was strapped the red and
white counterpart into which were
knotted all her worldly goods, in
cluding the store of rosy apples that
were to furnish her fruit stand and
make her fortune in the ''land of the
Free" In one hand she tightly clasp
ed her shining copper teakettle, that
ratified its fat cover de6antly as she
tramped along; in the other was her
knitting, and her eyes twinkled with
a Joy beyond words as the barge drew
near the shore and she saw the line of
immigrants setting foot in America.
"The Domkirke will now soon be
lighted for Christmas eve" she said
to neighbor as she joined the crowd
which was slowly making its way to
the offices. "They will have let my
lame Hans trim the altar"
"'Don't go, mother. Don't go to
America, he say, but I say to Hans :
Il have one strong pair of legs, and
two strong arms, and will find a
corner in the city for my apples.
Then, oh, so many rich peoples will
come to me and buy, and I will send
for you, Hans, and you will have the
doctoring.'
But her soliloquy was cut short by
the pushing and jostling about her.
Stand in line there. Numbers 16
in this row. Numbers II wait out
side. Numbers 1o for the medical
inspector"
Mary Christmas dropped SO low a
courtesy that the cover of the teaket-
tie fell off entirely, as the physician
pushed off her kerchief, inverted her
eyelids to examine for possible ira
choma, and marked her good wool
shawl with strange, chalk hierogly
phics, pointing her to line of sixty
Italians, Russians and Slavs waiting
to be measured, and checked off the
Caledonia lists. 1t was such long
time to wait, and it was little lonely.
"Hans will be boiling the potatoes
now," she thought to herself, 'and
then he will go over the wood bridge
to the choir practice" She softly
hummed to herself:
"Watcbman, tell us of the night,
What its signs of wonder are."
But she was interrupted MARY
Christmas. Able to read; yes. Height,
four feet eleven inches. Ribe, Den
mark, Steamship Caledonia. How
much money have you, Mary Christ.
mas 7"
Money? All, that was safe. Had
they not sold all the geese to get it
Mary Christmas carefully rolled up
her knitting and put it in her apron
pocket, set her teakettle on the in
spector's desk, sat down upon hel
counterpane bundle, turned down one
white stocking, and took out wad o.
paper.
One dollar, two, three, five dollars
thirteen, fifteen-6fteen dollars and
forty-6ve cents. Surely fortune.
"Have you friends to meet you
Mary Christmas?" asked the inspec
tor, sharply.
"My lame Hans stays by home
He"
"Have you friends in America, i.
what want to know" said the in
spector.
"No-"
Deportation room," said the in
spector, glibly, MARY Christmas tt
be detained and deported at the ex
pense of the Caledonia for lack o
funds"
Detained and deported The appl
stand so near realization The cit,
just across the harbor, and lame Han
waiting at home for the summons t
come to the doctoring.
MAX Boienstein," IL II d W
Baione, " "Luini Campanelli," the.
all passed muster, and joined thei
friends outside the wire grating. Tw
tears rolled down Mary Christmas
wrinkled cheeks. She was such a.
old little body, and so far away fror
Ribe.
Marvellous how the government
manages this thing, but what I cam
see is what the creatures want I
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