Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-12
The Daily Story
Home In America-By Margaret G. Devereauz
copyrighted 1919. by ISOLATED Literary

steppeu IRON tue HSnter That bore her
to the dock and looked about her aq !,
expecting some one to meet her: hr,
seeing no one she knew. her ernraa
sion of expectancy changed to one !,
dis ppointment. Passing with tn
thronS into the apartment where ON,
grants present their claims for adrnia.
sion, Elsa was brought before an osi
cial for examination.
"What means have youf" he asked
"Only a few silver coins left ora.
after paying for my passage"
How do you expect to live here !,
America z"
II came over here to be married
expected to meet at the dock when =
landed the man who will marry ms
but he did not appear"
The official asked the mans lama
and where he lived. Elsa told him
that his name was Jean Stahren and
that he was an ironworker In Penn.
sylvania, but what place in Pennsyi.
vania she could not tell him.
Elsa was told that she might remain
on the island for few days, but II
at the end of that time her lover did
not appear she must be sent back IN
Hamburg, whence she had sailed
This was a terrible blow to the Door
girl, for she knew that there was some
reason why Jean had not met her.
which might not be corrected within
SO short a time.
Fortunately 1t was summer, the end
of August, and Ellis island, surrounded
as it is by water, was not disagree
able place to wait. Elsa gazed OFT
over the bay, wondering at the gigan.
tic statue of Liberty, at the skyscrap-
ers of lower New York, at the Brook
Ign suspension bridge and at Castle
Williams on Governors island A day
passed. and Jean did not appear. An
other day went by and still there were
no tidings of him. The third day was
Sunday, the 1st of September Elsa
was called before one of the immigra-
ton officials and informed that a
steamer would sail for Hamburg the
next day and If she could not satisfy
the authorities that she would not be
a burden on the United States before
that time she would be sent back to
Germany, whence she came.
Elsa was in agony. Jean had sent
her the money for her passage, at the
same time telling her to write him the
name of the steamer on which she
would sail, promising to meet her on
the dock when the ship arrived. She
had written him the name Of the
steamer, but, not being versed in the
ways of the world, had not mentioned
the date OF its arrival, though she had
said that she expected TO sail about
the last Of August. And now, after
having waited seven years to be unit
ed to Jean and having come all the
way across the Atlantic ocean for the
purpose, she must go back TO Ham
burg.
That Sunday was a sultry afternoon
and Elsa in order TO get cool sat on
the dock gloomily looking out over the
waters of the bay. She saw a little
steamer leave New York and make for
the island. Boats were coming often,
and she had looked when each had ar
rived for Jean. But now she bad Civ
en- up hope When the boat reached
the dock she scarcely noticed those
who came ashore. But q man passed
near her, stopped and looked at her
Scrutinizingly.
"Elsar' he exclaimed.
She arose and for a moment did not
recognize Jean, for he wore full
beard.
"Oh, Jeanr' she cried. why have
you not come before?"
How long have you been here"
Three days"
steamer that is telegraphed to be here
presently"
Elsa had little education. and she
had written the name of the ship Cd
which she would sail so badly thst
Jean could not read ii. He had there
fore judged of the time of her arrival
from the date she gave and conse
quently fell between two steamers
But he wasted few words in explana-
ton.
Come. Elsa" he said. I'VE must De
married at once, go to New York ana
leave for my home in Pennsylvania
on a night train. Tomorrow VIII pe
Labor o5y, and l am at the head u
the committee of arrangements Tor n'
union and have much to do
So Jean and Elsa were married Oh
the island and left there at once u
was. past midnight when they reaclTa
their home, a cottage near stee'
works where Jean was employee
Though it was late, Elsa found tin'
to admire the coy home thar 'eaH
had prepared for her.
The first day Elsa spent in Ame'oA
was Labor day. and though she Sd"
little of her husband she saw one "
the most important celebrations OF '"e
new world. :.
Jean Stahren became master Elk
chanic. and. having a wife VINO We
good manager. they sent montni!
mittances TO the old folks in NoF"@
and after awhile made them tRe
But by this time they took with tnes
several children 10 introduce 10 tHe'
grandparents.
A 10 - a rr,RrIca0