The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-12-10
A WORKER
Thanksgiving Day Brought Her a
Respite
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

+ When the great war broke out in
| Europe my little girl, Fredrica, was in
Munich studying art. I at once be-
came uneasy about her, and when I
heard Of the great number Of Ameri-
cans detained in Europe 1 lost my
| head entirely. I wanted John to 60
abroad at once and bring our daughter
home.
He endeavored to quiet me, remind
ing me that Fredrica was not the child
she had been; that 1t would be difficult
for him to get across, still more diff
cult to find her and much more difficult
still to get back to America. He was
worried himself, though he did not ad-
init it to me, we'll knowing that We
had been able only to keep our child
supplied with sufficient funds to pay
her way from month to month without
providing anything ahead, and she had
no means to bring her home.
Week after week passed, and We
heard nothing from our chick. Worry
ing told on me bodily, and was re-
duced to skin and bone. At last l
told John that If he did not do some
thing to end my suspense he would
lose me as well as Fredrica. He went
out at once to learn If he could get
across the ocean, and, finding that a
ship would sail next day, he took pas
sage on her and, procuring by loan
what money he would need, babe me
goodby. 81 have no doubt" he said.
"that Fred will be here with you be-
fore l return. Nevertheless there Is
no help for it; must 60 after her."
As soon as he had gone l was half
sorry had let him 60. Now had the
two Of them to worry about instead Of
one. Besides, by this time ships be-
gan to come in loaded with returning
Americans, and the stories Of their
discomforts were narrowing. John
went over in an English ship, and l
worried lest he should be captured by
one of the German war vessels at that
time rowing the sea.
When, true enough. took up news
paper and saw that this had really
happened l was in despair. 1t was all
I could bear to think Of my only child
detained without means in Germany,
and now l had the additional worri-
ment of her father carried about on the
ocean with no prospect Of being landed
anywhere, for he might be captured by
a German cruiser. and they were run
ming the gantlet OF the enemys cruis-
ers and often did not put into port for
months at time.
John started abroad about the LIST
| 80 no ooy,ld
communicate with me unless put
ashore, and even then he might be
landed on the other side Of the world.
in which case. the mails being inter
rupted, it might take a letter months
to reach me. At that time | had
only our daughter to worry about, and
now the causes of worriment were
tripled. l worried about Fredrica, l
worried about John, and l worried be-
cause l knew that John would worry
about me. l believed that If could
have thought of anything else to worry
about l would have included 1t. The
only thing else there was to worry
about was myself, but that didn't trou-
Bile me a bit. And yet there was ap-
parently more cause to worry about
: myself than either of the others. for
had lost twenty pounds and was grad
| ually sinking into the grave.
November came and not a word
from either of my absent ones. had
intimate friends, Of course, who tried
in every way to bolster me up My
cousin, Ellen Thompson. asked me
about week before Thanksgiving to
promise that would spend the day
with her and her large family. She
said that with SO many Of them
would forget my troubles. = I told hel
that I would be more miserable IN the
midst Of happy family than alone:
would spend Thanksgiving In my owl
home. enduring my loneliness as best
could. =:
around to Ellen Thompson's to ask Il
she had seen in any Of the papers
notice Of the landing Of the person.
that the German cruiser had captured
why. Ellen, what in the world ar
you going to do with two turkeysT
exclaimed, noticing pair Of gobbler
just delivered from the market.
"Oh. we've so many mouths to fill,
she said. that one turkey won't do"
1t seemed to me that she had ordere
provisions enough to last her fort
night But said no more about it. an
since Ellen said that she hadn't see
= anything to comfort me in the papers
- went home. l carried more worry wit
me. for before left Ellen she put he
4 arms about me and smiled at me.
reckoned that she was concealing som
bad news from me.
The next morning. Thanksgiving da.
l had scarcely finished dressing whel
hearing vehicle stop before the hous,
looked out through the window. an
u who should | see but John alightin
from a cab. And the next thing sa'
was John handing out Fredrica. "a
downstairs Mt the risk of my necl
- and. meeting them ut the front doc
. together they kept me from falling o
- the floor in n faint