Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1916-01-06
Niobe at the Gate
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land and started to look for the ex-
pected wife and daughter among the
ships arrivals, the inspector confront
ed a trying situation. He gave it a
different name, something that sound
ed like Heluva note, which came TO
the same thing.
It was rather an unusual case even
within the observation of one accus-
toned to seeing unusual cases land
ing every day. The peasant beauty
of the girl in itself lifted the incident
above the routine cases of undesira-
bles without means, or of doubtful
character, or brought over under con-
tract, only to find the gate closed
against them.
The inspector instantly OWNED the
worst. The girl impressed him favor
ably enough. 1t was the wife that he
eyed doubtfully. The husband had told
the truth. She was not very overly
strong. The inspector recalled the
| mans supreme joy of anticipation, his
GREATNESS story of waiting and work
ing and saving all the years for the
coming Of those two.
In the girls face, hopeful and
| healthy, were emphasized those char
acteristics seen in Teutonic faces of
the middle west: the impress of initia-
tive, honesty and strength of charac-
ter that were sufficient to overcome
the privations and struggles of the
wilderness. A trace of the same spirit
was in the mothers expression, pa
tient, contemplative, albeit little
melancholy, then again full of tender
ness as the wan face lighted up at
some words from the other.
They had reached the long journeys
end at last. They would soon be with
him to whom they had been going In
their hopes and dreams for years.
There was only the inspection to pass.
They viewed that calmly and curious
ly in contrast to the sense of impend-
ing trial sitting visibly upon their
companion voyagers.
For while both women looked
searchingly for a fellow traveller III
gould see, past women walking up
light and steady under huge bundles
on their heads-thOse burdens or
feather beds, cooking pots and uncan-
nv coils of Bologna sausage, maintain
ing perfect equilibrium despite the
volubility chattering underneath. But
the traveller for whom they searched
could not be seen. The girl kept on
| looking.
From the wire-fenced apartments
the long line moved in single file
through the human sitting machine.
Slant-browed men, mostly, and few
duI1-eyedx women; some gray-halred.
round-shouldered, weazen-faced; lives
sapped by premature employment@1n
childhood; Europe's slums and vast
dregs of degraded peasantry, proclaim
Inc the ever widening sphere OF the
steamship agents influence.
The three doctors and the score Of
men at the desks proceeded IN their
fashion to determine whom Of this
shipload to send out under the law
and according to the large discretion
| lodged in their Interpretation thereon.
AS the benevolence of the government
reduces the process Of elimination to
the crudest elementary principles
there devolves upon the servants or
the law no obligation to linger long
over a people who habitually despi&@
the bath. Handling new horde nj
!. Il 90 vi
not in any sense a leisurely JOY. II
becomes perforce an expeditions bust
| ness.
So the line moved. Suddenly the
girl joyfully discovered their missing
companion of the voyage, staggering
along with heavy ~,adlocked box and
paper valise.
He was startled into financial ex-
hibit by "Wie viel gelt?" hurled ct
him along the barrel of the official pen
pointed with deadly aim at his pocket.
The variety of vocal language at the
command Of Ellis Island interpreters
is equaled only by the amazing COM
pass of heir sign language.
Hastily transferring hunk Of bread
from his hand to his teeth, Heinrich
fshed out somewhere from his clothes
q pitiful driblet of forms. The inter
prefer had spread them out on his
desk almost before Heinrich recovered
fror the official clutch on his wrist.
rha amount was obviously. small but
the owner could tell where he was
going. His answer, however, varied
from the ships manifest spread under
the official eye. Questioned again as
to his destination, Heinrich repeated
with eagerness: "Zu Oil Boney."
"What?" from the official.
"Ohl Boney," from Heinrich with
still more eagerness.
"Old Boney?" curiously from the Of
fetal, puzzled nightly.
"Yah, yah-Oh1 Boney!" joyously az
nrmed Heinrich.
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