We had lived so
long here, we expected it was to be our future home. We had a
comfortable house, a maple forest, gardens and stock, and the news
came as a severe blow to my poor mother. We had been so happy among
the fruits, flowers and country freedom, we were loath to give it up
for the city. It was with a sad heart that father parted from these
good and faithful people. The only balm for this separation was to
leave brother Phillip with them as his successor. He had become
endeared to them and had done such good work among the young, they
prayed father to leave him if the family must go.
After a journey of three weeks we arrived at the parsonage. The
congregation had purchased the old Texas church in the western
addition of the city, and the parsonage was attached to the church in
the rear. It was a comfortable place of six large rooms. The furniture
had preceded the family and everything looked homelike and
comfortable, so mother had not the sadness of coming to a bare,
cheerless, empty house. We were cordially greeted by the elders' wives
and families, and when we arrived dinner was upon the table for us.
This welcome was more homelike because of our own things having
preceded us. And then we were such a busy family that we had little
time to waste in repinings. We were all put in the harness--the
Sabbath school and choir. We made visits with our parents to the sick
and the poor. Because we spoke nothing but the German language, we
were obliged to go to school.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35