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Riis, Jacob A., 1849-1914

"The Making of an American"

When I entered his room, it was to find the
lifeless body of him who only a few hours before had bidden me a
loving and even cheerful good-night.
Oh! the utter loneliness of those days; the longing for mother and
home! But no word came from Ribe then. My dear one was laid to
rest, with the sweet, resigned smile on his brave face, and I stayed
for a while with his people, not being quite able to look into the
future. My father had meanwhile made provision for me at Copenhagen.
When I was able to think clearly, I went to the school in which
my education had been "finished" in the happy, careless days, and
through its managers secured a position in Baron von D---'s house,
not far from my old home, but in the province that was taken from
Denmark by Germany the winter I played in the lumber-yard. My
employers were kind to me, and my three girl pupils soon were the
firm friends of the quiet little governess with the sad face. We
worked hard together, to forget if I could. But each day I turned
my face to the west toward Ribe, and my heart cried out for my
happy childhood.


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