Prev | Current Page 189 | Next

Riis, Jacob A., 1849-1914

"The Making of an American"

And it was their flowers she wore when I led her down
the church aisle my wife, my own.
The Castle opened its doors hospitably at last to the carpenter's
lad. When they fell to behind us, with father, mother, and friends
waving tearful good-bys from the steps, and the wheels of the
mail-coach rattled over the cobblestones of the silent streets where
old neighbors had set lights in their windows to cheer us on the
way,--out into the open country, into the wide world,--our life's
journey had begun. Looking steadfastly ahead, over the bleak moor
into the unknown beyond, I knew in my soul that I should conquer.
For her head was leaning trustfully on my shoulder and her hand
was in mine; and all was well.
[Illustration: "Out into the open country into the wide world--our
life's journey had begun."]


CHAPTER VIII
EARLY MARRIED LIFE; I BECOME AN ADVERTISING BUREAU; ON THE "TRIBUNE"

It was no easy life to which I brought home my young wife. I felt
it often with a secret pang when I thought how few friends I had
to offer her for those she had left, and how very different was the
whole setting of her new home.


Pages:
177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201