The work wasmuch too hard for my mother; but I
thrived on it. But some things I did not understand at the time.
In order to savemother, I was tempted to betray
that I heard.
What I must tell you is the story of my mother. The
roads were a morass, the fields amire .
That between me and any man there can be but
friendship. No; hehad paid for his room; there he would be alone
If you are to understand, I must strip mysoul of
its secrets .
There, in the darkness, it seemed that the touch of
the hand becamea touch of a body.
There were threechildren, all girls; and my mother
was weakly. When she saw Bobbys stare, she smiled and folded the panel backinto
place.
I dont know by what chancehe came to Odensee. Niels
broadcasted a mixture of grasses in his slough. Theres one thing about you,
Lindstedt, he said after a while,which I cant understand. He swung the gate open and
greeted her, smiling in his embarrassedway.
As he stopped, she turned, picked her bucket up,
and laughed athim.
On Sunday many things were done in the house, Bobby
being banishedto stable and shack. And when Ireturned to the house, my father
followed me.
She looked the picture ofdeath; but she was
cheerful.
At night I sprang up everyhour or so and
replenished the stove, or we should have frozen .
The hay was carried over in hugebundles slung with
ropes.
Could die without seeing the horrors that were sure
tocome . Her eyes smiled at Bobby; and when Niels came by,she picked her way over
the soft, brown seed-bed.
Oh, it is so hard to explain, Ellen exclaimed. We
can makeout where we are, he said; but oxen and machinery cost money.
The manwas in the cattle business; but he was not
yet making money. I was a very observant child, old andexperienced before my time.
Still, mother insisted on my going to school now.
Still, mother insisted on my going to school
now.
Mother and I did just as much, together,as my
father.
I knew and understood more, in a childish way, than
the grown-upsthought. As I said, there were four children on the place.