n
so well in the family. Once when grandfather was so seriously ill that
he thought he would die, he called his helper and asked him, since he
was single and without relatives in the land, if he would marry his
daughter. He would be more easy if he knew in whose hands he had left
his daughter and wife. That the daughter liked the good-looking and
good-hearted young man, they knew well. But the young man asked for
some time to think it over, and then told their daughter his history
from the old country. What it all was I don't know, and when she,
in spite of it all, was willing to take him, he acceded to my
grandfather's wish, and none of them were ever sorry for it. My father
was very kind to my mother. She had no reason to be sorry that she had
married him. Grandfather recovered from his illness. For many years
after that he worked together with his son-in-law and everything went
well, so that with his help the small farm became a large one. My
recollections are only of the big farm. I was their only child. My
uncle Vojta was at that time a professor in New York, was married, and
advised my parents to send me to him there, that I might go to school
and become a lady. Grandfather approved of this; thus I was at home
only in the summer, and over the winter at Uncle's in school till I
was really trained. My Uncle noticed that I had a talent for singing,
and the teachers confirmed it. Without the knowledge of my home folks
he sent me to learn to sing. I loved to sing, but loved still more the
praise showered upon me by the audiences at the school-concerts.

"In the meantime, so great a change transpired in my home that I
hardly recognized it when they called me to grandfather's deathbed.
Our farm was not far from the mountains. In those mountains was a
mission conference for several weeks. Our whole family used to go to
listen to those speakers who held religious lectures there--and all
of them, as it was well-known about there, turned to Christ. I shall
never forget how happy grandfather died, how he blessed us all, and
with what fortitude grandmother bore her loss. For the first time I
was really glad to be able to run away from my dear parents to my
Uncle's. My beloved ones started a family altar at home. They sang
songs to the honor of the Lamb who, they claimed, had delivered them
from their sins. Well, I did not like to sing those songs. It seemed
to me as if even the walls of our house would fall down on me.

"My