Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 edition. Excerpt:... CHAPTER XI. The excitement of being in a new country with strange and different surroundings, gradually wore off with the first year's residence, and the beginning of the second spring saw a new purpose in the eyes of the settlers. They began to realize that something had to be done to provide permanent homes for their families and they hailed with joy a surveyor who had been sent out to divide the land recently opened for settlement. The president of the Chicago society, had sent word that enough land was to be secured for a large city, and the lots given to members of the society in return for the money each had contributed toward founding the society. But while this was being done, a party of men came into the settlement. They were Germans and claimed to have been sent out from Cincinnati to locate a settlement similar to the one from Chicago. Information soon traveled to all, that there were visitors in the settlement and the entire populace was out to welcome them. It was a rare treat to get word from the outside world. John Zittel was among the strangers, and the familiar name at once attracted the attention of Mr. Schmidt, who soon convinced himself that this was the same Zittel who had come over from the old country with him, many years before. There was mutual rejoicing over this discovery, and Mr. Schmidt hastened to invite his old friend over to his house. "My wife will be as delighted to see you," said he, "as I am; and say, you must know that your son is here!" "You say Heinrich is here? How does that come? The last time we heard from him he was in Chicago. That's it. I see, now. He was staying with you while he was there. He's not in this company, is he?" "I left him over at my house. We will go there if you like?" "It was...