A New Friend

Amine Pearson stands in a faded blue calico next to her family's wagon on the busy street in Albany, New York. The people about her are buzzing around with last minute preparations. "Just like my mother and papa," she thinks, "and I am left with the wagon and a sleeping baby brother."

As she stands with her brother,Bror, in her arms, she thinks about the letter she will never read. "Probably from Svea, maybe saying they are leaving for America soon! That would be wonderful!"

Amine remembers how this morning she and her sister, Signe, had been in Mr. and Mrs. Olsson's store when she overheard Papa saying he could not pay for a letter. Later Papa had told her it had been for her. Amine had told him she understood, but really she did not.

"Papa has two hundred and fifty American dollars. Why could he not spend fifty cents on a letter from Sweden? Now I will never see my letter. Tomorrow we are moving out," Amine scowls and looks at Bror. The longer he sleeps, the heavier he gets.

Amine thinks about how she and Svea had done almost everything together in Sweden; their chores, their school, even watching their siblings. Svea and she look a lot alike too. They each have long brown hair and blue eyes. Amine is an inch or so taller, though.

"Back then, it seemed almost fun to be a girl. Now it is all work, work, work," thought Amine. With her mother sick, she has to do most of the cooking and cleaning as well as watching the children. "I have worked so hard," she thought. "Hard enough to earn a letter!! Well, I love Mother and Papa and I will do my best for them, with or without a letter."

Part 2

Bror squirms in Amine's arms. "He'll wake up soon," she thinks. "I wonder when Mother will be back?" She looks around her. People and wagons crowd the street. Women walk with baskets of recent purchases. Men walk with livestock or full burlap bags. Merchants are yelling "Goods for Sale!" Wagons with white canvasses and yoked oxen roll down the middle of the street.

Amine suddenly sees a little boy in the middle of the street. She looks for the boy's mother or papa coming into the street to get him. Seeing no parents, she looks around for her own. Not seeing them either, she sets Bror in the back of the wagon and runs offf to get the child. As Amine runs, she can hear Bror crying, "Rwaaaa-aaaa!" She knows she must hurry before a strange woman comes to comfort him.

Hurrying to the boy, she bends down and hugs the crying child. Still seeing no gaurdian, she scoops him up and carries him back to the wagon. When they get there, she sits the boy on the back and picks Bror up to stop his screaming.

Amine fishes a crust of bread out of her apron pocket and gives it to the boy. After wiping the dust and tears from his face she sees his features clearly. He has a round, chubby face with light shining blue eyes, a happy smile, and light blond hair. He is clearly Scandinavian. Amine judges he is about three years old. She gently asks his name. Being given a response that sounds like "Kal", Amine guesses his name to be Karl. She suddenly knows who he is, "He is Mr. and Mrs. Olsson's son!!!"

While Karl finishes his bread crust, Amine's younger sister, Signe, comes back. "Who is the strange boy?" she asks.

"I found him in the middle of the street," explains Amine. "If you stay with Bror, I'll walk Karl back to the general store." Seeing Karl is now done with his bread crust, Amine wipes the crumbs from his mouth, settles Bror in Signe's lap and starts walking down the street holding Karl's chubby hand.

When they get to the general store, Amine's mother and papa are just coming out. They are very surprised to see her. She explains what has happened. "Mrs. Olsson is practically crazy over Karl's dissappearance. You better go in right away!" Papa says.

Amine walks Karl in and explains what happened to his overjoyed parent. Mrs. Olsson is in tears and Mr. Olsson can not help but laugh. "What can we give you to repay you for saving our son's life?!" asks Mr. Olsson.

"Well, really, it wasn't much. I...," starts Amine, only to be interrupted by Mrs. Olsson.

"Oh, wait. I think we have something for you!" Mrs. Olsson says as she runs behind a counter and comes out with an envelope. "We got this in the mail. It is from Sweden and addressed to you!"

Amine takes the yellow, wrinkled envelope and looks at it. "It is from Svea!!"

Part 3

Amine grips the letter tightly and rushes outside to where her parents are waiting.

"Well, what do we have here?" asks Papa.

"Oh, a letter form Svea!" exclaims Amine. "Mrs. Olsson gave it to me for finding Karl!"

Amine turns to see her mother looking at her with a puzzled expression. What is it Mother?" she asks. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I am wondering where Bror is. He is certainly not with you; I hope you did not leave him in the wagon alone with so many strange people around!"

"Oh no, Mother! I left him in the wagon with Signe!"

Papa, Mother and Amine walked back to the wagon. Amine, with the letter in her apron pocket, was in the lead.

That evening by the light of the fire, Amine read her letter:

Dearest Amine,

I hope this letter finds you well. All is not well here, but that is to come. First I will tell the good news.

In these last few months I have become quite a good cook. I can cook everything (almost) from beef to chicken to cabbage and corn. My skill has come in handy for Papa's health is ailing and Mother spends most of her time beside him. I cook and clean.

Now for what I fear I must tell you. My two younger sisters died a fortnight ago, Papa's health, as you already know, is ailing; and my brother is coming home from Minnesota to help with the work.

I am afraid I can not come to America now. Maybe when Papa is gone, but not now. I am very sorry. Papa could not survive the trip and Mother can not leave the graves so soon. I will come somday, I promise! Until then, I will dream of us together in America!

Your loving friend, Svea

Amine sits with her face in her hands. "Svea not coming!! Now I will be alone here in this new world and without hope! Oh,oh!" She starts to cry softly. Mother comes over to gently comfort her.

The next morning Papa says he has a surprise for her. He has found some blank pages and Mother has sewn them together. "It's a diary," Mother says, "to write down your thoughts. It can be your best friend now."

Amine decides right away to write everything down. "From now, on that is what I will do."

March 14, 1860

Hello my name is Amine Person. I am 10 years old and 4'6" tall. I have blue eyes and long brown hair. We are about to leave on a trail to Minnesota, U.S.A.. The year is 1860. You are now my best friend since Svea can not come to America. I fear the journey ahead, but I also think it will be an adventure.

March 16, 1860

I was too tired and too busy to write yesterday, but I will do so now. We started on the trail yesterday. Nothing exciting happened except a little boy got stuck in all the mud and had to be pulled out. I am so lonley, I wish I had a friend!

March 21, 1860

There are lots of different types of people here including German, Norwegian, and ourselves, Swedish. It is chaotic and exciting! It is busy. Many of the families are alone. Lots of the families don't have any friends. Like me.

March 23, 1860

I saw some girls today that looked about my age. I was to shy too say hello. Maybe somday we can be friends!

April 15, 1860

I have not written for a long time. Mother is terribly ill. We are staying behind now and will try to catch up later. I am worried and lonlier than ever!

Later

OH! Another family stayed behind also. The Mother had a baby. Someone else is here too.

April 16, 1860

The other family is German so I do not know their name. They have a girl my age. I met her at the stream today. I smiled and waved hello. She smiled and waved back. Oh, I have a feeling we will be friends!!!

April 18, 1860

The other girl's name is Elsa Besser! We have become great friends. Since she speaks German and I speak Swedish, and neither of us speak much English, we communicate more in signs than words. It is so nice to have a friend again.

Part 4

April 20, 1860
Mother was well enough to travel again today so we started to try to catch up with the rest of the train. The Bessers stayed with us even though they could have gone ahead. They are so kind. Mrs. Besser came over while Mother was sick and helped out. Elsa and I have become quite good friends!

April 23, 1860
We have been traveling as fast as we can and now can see places where the train has camped. I hope they are near!! For though we have plenty of food, water and friendship, we all worry about wild animals and indian attacks.

April 27, 1860
Papa said we are about half way to Minnesota! We have been traveling for almost a month and a half. I can't wait until we have a house again. I don't mind the walking so much now that Elsa and I are friends; but, I don't like the cramped wagon or the hard, cold ground on which we sleep.

April 30, 1860
We caught up to the wagon train yesterday!! The train had lost some oxen to poisonous plants. Since this caused them to lose time, we caught up to them quicker. We are all glad to see each other! Yet, we are so tired.

May 2, 1860
Today Elsa and I went down to the creek by which we are camped. We were walking and talking when we heard voices. At first we thought the voices were some of the men, gone out to hunt; but, when we got closer, we could not understand their words. When we came to the creek we saw them. Indians!!! I was so scared I nearly screamed!! Elsa motioned to be quiet. I followed her to a bush. There we hid until we thought it was safe to go. When we got back to camp and told our papas they laughed!! They told us the wagon train has been following those natives for the last week. They are traveling to their summer hunting grounds. Elsa and I started to laugh, too. It seemed silly to be scared of indians we'd been following for a week.

May 29, 1860
I am so sorry I have not written sooner. Not much is different from before so it is not bussiness that keeps me from you. It is friendship, my friendship with Elsa. We are better friends then ever now and I spend most of my time with her.

Three days ago we reached a fork in the trail, one way going West to Oregon and the other North to Minnesota. We, along with the Bessers and five other families, went North. The other nine families went West. We are able to travel more quickly, however Papa and the other men have more work.

Yesterday we crossed the Minnesota border!! I am so excited to think soon we will have a real house!

June 16, 1860
We are now at Iron Range, a mining town in Minnesota. Papa is now an employee. (That is my newest word. It means someone who works for someone else and is paid.) My brohter is here also. He has his own house across town. He is married now!! To Anna who is Finnish. Papa says it is a shame that he did not marry Swedish, but he is glad she is still Scandinavian. She will have a baby next February!!

We have our own house. It is a small four room that is whitewashed outside and in. As Papa gets better jobs, our house will get better, too. I share a room with my sisters. Papa and Mother share a room. There is a kitchen with a huge brick fireplace and a room with all our things from our wagon (except clothing). Mother calls it the "Swedish" room. I like the kitchen best.

The Bessers live two houses down in a home exactly like ours. Mr. Besser has the same position as Papa. I hope their jobs get better at the same time. I still see Elsa every day. We are just as good friends as ever. It is so wonderful to have a home, a friend, and my brother again!