Pages 189-190

This Month's Installment:

Here near a wagon ran a dog, which love and pity did not want to leave at home, with its tongue stuck out; there a small canary anxiously struck with his wings through his small cage, which had been attached under the wagon.  Then again, the train of wagons was interrupted by smaller or larger herds of cattle, which one drove along and which lowed and cried, as if they launched into a bellowing of yearning for the lush home pastures - a wonderful concert in the streets of the city.

    Hans stood for quite a while near the idlers on the pavement; unable to think or do anything, he let the hopeless image pass before his empty eyes.  East Prussia, his Fatherland, the wonderful, thriving country, presented itself to him there in its homelessness and its misery, and his heart beat loudly and painfully, and he could not get over the sight.

    Then, well-known honking sounded in his ear.

    "Good that I met you!" said Mayor Stoltzmann, while he let his car stop and askt him to get in.  "After all, everything has come faster than we had expected," he drove on, while the car forced its way past the long train of wagons only slowly and laboriously.  "The enemy invasion must have extended rather far, and we are

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caught a little off guard in our work here.  There's no harm in it; I have had the shacks in front of the Königsberger Gate made ready for storage as well as possible.  My wife with a few other ladies is already outside and is providing hot coffee.  I want to take the accommodation of the people in hand personally.  You can help me with it; we will find enough to do."

    They had overtaken the train; the car could now drive with unhindered power and in a few minutes stopt in front of the large sheds.

    Miss Lisa walkt up to them in her blue-white linen dress and with a huge house-keeping apron.  Also in her eyes there was nothing but cheerful desire for activity and the satisfaction to be able to step in here so quickly and usefully.