Chapter 12 Version 4
1914
“Mama!” shouted the excited eight year old.
The train had just come to a stop after travelling through
Springfield up beside the Connecticut River past the flooded spring fields
around the oxbow to Brattleboro Vermont. It had been a year and a half since
Leokadia Glinka had left for America to claim her husband’s remains and his
personal goods. Her husband had come to Pennsylvania and found work in the
mines until he was killed in a mining accident.
After spending some time with her brother-in-law in New
Hampshire, Leocadia moved to Brattleboro rather than returning home to Russia
Poland. Because eight year old Waclaw was too young to come to America by
himself, Leocadia wrote to her sister back in Strzemietzna near Warsaw asking
eighteen year old Agata Wroblewska to accompany her younger nephew to America.
“Waclaw! Agata!” Leokadia waved and her son Waclaw ran and
jumped into her arms.
“I am so happy to see you! Waclaw, you have grown so much!”
hugging Waclaw with a grip that was not going to let him go for the foreseeable
future.
“Agata, you are still my pretty petite sister!” said Leokadia
with Waclaw still attached to her neck.
“My size was an advantage in getting the child’s fare on the
ship” beamed Agata flashing a mischievous smile to top off her diminutive five
foot and zero inch frame. The Dutch in Rotterdam did not question her age when
she gave the ship’s manifest information on the Noordam bound for America.
“How old did you say you were to get the child’s fare?”
asked Leokadia giving Agata a sideways glance.
“Apparently I can pass for a ten year old” said Agata not
knowing that in the distant future her age would be questioned using the ship’s
manifest as a reference document when she applied for social security benefits.
“I am sorry you spent nearly a week at Ellis Island but I
did not receive word on which ship you would be arriving on” explained
Leokadia. After a few days, workers at Ellis Island noticed that the two Polish
children were not leaving. The workers assisted the two in making contact with
Leokadia and arranging transportation to Vermont.
“So you have decided to stay in America?” asked Agata
knowing that bringing her son over the ocean just about finalized that
decision.
“There are many good Polish men here in America. I have met
many new friends here” replied Leokadia.
“Any special friend?” Agata asked fishing for information.
“Well, there is Mr. Potocki in Connecticut who is a dear
man.” Leokadia offered up as she was a widow who was not ready to retire from
the pool of marriage eligible women. This piqued Agata’s interest.
“You are welcome to stay as long as you want with me”
Leokadia offered. “At your age our mother will be selecting a suitable husband
for you upon your return. She will prefer someone who will be courting you in a
carriage with matched white horses as our father did with her. Someone who
could afford a grand clock as our father provided.” Leokadia paused to let her
comments take root in Agata’s mind. Their father designed and built churches and
fine cabinetry.
“In America, you can marry for love, or work for a few years
and marry when you have found the right man, or never marry at all. It is your
choice. As I said you are welcome to stay or to go as you choose.” And so
Leokadia ended her pitch to Agata. The offer was so open ended that Agata
actually did not need to make a decision right now."Who is Ludwik Borsuk who wrote the letter for you asking me to bring Waclaw to America?" Agata asked. Agata had seen his signature on the letter that she herself could not read. As soon as Agata saw his signature she knew this is the man she was going to marry.
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