Ida's New World Read online

  FOREWORD

  Ida and her family leave the small town of Nakskov on the island of Lolland in Denmark in 1880. The lord of the Manor has made life miserable for everyone on his estate and the small family decide to leave Denmark and start a new life in America. They save every cent for five years then sell their possessions and set off on an adventure to the New World. They sail from Copenhagen on the steamship Thingvalla together with a lot of other hopeful Danes. On board, they meet and befriend an older couple, Anna and Rasmus. When Ramus dies en route to America, Anna decides to travel together with Ida and her family. They arrive in New York and then a long and eventful journey to North Dakota awaits them.

   REVIEW

  by Ester Monrad, MA History, Danish Lit. (abridged-ed.)

  ‘Ida’s New World’ is written by Lise Muusmann and published in the spring of 2019.

  ... The journey is seen through the eyes of ten year old Ida. The target group of the book is thus defined, and Ida’s surprise and wonderment at all the new things she sees, is a good way to begin to understand how different everything must have been for those who took the first steps into a completely new and different way of life. The rough trip across the Atlantic Ocean, learning a new language, finding your way in the new country, meeting other groups of people and languages, a new and dangerous nature, and indigenous people, who are not too happy about the waves of immigration. ... An almost overwhelming amount of adventures are in this story.

  Starting in Nakskov and ending with the great task of building a home from peat-earth and wood and learning how to survive in the new land, where they encounter many challenges is a lot to take in, which may open up discussions with children about why people leave their home country, and the difficulties they encounter.

  By and large the book gives an excellent introduction to the emigration from Denmark (1880’s) and offers a good alternative to current popular immigrant stories set on the American continent. ‘Ida’s New World’ starts out in Denmark so it really presents the old and established world meeting a new, dangerous and unknown world.

  Ida’s

  New World

  Lise Muusman

  Copyright 2019 © Lise Muusmann

  All rights reserved

  ePublishify eBook

  isbn 978-87-93886-03-2

  Published by Fuzzypress-ePublishify, Denmark.

  Hamlets Vaenge 3A

  3000 Helsingor, Denmark

  www.fuzzypress.com

  eCopyright disclaimer

  The author and publisher have provided this eBook for you for your personal use only. You may not make this eBook publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this eBook you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  The Author

  Chapter 1

  “Father, I have never seen so many stars in the sky before."

  Ida pointed toward the sky that was scattered with stars. It looked like a cloth covered with glitter. They stood on the deck of a fishing boat, gazing up at the firmament. It was a calm spring evening and a chill crept in through their clothes.

  “When will we get to Korsoer?”

  “It will be quite a while, yet. Look, you can still see the lights of Nakskov.” Her father lifted Ida up on his big arm so that she could see the lights. He glanced aside and smiled at Katrina, his pretty, slim young wife, who stood beside him looking back like a pillar of salt. He hugged her with his free arm and saw she was on the verge of melting.

  “Katrina, it will be fine,” he said gently. “We will have a wonderful new life over there.”

  “But Frederik, everything is so uncertain.” She had tears in her eyes and tried to pull away from him. He gripped her firmly and held her tight. She looked up at her tall, blonde husband full of youthful enthusiasm and hope and a little smile began.

  “It is going to be so good!” He said with his infectious optimism. “We can choose land, build on it and claim it for our own. And then we become truly free people. In America we can be free to live like we have never been able to in Denmark. Our own land, our own house, freedom and justice for all.” He glowed with the vision of it.

  “Father, how far is it to America?”

  “Oh, I do not know exactly. It is quite far away, so we are going to be travelling for several weeks.”

  “Now, Frederik, if we are underway for weeks, you have to be very careful with the money,” Katrina cautioned, looking at the leather pouch loosely held in Frederik’s hand.

  “Don’t worry. I have the money at my chest in an inside pocket.” Frederik whispered with a smile and patted his jacket over his heart.

  “When I think of how hard we scrimped and saved for years, to have enough money for the trip, it’s hard to imagine ‘freedom’ and ‘owning our own land.’ How could it be possible for such as us?” Katrina said bitterly. “I can still hear the Lord of the Manor’s last words to us, saying ‘...you failed here on the estate and you will not make it in a foreign land either. You will always be lowlife scum!”

  “Yes, that Lord is a nasty piece of work. He inherited everything, never did a day’s work in his life and sees all of us as his wretched slave workers. God knows if things can ever get better in this country, run by a dictatorial King and his arrogant nobility. But now we are taking our right to vote and voting with our wooden shoes! We are going to America!” Frederik looked out at the quiet sea. “Maybe one day the slaves will rise and face up to the aristocracy.”

  “Let us hope so. I have heard there are riots in Copenhagen,” Katrina answered in a quiet voice, and looked around at the deck. There were only few passengers and they all seemed to be very tired. “Are we going to sleep on the deck?”

  “Yes, I am afraid there are no other options Katrina. We will put our blankets down here and sleep on them.”

  They unrolled their blankets and lay down on them together, Ida between them. As they lay on the deck snuggled closely to each other, Ida could not tear her eyes a
way from the beautiful starry sky. She stared at it until she fell asleep.

  Later in the night she woke to find the boat rolling and pitching wildly. When she looked towards the sky to gaze at the stars, they were all gone. Instead a thick layer of inky-grey clouds covered the sky, from which rain started to pour. Within a few minutes they were soaking wet. They jumped up and looked for a place on the deck to find shelter from the pouring rain.

  “You will have to go below deck. There is the door.” The fishing boat captain shouted and pointed to a narrow door. They ran with their wet blankets and luggage as best they could, across the rolling deck towards the door. A steep stair led down to the hold in the ship where all the fish was stored. It smelled strongly of herring and cod. The boat rolled and the stench brought their stomachs to their throats.

  “I have to throw up,” Ida cried, as she bent forward and threw up on the steps. Her mother followed suit. The stair became slimy.

  “Are we really to stay down here?” Katrina asked desperately and pressed her hands against her stomach. “Then I would rather go upstairs and be in the rain.”

  “No, come over here,” Frederik called, and they shuffled towards a large crate of fish and sat down. “Yes, I know it smells of fish, it is a fishing vessel after all. This part of the trip to Korsoer was free but no doubt there will be plenty of other expenses to come, for which we will need the money. So we just have to hold tight and make the best of this. It will be over soon.”

  Chapter 2

  “When is the train leaving, father?”

  Ida stared into the dusk for the train that should take them to Copenhagen. There were many people gathered on the platform.

  “We are taking the express and it should depart from here soon,” he answered patiently.

  “I am hungry,” Ida cried demandingly to her parents standing with a very tight grip on all their belongings. The blankets were rolled together and strapped to a suitcase, like a large wet sausage.

  “May I sit on the blankets?” she asked.

  “Well, they are wet and we don’t want to catch a cold before the long journey, alright?” Katrina answered as she rummaged in the big carpet bag. She took out a chunk of rye bread and an apple. Ida grabbed the apple and took a big bite. Katrina took out a knife and cut a slice from the bread. “We have to use the food sparingly, to make it last as long as possible,” she said as she handed the slice to Ida.

  “But I am so hungry.” Ida cried. “My stomach is empty.”

  The express to Copenhagen arrived suddenly with a whoosh and a hiss and everybody on the platform scrambled to get aboard.

  “Look mother, the sun is rising.” Ida pointed to the patch of sky she could see at the end of the platform, where a huge orange-coloured sun appeared.

  All three fell asleep during the trip to Copenhagen because they’d had so little sleep onboard the fishing boat. They woke to the sound of the conductor shouting ‘Copenhagen!’ as the train hissed to a stop.

  “Why, we have arrived already!” Shouted Ida and put her head out the window. The big platform was filled with many people. Passengers were hurrying to get off the train and everywhere there was bustle and noise.

  “Remember to get everything,” said Frederik and he was almost toppled by a fat matron with a couple of birdcages. “Have you got everything?” He asked again when they were finally standing on the platform. “We have to ask for directions,” he said a little breathlessly.

  “Where are we going?” Katrina looked anxiously around, “I have never seen so many people in one place before in my life!”

  “We are going to Nyhavn,” Frederik answered and looked for somebody to ask directions. As they came out from the train station, Ida saw a beautiful garden across the street.

  ”Look!” she cried delightedly. “Can we go in this lovely garden?”

  “But it must be Tivoli,” said Frederik excitedly.

  “Oh, why don’t we go in?” Ida asked radiantly.

  “It is very costly,” said Frederik.

  “But you have got all the money, haven’t you father? We did save something by taking the fishing boat?”

  He looked down at Ida’s big wide blue eyes.

  “Well then. We should take a small tour of Tivoli since we are here in Copenhagen and say goodbye to Denmark on a happy note.”

  Ida grabbed her father’s hand, and danced all the way to the entrance. There was a very tall gate, where one could buy tickets. The gates opened, and suddenly they were in a completely different world with funny little houses, wonderful restaurants and cafés. And everywhere they looked, were beautiful trees and flowers. The people wandering around in Tivoli were dressed in fine clothes, and did not look anything like the people back in Nakskov on the poor island of Lolland.

  “Why, just look at that marvellous lady,” Ida cried and pointed. ”Look at her dress, it flashes like stars in the sky.” Ida could hardly believe her eyes.

  “Hush, Ida, one does not point at people. You have to learn that now. You will be 11 years old on your next birthday.”

  “When is my birthday?”

  “Not before winter,” Katrina answered and laughed. Ida looked worried all of a sudden.

  “Does one have birthdays in America?”

  Her parents could not help laughing.

  “But of course one has birthdays in America. Did you think you had to stay 10 years old forever?” laughed Katrina.

  “Right, here is a merry-go-round, would you like to try it?” Frederik asked and taking Ida’s hand, they ran to the brightly painted horses dancing on poles in a big circle. It looked like magic to Ida.

  She sat in a beautiful golden chariot, and the whole thing turned and turned, while wonderful music played. Ida thought she did not want to go to America, she wanted to stay in Tivoli forever. But suddenly there were no more time for Tivoli.

  “Oh, please can we stay? Can’t I have another ride?”

  ”No, but the next ride will be the trip to America on a big ship. We sail first to Norway, I believe.”

  “Norway?” Ida shook her head and looked up at her father. “That can’t be true when we are going to America. Why Norway?”

  “Because it is on the route to America,” he explained.

  “Oh, like that,” Ida said, not understanding a thing and taking her father’s hand they left the wonderful magical world of Tivoli behind.

   Chapter 3

  “Farvel Danmark!” All the passengers shouted, as they stood waving from the deck of the huge steamship, ‘Thingvalla’. It was a ship with three sail masts and two great funnels and it should take them all the way to America. They waved to the folk standing on the quay who all waved with big white handkerchiefs in their hands, waving to the ship that was carrying their friends and families out of the harbour. Far beneath them, they heard and felt the steam engines working hard and high above, saw smoke billowing out of the funnels. On top of the masts the Danish and the American flags waved in the wind. Ida saw tears in her parent’s eyes.

  “So. Now we are off to America,” said Frederik, wiping his eyes.

  “When are we coming back?” Ida looked up at her father.

  “This journey will take us all the way to America,” he whispered.

  “Where will we land?” asked Ida still waving goodbye to Denmark like everybody else, and to the people on the quay.

  “We shall land in New York,” her father answered in a thick voice.

  “We will never come back to Denmark?” Ida asked, looking up at her mother whose cheeks were pale and soaked in tears, giving her the answer.

  “You did not say anything about this!” Ida shouted angrily. “You never told me that we shall never return to Denmark and never see Tivoli again.”

  Several people on the deck stared at her and Ida hid herself behind her mother’s threadbare skirt. She heard people around her bursting into tears. A big lump in grew in her throat and would not go away. She tried to swallow it.

  “Maybe there
is still time to jump overboard,” Ida cried and ran towards the railing to climb over it.

  “Watch out for the child!” An older woman cried out and hurried towards Ida, grabbing her just in time.

  “Please come and sit down on the deck chairs and enjoy the trip. It is a new and exiting place we are all going to,” she said, kindly.

  “What is your name?” Ida asked in surprise and looked at the elderly woman who had saved her. She saw she was using a stick for support.

  “My name is Anna,” she said and patted Ida on the head. “What nice red hair you have. And what do they call you?” she asked.

  “My name is Ida and I am from Lolland.” Ida announced, with a bright smile. “From Nakskov.”

  “And I also come from Lolland, from Sakskoebing,” Anna said and twinkled a bright smile at her. She turned towards Ida’s parents. “You have a very clever daughter. She will fare well in the new world.”

  Katrina grabbed Ida and lifted her up, in order for her to see the last glimpse of Copenhagen with all the beautiful towers.

  “Is there also Tivoli in America? And merry-go-rounds?” Ida asked “I shall never forget that Tivoli merry-go-round.”

  “Maybe,” her mother answered and then started to cry violently.

  Ida got down and immediately composed a song to cheer her up. Throwing wide her arms towards the city she cried out:

  ”Oh, good-bye lovely Tivoli

  I am a little sweet bee

  Sorry, I cannot stay

  I shall return some day.”

  “Ha ha, I told you so!” Anna laughed and clapped her hands. “Ida will make it big. She can already compose songs!”

  “Will we get any food on this ship?” Ida asked and looked around for something to eat. She frowned.

  ”We are travelling third class, so it is not going to be the best possible service,” her father sighed. He also felt quite hungry. They had spent the night on benches under their dried out blankets, near the ship yard and close to ‘Thingvallas’ place of departure. Now her mother sat down on all their belongings and gave way to her tears.

  It had been overcast all morning, but suddenly the sun appeared in the sky.