(continued)
We left for Austin (95 English miles), hoping to find some employment there in the general land office. All I had was $10. - while Juluis has little more besides his violin on his back. One loaf of cornbread was all we took along. At noon we camped near a small creek enjoying there a slice of our bread. Julius played the violin when all of the sudden a Yankee showed up. After listening for a while, he showed us the way he was playing the violin. In the evening, we made LaGrange on the east side of the Colorado River. It is the largest settlement in Fayette County,, with 70-80 log cabins and frame houses, surrounded by beautiful live oak trees. The other side of the Colorado River is 150-200 ft. higher. Being the main place of the county, people buy and sell their goods here or attending court and political elections. It looks more like a German marketplace than a city. They have press, hotels, warehouses, and even a stock market office (which is mostly closed). Big signs with hot chocolate and confection are all over the town but if you ask for it they don't have it.
Julius wanted to stay here and had several offerings as a building contractor. So I left him and headed for Austin all by myself. You don't find any hospitality here and every morning I had to pay 1/2 dollar for one cup of coffee, cornbread and the universal food here, bacon. After three days I reached Bastrop, in Bastrop County seated on the Colorado River also. Since the revolution, an important town but not looking like La Grange. First I thought I met Schmidt her from Torgab, but this one was from Elsas. No news from from Schmidt. Someone from Galveston told he is living in Corpus Cristi on the delta of the Nueces River. On the fifth day, I came to Austin, the capital of Texas and Travis County. Pretty on the East side of the Colorado River, surrounded by hills. Do not expect places here. Not at all. Only log and frame houses like elsewhere even the the capitol and governor's home, 50-60 homes. The last settlement on the river, not even a farm above - all Indian territory.
The next day I called upon a German who is working in the land office drawing maps. He told me he could not help me on account of my poor English. He tried to speak to Colonel Ward, but without success. I tried everything but after having $2 debts already in the hotel, I finally worked in a bakery as a helper for $9 a month and free room and board. The boss was a German who owned a bakery and brewery here. The beer is good and the cookies. You would lick all fingers. After 14 days, my friend Kreuzbauer from the land office came to tell me Colonel Ward wants to see me. He offered me a job for two months. I made my visity a la Texas style. Cotton pants and a short blue coat, one trouser let in the boot, my felt hat on my head.
I was introduced by Kreuzbauer he offered me a chair and told me I would work her for 2 months for $20 a month and free room and board. I got a room in a log cabin with a sofa, upholstered chairs, a mirror with a golden frame, and a bed with mosquito net. Here I lived very happy for a couple of months. Colonel Ward was a grand old soldier of the Texas Revolution and San Jacinto as well as Alamo where his lost his right leg and arm.
Now I had good meals again. Poultry of all kinds, pastetes, ham, peaches, figs, watermelon, etc. I wish Julius was still with me. Three meals a day and according to the custom here three times a day a warm meal every one like a big German supper. Mostly of course meat. I am missing only greens.
The work was not hard at all, just drawing maps from 9-12 and 2-5 pm. To enjoy the meals really a Negro had to fan with a big flag to bring a kind of a cooling effect in the room and shew the flies away. Our drinks were water, sweet milk or buttermilk, which always was made fresh half an hour before dinnertime. In the meantime, the 4th of July came closer. Independence Day was celebrated of course with a big ball in the Capitol. I did not join on account of having no Congress coat. However, I peeked around and enjoyed it from the outside.
An American played the first violin while a German played the second and a Negro a triangle. That was the band. You see, Uncle Sam's daughters are easily satisfied. The daughter of the governor even said she never saw such a fine big orchestra. From there I went right away to a funeral. Our office surely was not a health center. Surrounded by small mountains, we lost three persons out of fifteen in the last fourteen days. We just buried our Spanish interpreter, who had to translate all Spanish documents. The coffin was placed on the wagon drawn by four horses. A Negro was driving and everyone else was riding on horseback along. Some in blue coat. Some dressed in white, some in black, white hats or dark hats up to the cemetery in the woods. However, the coffin was too big for the grave and we all had to dig a little wider before we could let the doffin go. Then we all filled the hole with soil. On the 25th of August my work was done and I had to quit, however, the world looked brighter with a saving of $35 in the pocket.
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