This Place of Dreams Called America Series

Introduction, Chapter 06 Aboard The Ship Diana, Late June 1791 The waves crashed against the ship making it sway back and forth making people ill. Mama is one of these people I fear for her for she is with child. I pray to God that my family and I will get through this Voyage, but I am doubtful of this. What I hate the most about being stuck on this ship is that it stinks of vomit and other unpleasant smells, it makes me want to vomit myself but I try hard not to do so. We are all tired, cranky and need to bathe desperately. We have only been on the ship called Diana for two weeks, though it feels like months. Papa keeps telling us that we do not have much longer to go until we arrive to the new world and get off this dreadful ship, but I can see it in his eyes that he wonders as well on why it is taking longer then expected. The man in the fancy suite had promised us it would be a short trip across the Atlantic Ocean, but I believe he was lying and it makes me wonder what else he had lied about. Angelica and Frederick are playing on the deck with Pfeffer as I write. I warned them not to get too close to the edge for the fear of them falling into the Ocean. For I had a dream last night that someone had pushed me off the ship’s deck an I was falling into darkness and I could not scream for help. I must have cried out in my sleep because papa had awaken and comforted me until I fell back to sleep again but none came. This ship is crowded with people who hope of a better richer life, with the free land we all are to get when we arrive. The handsome man aboard the ship, told me that we are going to a place called Philadelphia, I wonder what it means? Perhaps I will ask him the next time I see him. I.., Eva The Bauer family is a group of hard working people that has fallen upon hard times in Germany in the 18th century. Soon after Michael loses his job, he end up living in the poor house with his pregnant wife and their 3 young children. It is not a place one would want to live, as it is filled with rats and deadly diseases that can take away ones life in a blink of an eye. While living there they are approached by a man in a white suite and top hat that has assured them that he could take care of all of their problems. So they soon sail to the new world known as America on a crowded ship named Diana. During their journey across the Atlantic ocean, they are faced with a miracle of their own and their eldest daughter Eva meets a handsome man aboard the ship which she is due to wed, but someone stops them from doing so. Upon arriving in Philadelphia they are indentured to a man by the name of Arail Defrock. He seems like a nice man and trustworthy at that, so they put their belongings in a wagon and travel with his servant Isaiah to his estate. During their way Isaiah and Michael get lost in the woods while hunting and they have an encounter with a Indian. Will have arrive in one piece or will there be more struggles Lying ahead for them?

Introduction Chapter 19, On our last legs - later that night, It was so blistering hot today that a lot of people fainted from the heat. I tried to help Mabel who was having a hard time and I got yelled at by one of the men to get back to work. I grew angry at him and mama tried to quite me from speaking up to them, but I shook her hand off my arm and I told him that she just needs water and rest. “Let the old lady die” is what the man said then moved on. Is that not terrible, do these people have not an ounce of sympathy for anyone nor young or old. If only they would let us stop and take a rest or have a drink of water to quench our thirst. Then we could work harder and faster for them, an tomorrow we have to gather wood and put it into wagon's pulled by oxen's. Will they ever give us a break, or will they keep adding work for us to do every day ahead. They want to use us like an old mule for we are on our last legs, oh how I wish I where back in Germany now. No!, how could I say this if it was not for this journey I would not have met my beloved husband Hans. Oh how I miss him and his smile and those dark blue eyes that have a way of reading my every thought. My eyes well up with tear's just thinking about hi....., Eva The Bauer family is a group of hard working people that had fallen upon hard times in Germany in the 18th century. They soon pack their bags and arrive to America in hope of a better life only to be indentured to a man by the name of Arail Defrock who had forced them to work for five years to pay of their debt to him or else they would be punished, jailed or hung for disobeying him. They soon start working in the cotton fields and the lumber yard in the mean time Eva becomes a house maid to them and still has a dislike to Mr. Defrocks wife Alevia who has to be helped with everything and has a short temper. While there she is told about the tragic story of their daughter Bernitta who took her own life upon being assaulted by the accused slave Isaiah who claims he is innocent. They say there are two sides to every story but who's is true, is it Isaiah the helping hand who claims that he did not do it or is it Mr. Defrock who is trying to pin the blame on just anyone too put his beloved daughter to rest and give her peace. Then there is another murder lurking around the corner who did it, who's story holds true? An in the mist of this all there is new friends made and babies born and new lessons in life and of the past learned. Who can they trust, for all they were told from day one upon arriving turned out to be lies. Will they make it through all of this or will their run of bad luck continue?