And now all seafaring men who navigate the river Elbe between
Cuxhaven and Hamburg are still troubled with a tremendous thirst
which nothing but foaming lager beer may quench.
The founding of the village's church dates from the conversion of
Saxon tribes who inhabited that country. The chapel's original walls
were built of rock, but its newer part was constructed of brick-work
during the fourteenth century.
Our domicile, the parsonage, although not quite as ancient, was a
very picturesque ruin with its moss-covered roof of thatched straw,
under which a flock of sparrows made their homes; but a modern
building, how prosaic-looking it might be, or deficient in uniqueness
and the charm of its surroundings, would undeniably have made a
better, more sanitary and comfortable residence.
Mother, at least, thought this when father landed her, his blushing
bride at the ancient parsonage in a rain storm which compelled them
to retire for the night under the shelter of an umbrella; and thus
the honeymoon of their married life waxed with uncommon hardship.
Later the old leaky house received a tile roof, part of it was
removed and with it the room where first I saw the light of day.
That was a cold day for father indeed, as there was another mouth to
be fed then, a very serious problem for a poor parson to solve.
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