Koamalu : a story of pioneers on Kauai, and of what they built in that island garden / by Ethel M. Damon. [Vol. 1, no. 2]

EBB AND FLOW

643

housekeepers, where the father is always alert to the
demands of his extended parish, and the daughter Julie,
beside teaching her youngest brother, little Hans. is her
father's first assistant. More than that, sister Julie
delights in receiving and answering in English the letters received from Maria at Lihue or in California. Had
Maria Rice Isenberg ever visited in her husband's boyhood home, she must undoubtedly have acquired some
knowledge of German, as her daughter did in later years;
but from the beginning of her acquaintance with Paul
Isenberg it had been his earnest desire to perfect his English, and to second that endeavor became, therefore, her
eager purpose. When she writes to his family it is accordingly in English, and a reply is courteously extended in
the same language. Occasionally, it is brother Daniel,
the young student of theology, who writes the English
letters, but as a rule sister Julie takes the pleasant task
upon herself, writing carefully on the thinnest "oversea"
paper. Almost always her letters end with a message in
German for Paul, but by far the larger portion is in carefully worded phrases which show a good command of the
foreign tongue, though often betraying her native turn
of thought. Affection unhampered springs from every
line.
Dear sister Maria! Boerry, 18 December 1864.
I have to thank you in the name of all the family for your
interesting writing. When I read your descriptions it is sometimes
as if I were there right with you all together. We could not
restrain our tears by your telling of Dora. Dear little child, if we
only could see her once! If we could have her here to enjoy with
us the Christmas tree, I think our joy would be brighter by seeing
hers. One must think it is not God's will that we see her now.
Dear Maria, pray take care of your health. We can do nothing
for you but send our prayers to God. You must write me very
minutely about your health, till then we are very anxious.
I was rejoiced about what you tell of our flowers, but you
have probably forgotten to put some seed in your letter of that