her and tell her everything will be better for her.  He found himself asking her to go riding with him

tomorrow and show him the French countryside.

She was taken by surprise with his question.  She hesitated for a while then said, "I would be

honored to show you our lovely France, but do not misunderstand.  I am a French citizen and am

to be treated with respect."

Love bloomed between the French citizen and the German baron.  He found her more wonderful

as they rode along the country road.  The more he thought of parting with her.  He was sure to

become the most, unhappy man in the world.

Here on the great ocean with her by his side, he did not care about the affairs of Europe. 

Germany and its rules were his past.  His father refused to consider his wife as one worthy to rule

the Conrad Estate with his son.  There was a new land waiting for him and lovely wife.  He looked

out over the deep blue Atlantic Ocean to see giant fish and large white seagulls.  He watched the

small flying fish go in and out of the water.  Then something unusual caught his eye; two

porpoises were leading the ship like a team of horses.  There were times he could see them

separate and then return to ride the waves and separate again.  He looked closer, to his

amazement, there was a water snake dividing the porpoises.  There was always something to

disturb partners whether on land or sea, he reasoned.

It was a most happy occasion to sight the new land.  They had been on the old squarerigger for

three months.  They had plans and dreams for the future.  They wanted a home and children in

this new land.  America was new in the building and they too would build a new life.  Conrad was

glad to find a place where land was cheap and could be shaped to one's liking.  His uncle had

told him of things to expect in this land.  He was told about the warm climate of Alabama.  This

was a good land with a long growing season.  He would have access to the new inventions of

America.  There was one inventor galled Eli Whitney who invented a thing called "a cotton gin." 

Whitney's new machine could separate the seeds from the fibers.  This machine was operated by

hand and it was possible for one man to separate fifty pounds of cotton a day.