eart and though often proves to them that it was only a
dream, and there are millions of emigrants all over this land who after
many years of hard work they are still struggling for a mere existence,
yet they come and they shall continue to come for it is the rule of the
universe; they simply cannot resist the law that governs and moves the
Sympan. And the S. S. Germania was well occupied in its various
compartments, but there were only ten of us voyagers in the reserved
first cabins, and at meal time with the first Captain at the head of the
table and one Commissioner representing the Government and the first
physician of the boat then we made up the number 13; and though I am not
a superstitious person I was the first one to call the attention to that
fact, and there the fun began. The fellow voyagers insisting that should
any danger of tempestuous and stormy gale threaten their safety they had
to cast lots to know for whose cause the evil came, and as I was the
only representative of the religious sentiment, in all probability I had
to undergo the same experience as Jonah had, yet our fears did not even
approach any realization but instead as it was desirable to all on board
we enjoyed a very pleasant voyage all the way and the Captain himself
unreservedly with his boyish cheerfulness expressed his gratification
for all that came out so perfectly satisfactory. And the Captain being
desirous to commemorate the agreeable event he gave the night before our
arrival at Brooklyn a unique banquet in the big reception hall with
various symbolical decorations in honor to his excellency the number 13.
And to make the event more memorable the Captain himself went around the
boat visiting all the emigrants and selecting 13 of the most musical
Italian boys and girls with their harps, mandolins and tambourines, a
perfect stringed band, and while our merriment was in its zenith he
conducted them on the upper deck where the reception hall was located
into the adjoining room and without warning we began to hear the waves
vibrating through the walls into our hall and soon our ears were filled
with divine melodies. They were playing Tosca, Puccini's most inspired
composition and the translation of these people behind the walls it
really contained that pathos which all artists agree, yet unable to
explain how so many children of sunny Italy became world-wide famous for
the embodiment of that musical and harmonious pathos of which Tosca is