Forever My Own

by Tracie Peterson

  “And who will pay her well for her property.”

  Miss Hallberg smiled. “No amount of money is enough when you love your home and wish to remain in it.”

  “I suppose it must seem that way, but this city is growing quickly, and that land is much needed for the modernization of Duluth,” Mr. Webster said.

  “I am not so good with my English that I understand mod . . . er—moder . . . nation?”

  “Modernization. It’s all about keeping up with the times, making things better.”

  “But how is it better if people lose their homes and have to go elsewhere? Mormor and her friends love their neighborhood.”

  “And they can all move together to another neighborhood.”

  Miss Hallberg shook her head and shifted the basket she carried. “No, I think not. Mormor is happy and wants to stay.”

  “But you must convince her to go,” Jordan pushed, hoping to get his point across. “The time will come when that land will be needed for businesses. It’s on the water, and once the canal is in place, there will be a real buildup of that area with commerce and—”

  “Mod-ern-i-zation,” she interjected, trying the word on for size. “Such a word.”

  “But a good one. Yes, modernization is coming to Duluth in a big way. Once the canal is in place, it will join with the railroad to make Duluth the center of commerce for the western end of Lake Superior. If need be, the city will take possession of the land and move them out.”

  She gaped at him. “They can do this?”

  “They can and often have for the betterment of the entire community, rather than bowing to the desires of a few people. It’s called eminent domain. The government can and will come in and take the property, even against the will of the owner.”

  “How is that good? I thought America was good, but not if you can steal someone’s home.”

  “America is very good. They wouldn’t take the land without paying for it. They will compensate at a fair price. But I will pay more.” He could see he had her complete attention. “Your grandmother probably doesn’t realize what the law allows for, but that’s the truth of the matter.”

  She muttered something in Swedish.

  “I’m sorry,” Webster said, shaking his head. “I don’t speak your language.”

  “I said, I think then they will do it without Mormor.” Miss Hallberg picked up several postcards. “I must go now. I hope you have a good day.”

  “Thank you. I hope you do too, but I hope even more that you’ll try to talk some sense into your grandmother.”

  Kirstin frowned. “My mormor is known to be quite sensible. I do not believe she lacks sense just because she doesn’t do what you want.” She paid for her cards and tucked them inside her coat before turning to him one final time. “Good-bye, Mr. Webster.”

  Jordan watched her go. Maybe the idea of the government coming in to force their removal would motivate Mrs. Segerson to convince her friends to sell. He smiled to himself. One way or another, he meant to have that land and to build his hotel. He would persuade the city to put in a beautiful park, and the entire area would be a lovely retreat for those visiting the city.

  Kirstin went straight home, eager to tell her grandmother what Mr. Webster had said about the city buying up property whether a person wished to sell or not. Surely that wasn’t true. In Sweden, people were always talking about America as if it were some idealistic dreamland where anyone could own land if they had the money to pay for it. No one ever mentioned the government being able to take it away at will.

  “Mormor?” she called as soon as she stepped into the house. She slipped off her boots but didn’t bother with her coat and cap. “Mormor?”

  “I’m back here with Ilian.”

  Kirstin made her way to Ilian’s room. She hadn’t helped much with his care yet. Mormor had insisted that she could manage Ilian’s care if Kirstin would keep the house in order.

  Looking into the room, Kirstin found Mormor giving Ilian a mug of something hot to drink. He seemed quite eager for it and sampled the drink immediately.

  “It doesn’t taste all that good, but it will ease your pain. I learned to make this concoction back in Sweden, and it always helped with the pain,” Mormor said.

  “I’m willing to try most anything. There’s always liquor, but I know you’ve never been one to keep that in your house. I don’t want to dishonor you by bringing it here. I’d move first.”

  Mormor glanced back at Kirstin. “You didn’t even take off your hat and coat. It must be something important you need to say.”

  “Ja.” Kirstin undid the ties on her cap. “I saw Mr. Webster at the stationery store. He sought me out to talk about helping him.”

  “Helping him?” Mormor looked concerned. “Do what?”

  “He wants me to convince you to move.”

  “That man has some nerve,” Ilian muttered.

  “I hope you told him I have no desire to move,” Mormor stated, gathering her things, putting the smaller items in a washbasin.

  “I told him, but he said there is a thing called em . . .” She thought for a moment. “Em . . . ant domain.”

  “Eminent domain,” Ilian offered.

  “Ja!” Kirstin nodded and came closer to his bed. “That’s it. Eminent domain.”

  “And what is that?” Mormor asked.

  “It’s a means by which the government, for the benefit of the community, can buy up privately owned property for their own use,” Ilian said.

  “And Mr. Webster said this would be done if the people did not sell,” Kirstin added.

  Mormor looked worried, and a frown furrowed her forehead. “And they can do this, Ilian?”

  “They can. I saw it happen with land needed for the railroad. They pay the owner the going rate for what the land is worth, and the property then becomes the government’s.”

  “That hardly seems fair.” Kirstin was frowning too. “Mr. Webster said it was for modern-i-zation.”

  “No doubt, but as I understand it, he wants to put in some fancy hotel,” Ilian replied.

  “He said he would pay more than the government, and I should convince you and the others to sell.”

  “It is very upsetting to think the government would force us to move,” Mormor said, shaking her head. “I must talk to Habram about this. Excuse me.” She picked up the basin and left the room.

  Kirstin looked at Ilian. “They really can take away her land? Her home?”

  Ilian grimaced. “I’m afraid so.”

  “America is not so good a place, then. What use is it to own property if the government can just take it? It’s no better than the Crown or nobility in Sweden leasing property and then refusing to renew the lease or let it pass on in the family.”

  “It doesn’t happen that often. If it did, people would rise up and make the government change the laws.”

  “They can do that?”

  “Ja. It isn’t easy, but it does happen.”

  “How? When? Can we do it now?”

  “They make amendments,” he said, smiling. “Those are legal changes to the Constitution.”

  Kirstin put her hands on his arm. “Stop. I will never learn it all. It’s too much.”

  This made Ilian chuckle. “I’m sure in time you’ll figure it all out and maybe even want to become a citizen.”

  “A citizen of America?” Kirstin had never really thought about what the future might hold for her in that regard. She was a Swede, and although she had come here to care for Mormor, she hadn’t really planned to stay. Her curiosity got the better of her. “How do I become a citizen? Are you one?”

  “I am. I was born here not long after my parents came to America, but because they weren’t citizens, I couldn’t be considered a citizen. So when I turned eighteen, I made it clear that I wanted to be a citizen, and later when I joined the army to fight for the Union, they made me one. A couple years ago, Congress, the men who were voted by the people to represent them, made changes to the law
again. Now the naturalization law includes black people. Before that only white people could be citizens.”

  “It sounds very complicated.” Kirstin undid the buttons on the red knit coat Mormor had given her.

  Ilian nodded. “It is. That’s why it doesn’t get changed very often.”

  “So if I wanted to be a citizen, what would I have to do?”

  “Live here for five years and tell the court you want eventually to be a citizen. They keep a record of that, and you have to tell them that at least three years before you can be made a citizen. And you have to have witnesses who will tell the court that you’re a good, upstanding person. Maybe I will do that for you if you decide to become a citizen.”

  Kirstin felt her cheeks warm. She looked away as she shrugged out of her coat. “I should go hang these up.” She took her cap and coat and hurried down the hall. She wondered if she would ever get used to being in Ilian’s bedroom with him lying in bed. It seemed so scandalous, and yet it wasn’t. He was injured, and she was just trying to help.

  “Would you take Ilian his lunch?” Mormor asked. “I have it ready there on the tray. There’s more in the pot on the stove if he needs it, and of course you may help yourself. I’m going to go find Habram. I need to talk to him about what Mr. Webster said.”

  “I hope it isn’t true, Mormor.” Kirstin hung up her things, then went to give her grandmother a hug. “I couldn’t bear for them to force you from your home.”

  The older woman kissed Kirstin’s cheek. “I wouldn’t like that either, but perhaps God has another plan.”

  Kirstin helped Mormor into her coat and watched her head down the walk. The skies were the color of gunmetal, and the heavy clouds suggested more snow, and a lot of it. Kirstin sighed and closed the door.

  She picked up Ilian’s tray, breathing deeply of the aroma of Mormor’s stew. Only then did she realize how hungry she was.

  “Mormor said I should bring you your lunch. Are you ready to eat?” she asked as she entered Ilian’s room.

  He nodded, but he seemed less happy than earlier.

  Kirstin took the tray to the bed. “Would you like me to help you sit a little better before I put the tray on your lap?”

  “No. I can manage.” He scooted up just a bit, his jaw clenching.

  Kirstin felt sorry for him. “Mormor left to find your father. They seem to spend a lot of time together. Are you aware of that?”

  He settled against the pillows and raised his arms so she could put the tray on his lap. “I know all about it.” His words were clipped.

  “Would like some jam for the bread?”

  “No.”

  “You don’t have to bite my head off. I’m trying to make sure you have everything you need.” She didn’t realize she’d spoken in Swedish until the words were out of her mouth. “Sorry,” she said in English.

  “I’m fine.” He picked up the spoon. “I’m just fine, so you can leave.”

  She was surprised by his attitude but didn’t want to argue with him. “You have the bell if you need me to help you.”

  She headed for the door and left Ilian to sulk. For whatever reason, he had turned sullen, and while she understood that he was probably in a lot of pain, that was no reason to be angry with her. Of course, she had mentioned her grandmother and his father spending a lot of time together. Maybe Ilian realized that if they were to marry, he would have to mend fences with his father in order to keep having a relationship with Mormor.

  Grabbing herself a bowl, Kirstin spooned up some stew and took a seat at the kitchen table. There was work aplenty to do after lunch, so she was determined to stop letting Ilian invade her thoughts.

  “I’ll just put him from my mind.”

  Yes, he was handsome and smart, and she’d found that he could be charming. She had not minded at all when he’d held her on his lap after she fainted, but his dour behavior was most unpleasant.

  “I suppose I shall have to give him a wide berth, given he’s in pain,” she muttered to herself.

  Mormor had explained that the breaks he had suffered, especially in the leg, were quite invasive, with many nerves and tissues disturbed. “He’s always had a temper, but no doubt the pain makes it harder to control his mood,” Mormor had said.

  Still, a person ought to be grateful to have folks around them who were willing to care for them. He didn’t have to snap at her. She’d done nothing wrong.

  It dawned on her that she wasn’t anywhere close to putting him from her mind.

  Habram skipped the small talk and asked the mayor the one question on his mind.

  “Joshua, tell me the truth—is the city thinking of using eminent domain to buy our neighborhood?”

  Joshua Culver had been a longtime friend of Habram’s. He sighed. “I won’t lie to you. It has been brought to our attention.”

  Habram glanced at Lena. “Do you realize how many people live in our neighborhood?”

  “It’s not just your neighborhood, Habram. It’s all of those along the waterfront in the industrial area. We have wonderful plans for that area once the canal is finally dug through. If we get it through.”

  “Oh, we’ll dig it out, but I don’t see why the city needs to take that land from the good folks who settled it.”

  Culver squirmed a bit. “Habram, you know as well as I do that that area is prime land for waterfront industry. A great many shipping issues could be resolved by utilizing that land for commercial purposes.”

  “But people live there, and they love their homes. I live there and have since I came here. You were one of the folks who showed me that area and urged me to buy.”

  “I know that, Habram. And at the time it was a good idea. Now it is undergoing other consideration.”

  “So you would just push out all of those families. Good and godly men and women who helped settle this town when few were of a mind to stay.”

  “Habram, I’m not trying to force anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, but this is for the good of all. Everyone’s best interests are being considered.”

  “So your mind is made up? You will take the land against our will?”

  “I’m afraid it’s starting to look that way.”

  Habram got to his feet, and Lena rose as well. He shook his head and gave his friend one final imploring gaze. “Joshua, you must think about what you are doing to these people. They have needs.”

  “And if we take the land, we will pay them generously. It’s a condition I insist on. Not only that, but the city will sell them other land at a good price and lend every help we can to seeing that if the new property has no house already on it, one will be built quickly and at a discounted price.”

  “You’ve thought of everything,” Lena said. “Everything but how you are tearing out our hearts. Some raised their families in those homes. Others said good-bye to loved ones there. We have our memories of good times and bad, and it was there that we befriended our neighbors and helped see one another through the bad times. We will never have that closeness again. You will put us here and there and spread us out throughout the city, and our neighborhood will be lost to us. Our family—gone.”

  “Perhaps I can find land where all of you can once again build together. That would surely resolve the problem, wouldn’t it?” Mayor Culver looked from Lena to Habram.

  “It would resolve the problem not to make us leave at all,” Habram said, unable to hide the sorrow in his voice.

  He left the mayor’s office and took Lena’s hand as they walked out into snow. Heavy snow.

  “I had hoped to take you for coffee and to hear all about Ilian, but we should return home. It looks like it’s going to be bad for us.”

  “The snow, or the city buying up our houses?” Lena whispered.

  He gave her hand a squeeze. “Both.”

  Chapter 11

  Habram was surprised when Major John Upham appeared at his door the next day. “Afternoon, John. Come in.” He swung open the door. “I have a fresh pot of coffee
on the stove. Would you like a cup?”

  “Sure thing.” John looked at the dirty floor and then back at Habram. “You want me to take off my boots?”

  “No, I have a fair piece of cleaning to do, as you’ve already noticed. Just sit at the table and I’ll get the coffee.”

  “I was surprised to get your note. What is it you want to discuss?”

  Habram brought the pot of coffee and two mugs. He didn’t bother with cream and sugar, knowing that John drank his coffee black, just the way Habram liked it. “I have some skorpor, if you’d like. Lena Segerson made it.”

  “No, the coffee is more than enough.”

  “Just so you don’t go telling folks I was a poor host.” Habram laughed and took his place at the table just as John took his chair.

  John chuckled. “Never would. You’ve always been a good friend.”

  “That’s why I wanted to talk to you about my job at the dredging company. I’m of a mind to retire.”

  “I figured it might be something like that.”

  Smiling, Habram poured them each a cup of coffee. “I can’t help myself. My son was injured in a logging camp accident, and even though he doesn’t particularly care for my company, he’s next door. Should they need a man’s help, I want to be close by.”

  “I can understand that. It’s not like we’re doing much anyway. By the time we get back to digging the canal, however, your son should be right as rain.”

  “I know, and I’m excited to see that canal made. I can always lend you a hand then, if you need it. Just not full-time.”

  “I suppose I’m not going to talk you out of this, but you know I’ll need you when we do the final digging. You’re my most trusted worker, and you need to be a part of this. It’s a moment of history, and you’ve earned a front-row seat not just to observe, but to take credit for participating. Superior says if we start digging again in the spring, they’ll definitely file an injunction, so we’ve all decided that once we start up again, we need to be prepared to work fast and finish it. Night and day, if necessary.”