Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1966, Page 75

WESTWARD journey
57
we enjoyed the same hospitality as
far as the food was concerned. After
breakfast we were taken to a room
which doubtless was the sitting
room, for many people were sitting
there, most of whom were reading
newspapers. A man wearing a cap
which seemed to belong to a uni-
form arrived there; he made us
understand that we should come
^ith his. “Ship” and Halifax he re-
Peated again and again.
“Gott, gott,” (Good — good) said
my grandfather; “til Halifax — Hali-
fax (to Halifax — to Halifax).
Then my grandfather and grand-
m°ther took the fat lady by the hand
t° thank her for the hospitality and
bid her good-bye.
“Þakk kaera frú,” (“thanks kind
madam,”) said my grandfather.
£>akk fyrir góðgerðirnar,” (“thanks
or your hospitality,”) „íslandsmann
er frúnni þakklátur.” (“The Iceland-
er is grateful to the lady.”)
The fat woman, however, wanted
more than thanks alone from my
Srandfather — she demanded money.
JViONEY, money,” she screamed
Sreedily, as au her charm and all the
Smiles vanished from her face.
Money, money,” she cried and
aPpeared twice as big as she was
before.
Us‘‘Guð komi til,” (“God be with
) said my poor grandfather who
ow began to understand what the
f°!iPÍí,alÍty llie lnn actuallY signi-
le. ' komi til,” (God be with
ekvSaÍíl elílíl betalað — á
1 Peninga, á ekki peninga.” (“can-
°, Tay> bave no money”).
^ oney, money,” bellowed the
°man with great fury. Then she
rushed at my grandfather, grabbed
his coat and searched his pockets.
There, however, was nothing to be
found except Briem’s English prim-
er, a red handkerchief and old bits
of paper. Then she motioned him to
turn his trousers pockets inside out.
He obeyed her order without delay.
One pocket yielded a bunch of keys,
the other a change purse but it con-
tained only our transportation tick-
ets. Then the woman searched all
his vest pockets, but neither did they
contain any money.
“Money, money,” screamed the
woman grabbing my grandfather by
the chest as he kept trying to con-
vince her that he possessed not a cent
She, however, could not be con-
vinced. Halldor’s English primer was
now utterly useless for the woman
absolutely refused even to look at
it, although she had done so the pre-
vious evening. A throng of people
had now gathered around us many
of whom appeared to feel sorry for
grandmother and me for they looked
at us with compassion. None, how-
ever, offered to pay for the night’s
lodging.
When it became evident that my
grandfather had no money on him,
the man wearing the uniform cap
began to talk to the lady and to mo-
tion us to come with him. The lady,
however, was obviously not going
to let go her hold of my grandfather’s
waistcoat. Grandmother, who during
all this altercation, had stood aside
now walked briskly up to the lady
removed the wedding ring from her
finger and handed it to her. The
woman at once let go her hold of my
grandfather and began to examine