The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-06-13

wills Nysten, The Hsnestsadsr where
there's Will, there's Way.
BY PROF. j. D. BUTLER.


BY PROF. j. d. BUTLER.
Hills Nysten is sweedc-and was
borne where his forcfathcrs, even to
the years Of many generations, had
been content with "snly this and
nothing more -
rot"
He aspired higher,-but 80 low was
his birth, and so strong the barriers
around him, that he was three. score
years old before he could work his
passage to America. Two years ago
he reached Iowa with his wife, and
pcnniless, stopping first in Mt. Pleasant.
While working there at his trade of
wagon making, he became convinced
that his best means of farther advance
ment was to secure a Nebraska Home-
stead without delay. His mode Of
making this boon his own, is worth
telling to encourage the others.
HOW HE DID IT!
He walked from his home to Lin
coin, 800 miles, along the track of the
Burlington 4 Missouri River Railroad.
This Journey he accomplished In
about fifteen DAYS. At Lincoln, he
found shelter In the ImnsgyuMEs Rest,
Q building provided by the B. 4 n.
Railroad Company, where land hun
tiers may lodge and live without
charge, while seeking farms.
Looking at the maps of public lands
in tho United States Land Office there,
he judged York county to afford the
most desirable homesteads. He there
fore walked on thither-seventy miles
further. Having picked out the farm
which suited him best of all those still
vacant, he returned to the Land Office
and fled his claim to 1t, September I'd,
1871, paying $l4 in fees. His home
stead consists Of 80 acres, In the 34th
section of the 18th township in the Sd
range west, of the 9Th principal nleri-
dian.
WHAT THEN2
Repairing to the farm Of his choice
he made sundry improvements for q
month. He finished him . dug-out
and stacked twelve tons of wild hay.
His purse was now empty, save one
dollar and a half, but he walked to
Lincoln, and thence home, as he had
walked hither, daily laying behind
him about twenty miles.
Soon after reaching home, at the end
of q seven hundred mile walk, he
learned that his haystacks had been
burned by q prairie fire-having no
plow, he had been unable to make a
fire-break around them, But through
out all, he seemed to have lost nothing
of heart or hope, but to have remained
as jolly as Mark Tapley, in Chuzzle-
wit.
Through all the winter he worked
at his trade, sometimes beginning his
tolls at two o'clock in the morning.
Thus he finished three good wagons.
Two he traded of for mule and
harness. Then putting on board his
wife, y barrel of pork, q harrow, all OF
wood, made by himself, and some
other needments, he drove westward,
by the some route which he last fall
travelled on foot.
He took with him three other Scan
dinavian Homestead hunters, each with
q wagon and his family in it.
He arrived in Lincoln Undue time,
AVStCu AAttiC uIAAO2AS eAONAN AoztAAA4k4l
Inequalities for strangers, afforded
gratHitosasly blythe B. 4 NJ. Railroad
Company, through the whole-souled
keeper, John Frost, and ON the 2lst OF
March, in spite of All equinoctial wind,
set his face towards his homestead.
His journey thither can hardly require
more than three days,-but as he must
needs be there before the first day OF
April, or be cgregiously April fooled
by FORGETTING his farm, he resolved to
make assurance doubly sure. Hence
he has taken Il [e by the forelock.
Nils Nysten is sixty-two years old,
though he declares himself only forty
when just shaved. His example
many faint hearts tngt arc wtaprng
like women, for lack of farm, which
they have the privilege of Selling,
like men, had they only manly pluck.
Niles NYsten's homestead was one
Of 6,S22 wHlgh had been entered in the
Lincoln United States Land Office, be-
fore last New Years. The number
there entered since New Years is sol.
The b. Il NJ. Railroad Company
have sold 351, 705 acres to 1928 buyers,
on ten years credit aud six per cent.
interest.