The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-06-28

A story Of Hard work "a Self
Denial.


San Francisco Bulletin.
We all like to hear of successful mon
To know that homeless and frlndIes
young man has fought his way steadily up
ward, with bright, tireless energy, is
tonic full of iron, and subtle with encour
agement. No trade or calling, howeve
hard and narrow, has failed to furnish ex
aniples OF men who won success 1t is |
thought which should enc 1urage every
toiler. The stonecutter has his Hugh Miller
the weaver his David Livingstone, the
blacksmith his Elihu Burritt.
1t is not, however, of men of great at
tainments and widely trumpeted fame thai
we would speak, but rather of an instance
of humble, honest success in founding 6
home in one of the central counties of THU
State. The story is full of hope to the
daily laborer; perhaps it has a warning fol
some whose wasted opportunities stand be-
side them as accusing angels.
In the year 1871 a young Norwegian
| landed ia San Francisco, knowing only a
few words of English, having but little
money and no acquaintance. He remained
but one night in the city and was soon in
search of work among the farmers. Several
weeks passed and he was still unsuccessful.
He went to the house of wealthy farmer.
man of shrewd but kindly character, and
sud to him in effect:
II need work, and!at any price to make
abegining on. | can't lie idle, l am tired of
tramping. Have you got room for one
more hand?'
mo said the farmer, 81 am tired of
tramps, and have help enough.
II am no tramp said the man quietly,
''and will work if you let me, without
wages, and only my board and lodging,
until such time as there is vacancy, or
can get work elsewhere
This was the gist of what was said
translated on the part of the Norwe-
gian, from his imperfect English, and the
farmer told him to go to work, deciding i'll
his own mind to see what sort of metal was
in the TALL fair haired Norwegian. The
days went by in toll and gladness, and the
farmer found that his Stree hand" as he
called him, was the best man on the ranch.
He was the earliest up, the busiest at all
times, and in no sense all eye-server
Always merry, his folk -songs and his stories
of that weird northern land grew more
interesting as his knowledge Of our Ian
guage advanced. More over, he was no eve
servant, but gave the working hours of the
day to his employer with rare fidelity.
Two months went by in this sort of way.
The farmer began feeling ashamed of him
self for keeping without wages the man
who was evidently the best workman in the
neighborhood, and the one most careful of
his employers interests. at pays to have
such man, he said to himself. 1t is abs
surd TO think of letting him go at any time"
SO the farmer paid him fair wages, dating
from the time he stopped on the ranch,
which was honorable back pay, and engaged
him for one year, the bargain to terminate
then, unless the same satisfa ction was
given.
Our Norwegian remained no less than
seven years OH this one farm, making him
self more and more necessary to the opera |
tons and requirements of agriculture. |
They ceased calling him Gus he became
'Mr. Peterson" in the nelghborhood. Other !
laborers had come and gone. He was the |
sole representative of the two who were on |
the ranch when he came there. The most |
important gain was that he had CONFLICT
and practical knowledge of farms and larm
work, of our soil, climate, limitations and |
possibilities Lastly, he had with stern
self denial, saved every cent he could and
it was invested in different ways.
so Mr. Peterson, after seven years of
vacationless work, took a summer trip
rather unaccountably prolonged, to the
Norwegian settlements of the Western
States, and returned with warm hearted,
wife, for whom every one had
pleasant word Then he went to the farmer
and wanted to buy piece of land.
,,,,,,ll Nathan li1Ja bara opI xvorIy
for you at odd times l only want twenty
acres, y he said Twenty acres seemed such
a small tract to the farmer accustomed to
working his two thousand acres, that he
tried to persuade him to take more, but
Peterson Htill chung to the conviction that
fruit, flowers, vegetables. windmill to lift
water, few COWS, Chickens pigs, with the
close care which he so well understood,
would make twenty acrea bright and self
home. Finally npon the
farmers earnest, friendly desire, he took
forty acres at $50 per acre, paying $1,000
Town, and letting the rest wait at ten per
cent interest. With what earnestness and
patience he has now begun to toll having
now his own home, or how faithfully his
wife seconds his efforts, we have no space
10 relate. The goal is reached. The crops
lIready on his forty acres will 60 far
owards paying the debts this fall.
They spend little, they live within them
elves, they desire to build up loving and
beautiful cottage home, full of peace, ,
,urity, restfullness. And they have gone 5
bout it in the way open to the mass of /
simple hard work and self {
lenial. t
This sketch is, except in names used, ]
nipple transcript from actual occurrence. t
The man of whom we speak is a Norwegian, i
)ut the lesson is equally full of encourage
nent to others He has won some foothold
md so can other toilers. Ten years from
low, if we keep track of our hero, we
hall probobly find him we'll known and re-
pected everywhere, owning highly cult
yated farm, educating his children in our
public schools, taking the best American
papers, and in all respects a thoroughly A.,
veil informed citizen. So we can not help
Wishing in conclusion, that we had more
uch men in this young State of ours.