Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-21
A Story OF Success.

In the year 1871 a young Norwegian
landed at San Francisco, knowing only
few words of English, having little mon
ey and no acquaintance. He remained
only one night in the city, and was soon
in search of work among the farmers.
>everal weeks passed and he was still un-
successful. He went to the house of
wealthy farmer, man of shrewd but
kindly character, and said to him in ef-
feet:
II need work, and at any price, to
make beginning on. can't lie idle; l
am tired of tramping. Have you got any
room for one more hand?"
mo" said the farmer. II am tired Of
tramps, and have help enough"
II am no tramp" said the man, quiet
ly, and vii. work, if you will let me,
without wages, and tor only my board
and lodging. until such time as there is
vacancy, Or can get work elsewhere"
This was the gist of what he said,
translated, on the part of the Norwegian,
from his imperfect English, and the
farmer told HIM to 60 work, deciding IN
his own mind to see what sort of metal
was in the tall, falr-haired Norwegian.
The days went by in toll and gladness,
and the farmer found that his ''free hand"
as he called him, was. the best man on the
ranch. He was the earliest up, the busl-
est at all times, and in no sense an eye
server. Always merry, his folk-songs Of
ONE, and his storiesof that weired north
ern land, grew more interesting as his
kno ledge of our language advanced.
Two mont, went by In this sort of
way. The farmer began to feel ashamed
of himself for keeping without wages the
man who was evidently the best workman
in the neighborhood, and the most care
full of his employers interests. SIT pays
TO ave such man." he said to himself.
1t is absurd to think of letting him 90 at
anytime.
So the farmer paid him fair wages,
dating from the day he stepped on the
ranch, which was honorable back pay,
and engaged him for one year, the bar
gain to terminate then unless the same
satisfaction was given.
Our Norwegian remained no less than
seven years on this one farm making him
self more and more necessary to the OPP
erations of agriculture. They ceased call
ing him "Gus;" he became 'Mr. Peter
son, y in the neighborhood. Other labor
ers had come ana gone. He was the sole
represen tativeof the men who were on
T. ranch when he came there. The most
important gain, perhaps, was that he had
a complete and practical knowledge of
tarmsand farm work, of our soil, eli
mate, limitations and possibilities. Last
", he had with stern, self-denial saved
every cent he could, and it was invested
i'll different ways.
80 Mr.. Peterson after seven years of va
cationless work, took summer trip, rath-
er unaccOuntably prolonged, to the Nor
wegian settlements of the Western States,
and returned with warm,hearted maid
emily wife, for whom everyone had pleas
ant word, Then he, went, to the farmer
and wanted to buy a piece of land.
II would rather live near here, and still
work for you at odd times. ] only want
twenty acres, he said.
Twenty acres seemed so small q tract
to the farmer accustomed to work his
two thousand acrea, that he tried to per
suade him to take more, but Peterson
still chung to Z e conviction that fruit
flowers, vegetables, wind-m t. lift
water, few cows, chickens and MOS
with the close care which he 30 we'll un-
derstood, would make twenty acres q
bright and self supporting home. Final
", upon the farmers earnest, friendly
desire, he, took forty acres at $50 per
acre, paying 81, 900 down, and let the
rest wait at ten per cent. interest 81
With what earnestness and patience he
has begnn to toni, having now his own
home, or how faithfully his wife seconds
his efforts, we have not space to relate.
Thegoal Is reached. The crops already
on his forty acres will 90 far to ard pay
ing off his debt this fall. They spend
little; they live within themselves; they
desire to build up loving and beautiful
cottage home, full Of peace, purity and
restiulness. And t. ey have gone about
10 the way open to the mass Of humanity
by simple hard work aud self-denial