The Princeton union., 1879-08-20
A Story OF Success.

IN the year 1871 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.
several weeks passed and he was still un-
successful. He vent to the house of
wealthy farmer, a man Of shrewd but
kindly character, and said to him in ef-
feet:
II need work, and at any price, to
make beginning on. I can't lie idle; l
am tired of tramping. Have you got any
room for one more hand?'
"No," said the farmer. II am tired of
tramps, and l have help enough"
II am no tramp" said the man, quiet
ly, and I will work, if you will let me,
without wages, and Tor only my board
and lodging, until such time as there is a
vacancy, OF l 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 go 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 ':tree hand. -
as he called him, was the best man on the
ranch. He was the earliest up, ,he busl
est at all times, and in no sense an eye
server. Always merry, his folk-songs of
Tome, and his storiesof that weireu north
ern land, grew more interesting as his
kno ledge Of our language advanced.
Two mont went by III 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. ''It pays
to ave such man." he said to himself.
1t is absurd to think of letting him go 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 WIS given.
Our Norwegian remained no less than
seven years on this one farm making him.
self more and more necessary to the op-
erations Of agriculture. They ceased call
ing him "Gus;" he became 'sMr. Peter
son. in the neighborhood. Other labor
ers had come anu gone. Hewas the sole
representative Of the men who were on
t. e ranch when he came there. The most
important gain, perhaps, was that he had
a complete and practical knowledge of
farmsand farm work, Of our soil, cli-
mate, limitations and possibilities Last
| ly, 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 va
cationless work, took a summer trip, rath-
er unaccountably prolonged, to the Nor
wcgian settlements Of the Western States,
and returned with warm-heartcd maid
enly wife, for whom everyone had pleas
ant word. Then he went to the farme,
and wanted to buy piece Of land.
81 would rather live near here, and still
work for you at odd times I only want
twenty acres," he said.
Twenty acres seemed so small a trac
to the farmer accustomed to work hi:
two thousand acrea, that he tried to per
tsuade him to take more, but Peterson
still chung to the conviction that fruit
flowers, vegetables, a windmill t. lif
water, a few COWS, chickens and pigs
: with the close care which he so we'll un
; derstood, would make twenty acres ;
bright and self supporting home. Final
ly, upon the farmers earnest. friendl,
Q desire, he took forty acres at $50 pc
!. acre, paying $1,000 down, and let tn
rest wait at ten per cent. interest.
3 With what earnestness and patience h
| has begnn to toll, having nov his owl
s home, or how faithfully his wife second
0 his efforts, we have not space to relate
) The goal is reached. The crops alreati,
r on his forty acres will go far toward pay
t ing off his debt this fall They spen,
h little; they live within themselves; the,
| desire to build up a loving and beautiful
cottage home, full of peace, purity an<
@ restfulness. And they have gone abou
in the way open to the mass of humanit.
G by simple hard work and self-denial
\ shall often say something different from
what we mean.