Oxford eagle., 1889-06-13
A DAKOTA WEDDING.
The Bride and Groom Not the Only
Ones Made Happy.

About two miles due west from my
house. in the Red River Valley in Da-
kota. the ground suddenly rises about
five feet. and then gradually falls away
again % the prairie level From my
windows | ean see a solitary tree grow
ing on this mound or little hiIlock. and
near By Is the door OF Pete Jznsen's
'tiug-ouL-
The dug-0ut Is old Pese'- only home.
He followed il out himself in the side
Of the hill-fa the vide stretches %
level prairie even such slight rise
astaius the dignity Of 4 LilI-asd be
himself tAshiOa.ed the rude dOo--frane
and tittsd the door. and traasplaass.d
Wild Towers 70 the ROOT
Iws- riding by one day. Just after
the dug-Out was finished. and he in
vited ne 70 70 IN -. hitching my
mule u the tree. I came down and
entered Il was dark inside. even whan
the door WAS Op-sn, when that WAS
closes. there was no light NJ aIl-and
A. FOE veniilatiou. veil. perhaps the
little stops~pipe furnished that As
Eay be imagined. there WAS only one
room in the dug-out. but then. as Pete
said with entire truth. there was only
one person Poor old fellow, | had
then heard oaIy indistinct rumors of
his story. but that day. at his invita-
rfnr I z-s Ipxr s,sr..;,3s. HE l.,s,- S., ~ -
grass. and he soon began to tell me
about himself Here he was living on
the wide. wide prairie. with no imme-
date usighbors, an old man with fail
ing strer-th-no wonder he was glad
10 have n sympathetic listener even for
one short half hour.
He had in his hand the hammer with
which be had Just been putting the
last strokes On the door-frame. and H.
he talked he struck the 6rn sod again
and again
How long have you been here.
Petes" | asked
One year" he said. slowly Il
work on the TuStia farm last summer.
This year | say | must haf ny own
home SO take this quarter section :
and lif here. and work wherefer can
find work"
Who does your coo<inga''
There Is not much cooking said
the old man Il nefer eat much /
feels too sorry all the times. and when
/ tries TO eat somsshings he shall stick
in my thrOat l feels sorry all the
times"
That is because you live all alone.
OF course said
Yes. he replied Il nefer Iif alone
in Norway There I did hat nv dear
wife and my dear little girl. and did
haf a little stone cottage. all with
vines and flowers. and the sun aIways
was shining. and the birds always
singing And then my dear little girl
Ola she sang. too. better rs any bird
ever lived l was nefer lonesome
then
The old man paused in his story, and
nsrvouslY pounded the sod with the
hammer After a moment he went on:
Il vas ferry happy We was all ferry
happy. worked hard all day. and at
night times ve haf our little table
under those green trees. for some sup
per. and we nefsr did get sorry Well.
by and by my dear wife was Sick and
die She vas fiery sick for long times.
and haf to stay at home from work
TO gif care to her. and spend so much
money that when she died | must sell
my house
so then must come to America 70
make some moneys And Ola she
shall come after me. work all those
first summer and get some moneys to
bring her ofer. and send it to her. Bu,
Sha .sfS- hat .s-ssz4---
The poor fellow looked 50 forlorn
that | tried TO comfort him
she never received the letter. / an
sure | said
Inere was man he came ofer from
those same town. and he say he saw
o'a- and she say she hear from me and
are coming right away. That are the
last eter hear I an sure Ola come.
oct she are lost someEhers- / think
shall nefer see her some more
Ifelt sorry enough for the old tel-
low. and engaged him to come over
the next day with his tools to do some
work for ne The spring ran on to
summer. and the summer 70 autumn
ard Pete was l%xiug in his store of Do
nwoes and pork and wood for the win
ter.
One day he came over TO mend a
piece OF machinery for me and he haa
hne piece Of news to tell He was TO
have neighbor-a rear neizhbor.
who had taken the quarter section
next to Pete'S He vas Norxerian-
too his name Was Chris FeIsea-and
he and Pete mad thousand things 70
talk over about Norway. and the vow
age TO America. and the journey across
the continent
i did xish.- said Pete. that he