The Washington herald., 1909-06-27

pened TO set copy OF Weems' Life OF
George Washington which had been
translated into Norwegian After read
ing II he longed 10 live in a tree country.
some persons whom he knew We're 20
emigrate 10 America. Among them was
well-to-do man with a large family.
My father went 10 him and made a bar
gain. The man was 20 pay my fathers
way 20 WiscOnSin-ship money and rail-
road tickets amounted 20 sand my
father was 10 help take care OF the chill
dren on the journey and pay the man
$40 after reaching this country and get
ting work Ny father never complained
Of the terms. He paid high premium.
but il was either that or Norway for
ever.
1t is not generally known. even 10 the
denomination, but my father. G farmer
living In a one-roOm log cabin. introduced
active MethOdism among the Noryyegiaus
OF the Northwest. He was brought up,
Of course in the Lutheran Church. There
were no LUtherans in Wisconsin. and so
ne turned Methodist. AT his suggestion
a missionary by the name OF o. p. Peter
son vas sent from New York TO work
among TIE Scandinavians Ny father
built Peterson a two-room cabin. and
gave him some land for a garden When
Peterson returned 10 Europe he requested
my father 10 take his place and be a
local, or substitute. Methodist preacher.
position he occupied with considerable
energy. but no pay. for a quarter OF a
century.
Attended College In Iowa.
The year was born, 1850. my parents
moved to Iowa. going In a covered wagon
drawn By oxen. Ny father had been IN
this country eleven years. and had money
and property to the value Of $1,000. Fer
settler. he was in easy circumstances.
grew up in Iowa, not far from the city
Of Dubuque. While working on the farm
for nine months each year 7 prepared for
college at the district school and an acad-
emy- I was graduated from the Iowa
State University at the age of twenty
three. While 1 could speak English and
Norwegian and had studied Greek. Latin.
French, and German, knew nothing
about human life under modern condi-
tions- l had never seen a street car. nor
had 1 worn night shirt
so I went TO Milwaukee 10 get a close
view OF the world at large Boarding
street car one day. and finding I was
going in>the wrong direction. ] made
flying leap for q car that was passing on
the next track. The conductor excitedIy
told me I was a fool, and spluttered
around more than I thought was neces-
sary. However. 1 had learned something.
Thence I journeyed to Chicago. where 7
attended a Norwegian picnic and delivered
speech, taken largely from my gradu-
ating essay, that reeked with classic illus
tratiOnS and immature rhf3Oeonhv Cr0I
il was good speech, and was generally
appiauded
I thought 7 would try California sim
ply for the experience. A Norwegian
clergyman in San Francisco asked what
1 wanted 10 90. Anything ] replied.
that's honest. III drive wagon. clean
livery stable, bat 1 won't work in q
saloon. The preacher found me a place
n a parochial school. where I taught
German 70 children IN the primary grades
for $50 a month I like English best.
Norwegian next. and then German. and
can make political speeches IL all three
languages soon I went TO the Caiifor-
MIA Military Academy at Oakland as an
instructor In Latin I was paid $50 d
month IN gold and given my board.
Goes to State Convention.
In the meantime I was studying law.
After two years in California. I re-
turned &c Iowa At that time most rail
ways ran east and west, and II vas diff
ficult 10 travel north and south. let il
be known that I would gladly 20 to the
Republican State convention as A dele
gate and pay my own expenses. was
chosen, and went 10 Des Moines. the
capital Of the State. by way OF Gales