Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1917-09-05
IMPRESSIONS ON A
12o0-MILE AUTO TRIP.

IMPRESSIONS ON A
l2O0-MILE AUTO TRIP.
Continued from page onel
and entertained us most Hospitality.
IT was a great pleasure after six years
to call again on these friends. OF
course we had to stay a while, After
having been served coffee and a de-
licious lunch we, babe goodbye to Mrs.
Lindquist and her daughter. Our car
sped rapidly thru Atwater, Grove City,
Litchfeld, Darwin and Dassel, and Co
kato, arriving at the home Of our sis
ter, Mrs. P. II. Nelson, near the latter
town shortly after six o'clock. Mr..
Nelson was picking beans in his garden
by the road when we drove by and
saccosted him greatly to his surprise.
NearlyeaH members of the family were
at home and it is needless to say that
the meeting Of cousins, some of whom
had never met before, was an event of
great Importance in our family history
1t was a joyful meeting, but our sister
was sad at heart because son Fillmore;
the only big boy at home, and upon
whose help the parents depended to
take care of the farm, had been draft
ed for the army and will have to go, as
he had on the day of our arrival pass
ed Hooper cent physical examination
at Buffalo. Time passed all two swift
~ in Cokato with visiting old friends
bathing in Brooks lake, fishing trip
to Lake Emma, picking apples, cucum-
bers, etc. CokatO is progressive,
wide-awake town of about 1900 people,
1T has large corn canning factory
whose entire output is generally sold
in advance. 1t has also pickle fac
tory that was running full blast at the
time of our visit, farmers in the vicin-
ity growing the cucumbers and haul
ing them to the factory. The cucum-
bers are packed between layers of salt
forming brine, in huge wooden watts,
that, when filled, are lifted onto fiat
cars and shipped to points Of distribu-
ton.
At Cokato we visited with Mr.. and
Mrs. Swanson, parents Of Mrs. Chel-
gren, wife of former pastor Of the
Swedish Lutheran church in this city
They formerly lived at Kennedy but
now make their home and enjoy life
i'm their old age on a beautiful ten acre
farm few miles from Cokato.
On Friday, Aug. "a, we left for
WATERFOWL, about 20 miles distant, the
place where we grew up as a boy. Mr..
and Mrs. Nelson, son Fillmore and
daughters Lilly and Agnes, accompa-
MED us in their car. At Watertown we
were to visit our brothers Albert and
Frank and their families. Finding no
sone at home at Albert's place we drove
on to town, where to our surprise a
home coming celebration for Water
town people was in progress at the
village park We soon located our rel
atives in the crowd and later accompa-
MED brother Albert to his beautiful
farm home. Next day we all motored
out to Swede Lake, looked over the old
farm where I had grown up as a boy
and where many time l had stood
listening to the sound of the COW bell
before plunging into the dark woods to
drive the cattle home at the close of
ay@Old Swede Lake where I first
learned to swim, was still there.
Bordering it is the old Engholm farm,
where I and my younger sister and
brother, three small motherless child
rem, were cared for by kind neighbors,
while father was way down south
fighting for his country in the civil
war On the shore of this lake stood
sthe old log school house, which also
served as church for the early set
tiers, and where l had been taught the
first rudiments of knowledge. The old
log building has given place to more
modern school house on the same site
In the old cemetery adjoining rests my
mother She died when / was six
years old, my sister four and brother
Albert two years. AS we three child
:ren, now well along in years, stood
silently by the sacred spot where she
sleeps the last long sleep, tears filled
our eyes and words failed to express
the emotions which we felt
49, + Is. : : : - -
Peaceful let be thy sleep,
Mother of mine,
Angels safe watch will keep
Sweet dreams be thine.
Thy children around thee stand
And grand children, hand in hand
Soon in that better land
We all shall meet.
From Swede Lake we continued the
auto tour to Clearwater Lake about
six or seven miles distant. In my boy
hood the country thru which we
travelled was covered with dense
hardwood forests, small clearings being
found only around the log houses OF
the settlers. Today most Of the forests
have disappeared, cultivated fields an6
orchards taking their place. On the
shore of beautiful Clearwater Lake
our three families enjoyed a picnic