Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-14
Ways;de Notes and Impressions
BY A. d. scougal.

This is the story Of a Swede who got
by, one in whose breast the holy fire
of patriotism burns as briskly for
America as tho he were born on its
soil.
Peter Weeden, who with his brother
Otto, now conducts the New Monroe
Hotel at Grinnell to the satisfaction
of the travelling public, thirty three
years ago last April arrived in Clinton.
Iowa, from Sweden. He could not
speak word of the English language
did not know even the monosylables
Yes" and mo-. He was a husky lad
OF II years-almost-an had been sent
a ticket by an older brother to come
to America tc make his way in the
world as best he could, albeit the
aforementioned elder brother a few
years before had been helped to come
across the Atlantic by a kind father
burdened with the obligation to do the
best he could for a family of fifteen
children. Seven Of this family of fifteen
-four girls and three boys-came to
the United States, one at time,
helped by those who first came. One
would come with the ticket sent from
America and go to work and earn the
price Of ticket and send it to sis
ter or q brother. All seven made good.
But as the boy Peter is the subject Of
this sketch, his fortunes are of inter-
est as an inspiration to others and as
the narrative Of an interesting life. He
obtained employment in Curtis Bros
big sawmill in Clinton for 81 a day,
and remained in that employment eight
years. During that time he improved
his mind by learning the language and
reading. Tho he worked in the big
mill by day, his toll did not cease when
the whistle blew at s o'clock in the
evening. He took care of horse and
COW for an aged widow for his board
and room. His wages in those eight
years service did not set above s1.65
q day. He had many hair breadth es-
capes from death and injury and is one
any considerable length of time who
left it with fingers, arms and feet in
tact He seemed to bear charmed
life. One day bahdsaw going at the
rate Of thousands of revolutions min
ute broke, a piece of it flew thirty feet
where Peter was working at another
machine, pierced a tWo-iEch board he
held in his hands in front of him, went
clear thru it, but no farther, else Peter
would have been disemboweled. Dur
ing this same term of years his brother
Otto suffered the loss of a finger, but
Peter was hardened for other troubles
that came in after years, and it no
doubt was due to his sawmill expert
ence that he has stood the work and
the grind and disappointments after
the manner Of man schooled in the
art.
Then Peter came to Grirnell-twen-
ty years ago. For four years he was
night porter Of that hosiery at SIS a
month; he MIXED two cows, jugSled
the cuspidors and shined shoes. He had
a dime savings device in which he put
every dime he got from shining shoes,
and when it was filled he took it to
the bank, and he has a savings &C
count in that bank to this day. From
Grinnellg he went to State Center and
he prospered there in the hotel bust
ness. His fidelity to duty and industry
had earned him a reputation that was
inuring to his benefit every day. From
State Center he was secured by the
Grant Club at Des Moines for the po-
sition of custodian. And it is some
jog down the lane of life and up its
hillsides from a non English speaking
swede boy to the position ofTcustodian
of thesG Grant Club. Peter secured that
jobTon the record Sof past performance
rather that upon his pulchritude. He