Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1920-03-25
N. J. BOWLING AN EXAMPLE
Of BRAINS AND BACKBONE
Without Hands or Feet "Cheer
Up" Evangelist Insists Ne Is
Not a Cripple.
STORY OF THE MAN WHO
WOULD NOT GIVE UP
oueess6s 0ssplts Handieaps That
Make oss0ars Of Mest Men, Over.
coming Difficulty, Trial, Hard
ships and Al Obstacles.
Dy D. r. Miller

Dy o. r. Miller
Difficulty. trial, hardship, obstacles
are al necessary factors In the evolu.
ton OF great soul. A triumph over
these obstacles In life's pathway fur
nishes the theme OF our soul stirring
literature.
II you want to meet . man, who
has been through them all and more,
handicaps that make beggars Of most
men. yet who has succeeded, let mo
introduce you to N. J. Bowling Of
Rsnvills County. no. I mean Of Aneri.
O.
n. J. Bowling was born in Hunting
tom. Massachusetts, nfty-four years
ago Like many Of Americas great
mem. his parents were poor. He was
LETT motheriess ut ten. He went west
with his father to st. Louis, thence
to Chicago. where the boy attended
school. sold papers and learned the
mysteries Of the great city. Wishing
to become . cowboy and kill Indians,
little Mike 1t the age Of twelve decid-
Cd to shift for himself and left for
Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota,
and for two years worked a. . farm
hand.
In the summer of 1880, he collect
"a large herd of cattle to herd dur
Ing the season. During this summer.
with no company but his pony, he had
time to reflect learn the ways Of ma
ture and to plan his future. He was
going to be . stockman. get an educa-
ton and have . home.
Tho season of herding over, Mike
went to Candy to collect his pay. Can
BY was the trading center Of the farm
ers whose cattle he herded, Decem-
Der 9Th, 1880. the boy was to 60 out
in the country six miles away to COM
plete his business. Be II remembered
that 1880 was known throughout the
Northwest a. the Big Snow Winter"
He rode out in the country with two
farmers In = lumber wagon and met
the unheralded bliszard. When Il
reached it, height, the men could not
sec their horses. The team could not
keep the road in racing across q
plowed field. the boy was jolted out.
The rafting wagon and seventy mile
gale drowned his cries. He Was alone
IN the storm and knew that some
time that night his life was likely to
end Houses were scarce and he
walked for hours. At last stumbling
ever . wood Pile. he knew . house was
near. He threw sticks In all direc-
lions. hoping by sound to locate the
buildings. Falling In this. he moved
IN . circle. hoping again TO locate
shelter. In his search. he came upon
. stuwstack. Its inviting shelter
could not be denied. So he burrowed
In In thu stack he spent the rest Of
The night Aghting the slumber that
forstalh approaching death.
The storm over. the morning sun
sent its da1sling light into the small
mouth Of his burroW. The boy Mike
crawled out but found he could not
stand He crawled to the farm house
lees than . hundred rods away and on
the door sill. he found . stick Of wood.
He had missed his mark by inches.
This stx inches WAS the margin b.
tween safety and disaster. Kind and
Wiling hands took him In and the
aGcaixtng process Of thawing out BE-
gaA.
Again . storm and three days
elapsed before . doctor could be had
and when he arrived. he sadly shook
h1s head. With little hope the doctor
placed poor Nike on the kitchen table.
All went we'll - long - the chloro-
form lasted. then the boy had
to bear the completion OF the ampu-
tAtion without IT. benefits. When the
trimming was over. Mike vas minus
both lep below the knees, the left
arm below the elbow. the greater part
a his thumb and right hand.
With these handbags. poor Mike was
70 make hi way through life. DR..
J. w. Andrews a Mankato, stiI liv-
Ing Ays this vas his greatest piece
at surgery.
Tho homeless Mike became . county
charge and was sent to Granite Falls.
Here he met . kind and loving folk
and was taken into the home OF Ole
Lende. a. one of the family and here
he also attended school. walking on
his knees assisted By . cane held In
his crippled right hand. Mike. though
loving Ars. Lende - his second moth
Or. did not care to longer Be IN object
At charity. 20 he made . proposition
to the commissioners. IL they would
get him some artificial limbs. and send
him two terms to Carleton college. he
would relieve them from further re-
spoadbiltN. Hi plea was taken Mp
b. newly arrived Norwegian who
hAA bo<h great hath and heart This
nov arrival n America little dreamed
that this homeless. lagleos. handles
boy va 70 b hi future son-in-law.
but such Wa the case. foe IN 1896 he
va married 70 Misc Jennie Borde-
vicA.
Two hard. yek productive tsrms at
Car3otnn. TIN sevea years . teacher.
ho 1oclAaa - 90 cut - business
NJ He so1A HE insurance. owned
4 o01fa1 . Aevspapsr: becans SEQ
~ g u Nat1oaAl Ra00btcan L.