The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-01-05

took the name of his stepfather, just
as his honored mother had done. What
was good enough for mother was good
enough for Knute.
In his Deerfield home, Knute went
to country school, where his teacher
Mary Dillon, recognizing his abilities
urged him to educate himself. She
told him that, being foreign born he
never could be President, but that he
might become United States Sena-
tor. Inspired by that ambition, the
academy at the village of Albion was
his next goal As he had no money
for his tuition he became janitor.
When school opened, the fifteen
year old farm boy drove up with a
yoke of oxen hitched to self-made
care, called "kubberrulle "-rolling
long. He brought with him from the
blocks it's wheels were sections of a
farm enough provisions to last four
months; he did his own cooking. He
socn became noted as student; he
was seldom without a book in hand.
When ringing the bell for students to
assemble, he pulled the rope with one
hand and held the book with the other
When Father Abraham sent forth
his call for defenders of the Union,
Knute Nelson was among the first to
enlist; and upon the Deerfield farm
was mother whose heart was as pa
triotic, as American, as his own. lie
fought, as private and corporal, in
many of the famous battles. Before
Fort Hudson, he was left wounded
upon the field, June Ia, 1868, where he
lay all day, helpless and exposed to
the fire of both sides. At night he
was made a prisoner and held in the
fort until it surrendered month later
Shattered in health from wound
and exposure, he was mustered out.
All through his two years of service
he had sent his pay eleven dollars to
fifteen dollars month) to his mother,
who held it until his return, for, she
said, "Knute would need it to finish
his education at the Academy" Con-
sequently, Corporal Nelson did not
have to be janitor again, but a twenty
year-old, full bearded veteran, he had
to stand in classes composed OF boys,
who considered him an old man
which was harder than being janitor.
He was graduated in 1865, and i'm
mediately entered the law office of
William F. Villas, Cater Postmaster
Generally and, after one years study
was admitted to the Bar.
In 1868, he was elected to the Wis
consin legislature. In 1871, he took up
a homestead adjoining Alexandria,
Mimi, and opened law office III that
village. A year later, he was elected
county attorney; in 1875, state sena-
tor. In 1884, he became representative
in Congress. In 1892, governor Of
Minnesota, reelected in 1894. Soon
after his reelection he was chosen by
the legislature. United States Sena-
tor, which office he has held ever
since.
While he was running for governor
heckler tried to break up his meet
ing. Knute did not call for the police.
He stepped off his platform, walked
down the aisle, seized the heckler by
the scuff of the neck, heaved him into
outer darkness, and resumed his argu-
ment.
He was the first Scandinavian ever
elected to the House of Representa-
tives, the first Scandinavian United
States senator, and with the exception
of Senator Lodge, he has now had the
longest service of any member of Sen
ate. Without exception, he is the cid
est of the Elders of the Nation.-Les-
lies Weekly.