Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-11-30
Martin ". Odland and
NOrse-Americnn History
By ALBERT o. BARTON

Herewith is an interesting little
story about q man prominent in
land. former member of the State
Senate and now with the Railroad
and Warehouse Commission. who
in literature and history. The
story is written by former college
chum. Albert 0. Barton. and ap.
Madison. Wis.,. where the two at
tended university together.
Years ago, according to the calen-
dar, this writer and Martin w. Cd
land, now with the Minnesota Rail-
road and Warehouse Commission,
were in the university together, good
friends then as ever since. Odland
came to the University of Wisconsin
from South Dakota, took a classical
course and remained long enough to
get masters degree.
Since then he has been high
school principal, newspaper editor,
in Wisconsin and Minnesota, secre-
tary to a governor, and in recent
years a writer of books. Biographies
of Gov. Alexander Ramsay of Mime
sofa and Of the late Sen. Knute Mel
son have been written by Mr.. Odland.
Odland's parents came as pioneers
to Dane county in the SOS, lived for
short time on the later Torger
Thompson place near Cambridge, but
about 1860 emigrated to Dakota, be-
territory, and locating in the south
eastern corner near Yankton. Cd
land was a good student, chiefly in
terested in cultural studies, and be-
came stepped in English and Morse
history and literature, as we'll as the
classics. 1t seemed difficult to un-
derstand at the time how so many
young men from the pine woods of
the north or the grasshopper belt of
the west came to take up Greek and
Latin, studies that must have been
alien to all their background.
Odland early fell in with Prof
Rasmus B. Anderson and became
disciple sitting at the feet of that
scholar, where, figuratively speak
ing, he has been ever since. Period
ically he comes back to Madison to
visit him and other old-time cronies.
Already as a student he had conceived
the idea of writing a romance on the
theme of Morse emigration to America
and of Morse pioneer life. His case
recalls the admonition of an old phil
osopher: Young man, beware of that
for which thou longest with intensity,
for of certainty it will come unto
thee!"
1.-The story should begin in
Norway" said Odland even then,
land should be carried forward
through a generation or two of
settlement in this country to show
the hardships and humors, the
joys and sorrows, of the trans
planted immigrants in their new
home"
Mr.. Odland has finally done such
a story in 1.-The New Canaan" book
recently off the press; he had to
carry out his idea himself. 1t is
published by the Augsburg Publish
ing house of Minneapolis, publishers
also of the novels of the late James
A. Peterson of Minneapolis, along
similar lines. Mr.. Peterson was also
a graduate of the University of Wis
consin, a distinguished citizen of
Minnesota and also a close friend of
Prof. Anderson's as of Mr.. Odland's.
Mr.. Odland's story follows, in the
main, Prof. Anderson's history, First
chapter of Norwegian immigration"
and follows history closely. One of
his characters is Cleng Peorso, the
Norwegian pathfinder 1t begins with
the sailing of the historic sloOp, RES
taurationen," in 1925, the hero of the
story being a supposed stowaway on
that vessel. In addition to the histor-
ical tale, Mr.. Odland has woven in
a fine romance to answer the require
ments of novel. 1t is most excel
lent and trustworthy history of Morse
immigration, as we'll as charming
story, work with an authentic
claim.
Mr.. Odland has the gift of mar
rative that marked the old sagamen
of Iceland. He has the faculty OF
holding ones attention. The wife
of this WRITER, who seldom reads
anything her own husband writes
(bless her), and to whom the story
of Morse emigration was largely a
closed book, picked up Mr.. Odland's
story and scarcely laid it down until
she reached the end. Even Prof. An
CT nd ell NGv