l 2, page 448.]

I can yet distinctly remember many incidents from my childhood as far
back as my third and fourth year; all these memories are dear and
exceedingly pleasant to me. There was no discord, no cause for sorrow
and tears in my home during the time of my childhood. Everything bore
the stamp of peace and calm, emanating from that spirit of genuine old
Swedish honesty and sincere piety, which animated my parents. One of my
very first recollections is of my father reading aloud the beautiful
hymn:

"The morning light shall wake me
To the strains of sacred song," etc.

At the age of six my schooling commenced under the guidance of an
itinerant schoolmaster by name of Bergdahl, who taught small children at
their homes, stopping one day for each child at every house and keeping
on in that way the whole term which lasted from three to four months.
Old Bergdahl was a good and sensible man, far superior to the average
men of his class. He seldom punished his pupils except by appealing to
their better nature, and still maintained the best discipline that I
have ever seen in any school of even greater pretensions.

My parents were doing well on their little farm, which they sold about
this time, buying a larger one on the Oennestad Hills. Here they erected
larger and more commodious buildings.

[Illustration: OUR HOME.]

Near the house was a park, a creek, and some large rocks, all of which
afforded welcome play-ground, and soon made this place dearer to me than
the old home. We were followed by the school-master who also settled
down in our neighborhood. I continued reading another year under his
guidance, after which I attended a private school, and at the age of
eight was sent to the village school that was superintended by a lady
teacher, a normal school graduate, who was considered one of the best
teachers in that part of the country. My parents, desiring a more
extensive field for their activity, also rented a large farm, called
Kellsagard, near the village church, and we now moved into a still
larger and better house. Meanwhile I continued my attendance at the
village school until I had learned all that was taught there. During the
vacations I worked on my father's farm at such light work as was suited
to my age and strength. I had a decided fancy for horses, of which my
father raised a large number, and was always happy for a chance to ride
or drive in company with the hired men, and after my twe