give a lecture.
They secured a large hall, and when I peeked through a hole in the
curtain I saw about 300 people, and was nearly scared out of my wits.
But Mrs. C. got me mad over something about my dress, and the curtain
went up while I was standing there, and I spoke to them right along.
That was Dec. 30th, 1884. Since then I have been lecturing right along,
except in some short times of sickness, and the hottest weather. I have
been in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ilinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana,
Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, and I hope by next year, to have all my
brothers and sisters with me, so that we can travel together and help
the missionary teachers in Iceland, where we got our education in the
first place.

A great many funny things have been said to me by visitors, and a great
many curious questions asked. Generally, people are kind and
considerate, but sometimes they are rude and uncivil. I am always glad
to satisfy reasonable curiosity to the best of my ability, but I do not
like impertinence any better than any body else.

I was somewhat surprised by one old lady, a year or so ago. After she
had listened for some time, and become greatly interested, she came up
and said, "Where did yeou say yeou kum from?" "From the eastern coast of
Greenland." "Greenland! why la, yes. I know that country. My husband's
got a farm there." A farm in Greenland! Well, a good many other people
have made mistakes fully equal to the old lady's.

Americans, I think you do not realize your blessings in this great land
of plenty, where you have so many fine things. Even here, I often see
sad faces, and hear words of discontent. Sometimes I am a little
discontented myself, when I see something I want, and think I cannot,
or ought not to, have it. But I soon get over that feeling when I
remember my home in the frozen north, where we sat still through the
weary hours, shivering with the cold, choked by the smoke, and often
almost perishing with hunger.

If I was to go back to my race of people, I would not be able to tell
them about what I see and hear in this country. They have not the
language to express the thought. They have seen nothing like a sewing
machine, or a piano. They have no materials to enable them to make
machines. They never saw a painting or a drawing. Their wild, rude songs
is all they have that is anything like music. They have no idea of a
book. They eat when they're hungry, and sleep when they're sleepy.