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"My home was in the southern part of Sjelland, which is the
largest island of Denmark. The nearest big town was Nestved. Father was a common working man, and he died when I
was thirteen. After that Mother took care of us, as well as any mother could.
"I started school when I was eight years old. The boys were seated
on one side of the room and the girls on the other. We had long wooden benches, seating six or eight. The desk was
attached in front, with room for books and slates. Twice a year we were given examinations and from these we were graded.
The best student then was placed at the head of the bench, the next best one second, and so on. (I never got any farther
than the second seat).
"The summer I was eleven, I was hired out to help with little chores as
I could perform. I took care of chickens, washed milk dishes, did sweeping, and such small jobs. On school days I went
to school, with was held only three days a week. School was also held all year round, except for a few weeks during
harvest.
"Then the next spring I went to a different place to work, in the small
village of Salteby. This place was even smaller than Geneva [the town she lived in Minnesota]. We had a very excellent
teacher in the school in this town, who did the very best he could to help us. Besides going to school here, I did my
work of weeding in the garden, feeding chickens, bringing in eggs, helping with milking, which was done three times a
day entirely by girls and women. The milk products were made into butter and cheese. The surplus butter was shipped
to England. During the long winter evenings, I knitted countless pairs of stockings.
"When I was thirteen and a half, I had to leave school, because of a law
which permitted children to be kept out of school if they were forced to work for a living. The children of the more
well-to-do families could continue in school.
"I stayed in the village of Salteby until I was sixteen and after school
my wages were increased a bit so I received sixty kroner for a whole year's work. At that time this amount to
approximately $16.00.
"'The year before I was sixteen my older brother had migrated to the
United States, and secured work in Steele County, Minnesota. Seeing that wages and living conditions were so much
better in this country, he advised that I also emigrate to the United States and sent me money for my passage. In
the spring of 1884, I then came to the United States. I looked forward to this as a vacation and had such great
anticipation of the new country that I did not mind leaving my mother and younger brother and sister. An
acquaintance of ours who had been over here a few years was home in Denmark for a visit with relatives, and it
was arranged that I join a party of emigrants that were leaving with this man. We boarded a train at Nestved
for Copenhagen, where we stayed a few days until the ship sailed. We stopped at Norway and picked up more passengers.
We spent three weeks on the ocean, and aside from a short attack of seasickness, I enjoyed the trip.
"I remember the Easter of 1884, as I spent it on the ocean. My time was
spent with some handwork, and on nice days we spent our time on the deck, where we watched the waves. One day we sighted
a whale in the distance, which was of interest to us. When stormy weather came, we were told to go below in our cabins,
and door were closed securely until the weather calmed. During a bad storm, the waves became high as a house, and swept
over the decks. Some night we could listen to the foghorns, which warned other ships. As we neared New York, the sailors
became busy using paint here and there to brighten the riggings. After so many days on the water it was a pleasant
sensation to see land again.
"We came in the harbor just at evening and lights were glistening and
sparkling. We were glad to feel the solid ground under our feet again. As we came off the boat, we saw women
standing with their baskets of bakery goods and fruit for sale. A custom officer examined contents of our trunks.
"We were then taken to sleeping quarters for the night. Later we boarded
trains for our various destinations.
"The group I was with came to Blooming Prairie, it taking three days for
the trip. I was left with a family there and after a few days, it developed that I became sick with scarlet fever.
After recovering I got a job in Owatonna. In those days it was not difficult to get housework. I was fortunate to have
a very kind woman for a mistress. As I was trying to learn the English language, I paid close attention to instructions,
which were sometimes acted out. I did my very best to try and give satisfaction. I found the working conditions more
favorable and to my liking than those in the old country.
"My brother during this time was working in Geneva for Dr. Twiford, and
being that they were in need of a maid, I left my work in Owatonna that fall and came to Geneva and took that job.
"Dr. and Mrs. Twiford were then living in the house now owned by
Gruetzmachers. Dr. Twiford's garden then covered the spot where the restaurant and the Thompson and Nelson store
now stands.
"A few years later, I married and settled on the home farm south of Geneva.
"In looking back, the thought has come at many times that the advantages
the newcomer had in the United States in those days were more than most people realize. My adopted country has been
kind to me, and I am glad that I made use of my opportunity in coming over."
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