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10
Story of an Emigrant.
Danish capital, Copenhagen, we being among the first
Swedish families that traveled by rail, lor we took the
railroad from Copenhagen to Roskilde, the same being finished
several years before any railroads were built in Sweden.
In the summer of 184-7, shortly after my confirmation, I
was properly supplied with wardrobe and other necessaries,
and saving good-bye to the happy and peaceful home of my
childhood, I left for the city of Kristianstad to enter the Latin
school. In kissing me good-bye my mother urged on me
the precious words, which she had inherited from her mother:
" Do right and fear nothing."
When I entered this school I was fourteen years and a-half
old, tall of stature and well developed for my age, and, like
other country children, somewhat awkward in dress and
behavior.
My schoolmates welcomed me by giving me a nick-name,
and trying to pick a quarrel with me, which they also
succeeded in doing, and before the end of the first day a drawn
battle had been fought, after which they never troubled me
again. The principal study in this school was Latin, early
and late, to which was soon added German, and at the close
of the second year, Greek, French, history, geography, and
other common branches. I made rapid progress, was
awarded a prize at my first examination, and finished the
work of two classes in two years, only about half the usual
time.
During those two years, and even before that time, I had
a peculiar presentiment that I would have to make great
mental and physical exertions in the future, and that it was
necessary for me to prepare lor whatever might happen.
Therefore, I often chose the hard floor for m v bed and a book
for a pillow. At times I would take long walks without
eating and drinking, and let my room-mates strike my chest
with their fists until it was swollen and inflamed. I even
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