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IS 4.2 Story of an Emigrant.
tried how long I could go without food, and .still not lose
my mental and physical vigor.
When I was sixteen years old, an event took place which
had a decisive influence 011 my whole life.
A captain of the army boarded at my father’s home, and
was regarded as a member of the family. Among his
acquaintances was a young man of my own age, who also
had the same christian name as I. One day this young man
came to see the captain, and as he approached the house my
mother and sister observing him, both exclaimed at the
same time, "There is Hans!" He heard this, and was
greatly surprised that they knew him, while the fact was
that they mistook him for me. At that time I was in the
city, but the next day this second Hans visited me, and told
me of the incident. If there is such a thing as affinity
between men, it certainly existed between him and me; we
felt ourselves irresistibly drawn towards each other, and
from that day we have been more than brothers, and
nothing but death can separate us. We are of the same size,
complexion and age. He had already served a short time as
cadet in the artillery, but had been compelled to resign on
account of poor health. Now he had recovered and entered
service again as a volunteer in the infantry. The events of
my life are so closely interwoven with this man and his life,
that the reader will often hear of him in these pages. Right
here I wish to state, that a more faithful friend and a more
noble character cannot be found ; he has always been a help
and a comfort to me in the many and strange vicissitudes
which we have shared together. His name is Hans
Eus-trom, better known in Minnesota as Captain Eustrom.
The first Danish-German war broke out about this time,
and I, with many other youths, felt a hearty sympathy for the
Danes. The Swedish government resolved to send troops to
help their neighbors, and a few regiments marching through
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