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be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come.’ That night I slept
little but cried much.”
So our talk drifted on, I asking questions and she
responding. I learned that she had married quite young
and that they had owned a farm in the northern part of
Norway. But the soil was poor and crops were failing
from year to year. Under such circumstances it was
difficult to support a family. Early in the sixties rumors
began to spread in their bygd about the land of wonders
and fabulous riches far, far away across the great seas.
“Our oldest son, Jens, caught the ‘America fever’ first.
He was then in his sixteenth year; and a brave lad he
was, bright and very strong for his age. He began
assuring me that we ought to go. He just didn’t let me have
peace. Can’t say but that there seemed to be much truth
in what the lad was saying. So I began to talk to
Andrew, my husband, about it. He was sickly then and has
always been. He did not approve of our plan at first.
But Jens never gave up; said he would provide a home
for us and would never leave us as long as he lived.
God bless him! I am sure he would have kept his
promise if God had permitted him to live.
“Finally we determined to go. Everything was sold
at public auction. Two weeks before we were ready to
leave, something happened that made us waver. Our little
three-and-one-half year old daughter was suddenly taken
sick with scarlet fever. The doctor came, but could do
nothing. She became worse from day to day.” Grandma’s
voice became unsteady. “Two days before we left we
followed her to the grave.” She made a long pause.
Though so many years had passed since that day, the
wound was still there — fresh. Joy fades in time; with
sorrow it is different. Sorrow is an evergreen. I did
not attempt to say anything. There are moments when
sympathy is best expressed by silence. Grandma’s eyes,
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