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"Helmina, come and see the paper," Anna
called. "The write-up of your wedding is in it. "Helmina hurried
to the kitchen. The May 8, 1896 copy of the Dakota Farmers Leader had arrived. Martin had brought back the
mail when he delivered the milk to the Moe Creamery.
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Excerpt -
Ole's Promise
by Doris
Stensland
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From the tree-covered mountainsides that form the Hurdal
valley in Norway, a young man immigrates to the flat, hot Dakota prairies in
the late 1880's.
This historical novel, based on fact, shows the life of a
newcomer who makes good, but who can't be loosened from the bonds that tie
him to his Fatherland, and to his mother and childhood home. It is set in the time period of the turn
of the century and depicts a life very interesting, but very different from
today.
In 1980, thirty-one letters that Ole Nordlie had written to his sister
and brother-in-law in Norway over a period of more than thirty years, were
discovered. These letters formed the backbone for this book and
helped carry the story from year to year. Through these letters,
the author became better acquainted with the man who was her grandfather.
It is a sequel to Haul the Water, Haul the Wood and follows
the lives of the next generation.
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Ole Nordlie, age 22 - Circa
1888
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Marte paused and leaned on her rake as she inspected the
haying operation. She watched the men
wielding their scythes, with son, Ole Christian, in the lead. Marte felt pride in this son. He swung his scythe with a regular rhythm
- not wasting any motions. He was the
one who had inherited her father's agricultural talents. Working with the land and the animals came
naturally for him. A born
farmer. Yet, it saddened her to
realize that though he may have inherited farming talents, he never would inherit
farm land on which to practice them . .
for this son was second-born.
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- - - - - - - - -
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But it was a lovely day. The breeze had a cool touch to it. She decided this was the best part of
washday - taking down the clothes that smelled so good, and feeling pride in
the whiteness of the men's shirts and the big tablecloth. There was nothing like the sun and good
strong homemade soap to make them white.
She was
distracted from her thoughts by the sound of a motor. It must be out on the highway, she
decided. She took down several more
shirts, and then she realized it was coming up their lane. Helmina walked to the front of the house
to see what was coming . . .and it was, as she feared, one of those new
automobiles.
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When it
came closer, it began to slow up, with loud pop-pops as it backfired. The chickens, in great fear, flew up and
out of the way, and the horses standing by the barn kicked up their hind legs
and ran off to the pasture. Only a
few curious old milk cows stood by the barn, looking on at this noisy monster
that had pulled into the yard.
Now Helmina
saw who the driver was! Martin sat
behind the wheel. He left the motor
running as he swung open the little door and jumped down and went over to
Helmina, who stood watching. She
hadn't cared to get too close.
"Well,
Helmina, what do you think of it?"
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One of the new automobiles. Tony Overseth behind the wheel. Ole Nordlie is seated in the rear - Circa 1909
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To purchase the book, click Buy the Book,
or you may purchase from Amazon.com.
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