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Subject: Diary of Elisabeth Koren - 213-223
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 09:36:57 -0700
Acknowledgment
The following selection is taken from "The Diary of Elisabeth Koren"
translated and edited by David T. Nelson and published by the
Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA) in 1955. The Volume is
still in print and available from NAHA at http://www.naha.stolaf.edu
where you will also find the first 33 volumes of Studies and Records
online as well as Theodore C. Blegen's 2 volumes on Norwegian Migration
to America. This chapter is published with the kind permission of NAHA.
The book this selection is drawn from is under copyright and permission
has been granted for educational purposes and it is not to be used in any
way for commercial purposes.
Friday, April 7. Who would imagine such changes of weather as we have
here? Today it is raw and raining as hard as it can, and yesterday it was
so warm. Well, it is April, it is true, but it seems to me that all the
months here are like April in that respect. Just now there was a man here
from Minnesota to inquire when the pastor would visit that area. I wish
old Torkild would come so that I could dispatch my letter to Mrs. Preus
and get an Emigranten in return, and perhaps learn how matters are in
Norway in this dreadful time of famine. {9} Many here have a strange way
of looking at it. Thus, the other day one woman told me she had heard
there were many here who were willing to get together and send wheat to
their families, but feared the "higher-ups" would seize it for
themselves; and as for sending money, why, it was much more sensible to
bring their relatives over here than to send a few dollars home. What
good would that do?
I have now written Mrs. Lund and finished a good share of the letter to
Sellø. Am I not smart? I also spent an hour in Barfod's poetical
anthology and revived memories of early childhood, when I first learned
all these songs and received my first impressions of them. {10} I
recalled my old favorites, of which I remember especially the ballad
about Christian II --- for whom I always had a soft spot in my heart, bad
as I thought he was - and a song about Eleanora Christine {11} Yes, that
was indeed a beautiful time when, without disturbance from anyone, I
could lose myself in what I was reading. How many times have I grieved
that confirmation brought its passing! Then I was a grown-up girl, as
they say, and had other things to do than pore over books. Of course I
was not supposed to cease my earlier occupations entirely, but I soon had
to leave most of them. There was not enough time for everything, at least
not for me. But I wish I could have kept my childhood privileges a little
longer. I did not find that becoming grown-up was compensation for giving
them up, for what interested me most was then more and more lost to me,
instead of being of real benefit. But it now seems that what was lost is
returning.
Saturday, April 8. Would to God I knew where Vilhelm is now! It is
impossible not to worry lest he be out in this weather --- and it is
Saturday, so he is almost sure to be on his way somewhere for tomorrow. I
have never seen such rain nor have I ever heard such loud thunder. {12} I
sat here alone some time ago sewing, at which I have spent the whole day,
when a thunderclap made me jump from my seat. It must have been a loud
one, indeed, to make me do that, for as a rule I am not afraid of
thunder. It seemed as if the rain which followed would never let up, and
it held Embret [Sørland] and Eli captive a long time in the cowshed,
until Embret's patience gave out and he walked up here with the water
bucket over his head instead of an umbrella. The rain is driving in from
the north and east, so Eli has had to take down the dripping wet curtain
and move everything that was next to the wall. One could take a little
boat trip on the doorstep. I hope our house will be tighter, for it is
really too bad that it never rains without water streaming in through
walls and windows. Yet since the plastering here is supposed to be
excellent, doubtless log houses are of that nature.
My, how it lightens! Although we have a light, I must close my eyes every
now and then. But such a storm is interesting. I have not lost my old
desire to stand outside and watch the lightning streak down the sky,
which as a child I was often forbidden to do. I must stay inside like a
good child today, too, and be happy over it. Alas for the poor people who
have no roofs over their heads tonight! Vilhelm must surely be in some
house by this time, if indeed he has been out today - for now it is
already evening. As I started to write a while ago, it suddenly became so
dark that I had to lay this aside. And now we are about to eat; Eli fried
pancakes and Embret, pork; he wouldn't be satisfied with cakes only.
Monday, April 10. My dear, sweet sister-in-law's birthday. God grant it
may find her as glad and happy as I wish and hope, and may its memory,
bright and smiling, return many, many times to her and Johan! Ah, if one
could be with them for only a little while in that pleasant little home
in the new town! Well, I am not alone in that wish; I am sure Marie and
Johan are wishing just as heartily that we might come, and are thinking
of all the times we have spent this birthday together in the old mansion.
Johan was always with us --- but not Vilhelm, to be sure --- and last
year I wondered if possibly it might be the last time we should be
together. I have spent the day prosaically enough, busily washing my fine
linens, but that has not been enough to keep my thoughts from dwelling on
Horten. {13}
Guri [Skaarlia] and little Embret were here all forenoon, and then Suckow
was here, in despair because Iver Kvale does not let him work in peace,
but prates about the unfortunate parsonage land that is still not fully
paid for. Now he wants interest on the balance and comes to Embret
[Sørland], who sends him to Katterud. Whenever it is a matter of money,
or a question of borrowing anything, they all have a certain dread of
dealing with Kvale.
I now have all my linens starched and dried. After that was done, I went
downstairs to look through the other chest and get some scarves for
Vilhelm. In this chest everything was in just as good condition as in the
other. While I was in the midst of unpacking our many tablecloths and
napkins, Anne returned with the wash. She was no doubt well pleased to
have arrived so opportunely as to be able to get a look at some of our
things, and helped hold the pieces which were not to be put back again,
while I packed and packed and forgot entirely what I was really after,
namely, scarves; so now I must go through it again. But I cannot
understand why I did not see them, for I went to the bottom. I shall have
to hope for better luck next time, so that I can get Vilhelm a clean
scarf for Easter. It was nice to get all the clean clothes, but it is
annoying that Anne would not take pay for her work. I showed her the
daguerreotypes, to her great delight. But to get her to admit that Marie
is good-looking is impossible. "Is she pretty, really?" said Anne. "No,
but these are elegant, indeed," she said, and pointed to the Lassens.
{14}
I did not get much sleep Saturday night. The thunder stopped but not the
rain, which beat against the shingles of the roof until it sounded as if
it would come tumbling down upon me; and it is not easy to sleep amid
such unaccustomed noise. This was another long bleak day - the same wind
and rain. Embret did not even go to Thorgrim's, but took a nap in the
middle of the forenoon instead (as did Eli, too). As their nap lasted
until twelve, we did not have dinner until two; there was this advantage
- the afternoon did not become so inordinately long. I read and enjoyed
the pleasant book I had received, Theremin's Abendstunden, but just the
same it was a dull day. {15} How I long for Vilhelm! For a time I enjoyed
the book so much that I did not notice the bad weather, but eventually I
no longer got any good out of what I was reading. I felt so lonely, and
saw everything in such dismal colors; but, God be praised, the mood did
not last very long. Then the depressing thoughts went away and I sat
quite cheerfully and talked with Eli and Embret. Why can't I chase these
depressing thoughts away at once when they come!
Today I sent a letter to Mrs. Linka. I had just picked it up with some
money, intending to ask Magnus to take it to Erik, when Erik himself came
and saved me the trouble. {16} I hope he will bring something back with
him!
Wednesday, April 12. Maundy Thursday Eve --- they are now ringing in the
holy days at home. How I miss the church bells! I should so much like to
hear them on Sunday mornings, and when they call people to work in the
summer. How many times I have stood and listened to them in the garden at
home! It was at this time, too, usually Easter Eve, that I could bring
the first wreath of flowers to the grave. {17} Perhaps the small white
flowers are already in bloom outside the windows of the yellow room. I am
going to miss my walks to the cemetery; I have spent many of my best
hours there. It was so good to be there in the evening, so quiet,
peaceful, and solemn. I am thankful Vilhelm will be home for Easter Eve.
Yesterday was a busy day, but I was well satisfied, too, when I had all
my clothes, to the last rag, ironed; it seems to me I did well. It was
really a joy this forenoon to put away so many clean clothes and get them
somewhat in order, though it is not easy when one has so little room.
Erik brought me neither Emigranten nor a letter. McKay had not been home
and his wife did not have the key to the letter drawer. {18} That's a way
of doing things! I hope Vilhelm will go by there Saturday and be more
fortunate.
I am wondering what I should do --- take a walk to the parsonage land and
watch Suckow, or go out and ransack the chest for some scarves. Perhaps I
had better pay the sheep a visit. I imagine Vilhelm will be home late,
and naturally he will have both his scarves soiled. I had better be
sensible then --- doubly sensible --- since it looks like rain, too.
Easter Eve, 1854. It is the eve of Easter, but no indication of it in my
surroundings - nothing to distinguish this evening from an ordinary
Saturday evening. Eli is roasting coffee. Embret is outside; he and Erik
hammer away at the summer kitchen. Everything looks as usual.
And yet it is so pleasant when one can notice everywhere that it is a
festal eve, when everything is polished and tidied and the daily work is
laid aside; and thus it all had to be at home before the church bells
began to ring. I remember so well how as a child I used to help Father
rake and clean the garden; how often I hurried in order to be ready
before the holy day was rung in - here there is nothing like that. But,
God be praised, Vilhelm will be coming tonight-that makes me very
happy-and will then stay home tomorrow at least; so we, too, will have a
somewhat festive Easter. I know of course that I can observe Easter in my
heart, it is true, but when Vilhelm is home, it is nevertheless
different. I do not know why, but here the holy days always seem so long
to me when I am alone. I get tired of reading all day and, moreover, I
have no one to talk to. So the time seems very long; and the cold, raw
weather we had yesterday and the day before makes it seem longer.
Maundy Thursday I wanted to go to the home where Gullik [Rønningen] was
to read, but no one knew how to get there and, besides, no one cared to
go. Embret went to Andrew's and Guri came to Eli's. I went alone to
Thorgrim's to find out where the reading was to be. Only his wife was
home, and I learned from her that at the last meeting at their house they
had agreed not to meet this week because there were to be services on
Sunday --- a strange reason, but such it was. I sat and talked awhile,
then left to take a little walk; but I was so tired when I got back to
the brook I was glad to go no farther.
Guri was still here and stayed for dinner, for which she had brought some
veal that tasted delicious to me after I had been without it so long.
I thought the Franckeans observed all holy days very strictly, but now I
hear that they are harrowing and seeding for all they are worth and even
had their meeting at Iver Kvale's on Wednesday instead of Thursday,
simply because they have so much to do --- such, at least, is the gossip.
Eli went for a walk with her mother to see how the logs on the parsonage
land were doing - whether possibly the twelve had grown fewer in number.
So I sat alone and read and waited for Embret, to see if he brought
anything from the post office. "Do you have a letter?" I asked when he
entered the door. "Yes, sir," he answered, smiling very contentedly, and
I stood there with no small expectations while he drew forth the mail. I
threw Emigranten on the table and seized the letter; but it soon suffered
the same fate as Emigranten; it was only a tiresome business letter to
Vilhelm. I wonder if there will be anything today. But perhaps the mail
has not come yet. Emigranten confirmed reports of the increasing famine
in our beloved Norway, for which help is being earnestly solicited in
Wisconsin. Otherwise there was nothing new.
Eli returned and reported that the logs had neither increased nor
decreased in number, and thereupon she began to fry pancakes. Embret
expressed concern lest people be careless in paying up, and lest the land
not be paid for on the date set and thus fall into Paulsen's hands. {19}
From these dreary reflections (thus they always are when they concern the
parsonage land) he was roused by a Minnesota man whom the pastor is to
marry. The stranger stayed here until the following forenoon, which Eli
and Embret passed in sleeping until Per Haugen came and woke them. They
are so tired, Eli and Embret, and do not stand severe weather well. It is
the usual aftermath of that horrible ague, which was also the cause of
their spending the forenoon as they did, but it seems to me that Embret
is not so eager to read as he used to be. {20}
There is a disgustingly cold wind today; I do not like having spring
begin so early, and then wait so long before it comes in earnest -it
would be better for winter to last a little longer, I believe. I hope I
may meet Vilhelm now; at least I am going to try to do so. I hope he does
not come too late and that nothing is wrong with Rosinante and the wagon.
Thursday, April 20. Again several days have passed, during which this
book has not been brought out; but this time I have been away on a
journey. I went out to the settlements west of here with Vilhelm for a
couple of days, and came home yesterday.
Oh, how warm it was yesterday! It was awful. I could stand it while we
were driving; then there was a little breeze. But when we got home ---
well, I sat where I sat and could not lift a finger; the others were not
much better off, either. The heat came so suddenly, too. I have never
seen such thunder and lightning as we had in the afternoon. The thunder
was not so loud, but the lightning was all the more frequent, flash after
flash in every direction. Nor did it cool off, for it rained only a very
little; and we sat with door and windows closed because of the lightning,
and with a fire in the stove to warm the milk for the precious calves.
No, I shall not forget that evening. I only hope it doesn't happen too
often. Today is hot and oppressive, too, but better than yesterday,
nevertheless; so I shall try to write. Vilhelm is at Aarthun's
instructing the candidates for confirmation; think how hot it must be in
that small room!
My expedition turned out well Easter evening. I had walked only to the
beginning of the bottom when I saw something coming down the road which
at last turned out to be a horse and wagon and two men. Someone had come
with Vilhelm from Paint Creek and now was driving poor Rosinante, who
actually had brought both herself and the wagon home without mishap,
surpassing all expectations. Vilhelm was walking behind with a flower in
his hat and three fruit trees in his hand. This beginning of our garden
(a cherry tree and two plum trees, the latter of which will surely die, I
regret to say) he had received from McKay, at whose house he had met
Embret. Embret, in reply to his question as to how matters were at home,
had said that I had lost my appetite, over which he was much concerned.
Vilhelm always brings me something from his journeys, and this time he
brought a spurtle, a real Norwegian one, from Gunhild Ederklep. {21}
First Easter Day services were held at Rognald's. The rest of the day we
spent quietly at home. Magnus and a tinndøl and Gullik [Rønningen] were
here part of the afternoon. {22}
The next morning we drove off to the west and of course had to stray from
the road a bit before we reached Ola Bekken's, where we were to make our
first stop. I very nearly became ill during the service, the little room
was so crowded with people, and every other woman, I believe, had a small
crying child with her. This was the first time I had been there, so the
people were strangers. Ola's wife is lively and interesting to talk to,
and so genuinely Norwegian. She told me at great length of her livestock,
how many eggs she had sold, and what she had been able to buy with her
egg money. She thought it was too bad that I was not used to caring for
livestock. She was extremely busy running downhill to where she had moved
her stove, and up to the house again for some thing for the meal. At last
the pork and the coffee came and some fowl with a salty gravy on it. I,
for my part, took the fowl, though it did not have much taste; at least I
thus escaped the pork. {23}
We had now eaten and were to leave, as we planned to spend the night with
Thore Skotland, who lived a little closer to where we were to be the next
day. Aase was much dissatisfied with this. "At least you must have
something to drink first," she said, and, climbing on a bench, stood
there handing everyone who cared for it a large bowl of unskimmed milk
with which to refresh himself.
The Thore Skotlands are a pleasant family. In their little cabin, which
was as modest as it could be - there was not even a ceiling to partition
off the loft - everything was clean and neat, even the children. We
stayed there that night. Bedrooms are scarce wherever we are; there was
not even a loft there. The farm folk do not feel embarrassed; it would be
well if others could learn the art from them. Thore's wife set a very
bountiful table and was quite in despair because we ate so little.
The following morning (Tuesday) we drove to Erik Gudbrandson's, where the
service was held. It was roomy there and on the whole more pleasant; they
took the crying youngsters outside when they became too unruly. {24}
Jørgen Lomen invited us to go home with him, and we did. He lives in a
dugout, but that is not so bad as one might think. I like these people
very much; his wife is a sister of Pastor Brandt, attractive and
friendly; she did her utmost to arrange things for us, hung a fly net
about our bed for bed curtains, and made everything as comfortable as she
could. Vilhelm and I took a walk with Jørgen in his woods, it was a
lovely evening. {25}
The next morning the weather looked bad, but before we had gone far the
sun was shining; we felt its warmth as we went up a long steep hill.
Apparently there can be steep hills here, too. When we got to the top of
that one, I broke my parasol. Then we discovered that Vilhelm had lost
his whip. Jørgen, who was with us, immediately went back for it; then
Vilhelm set out after him to tell him to go no farther. So they went all
the way down the hill and back to the top again, where I was sitting and
sunning myself. Luckily, the whip was found.
It is not beautiful in the western settlements; here and there the
landscape is cheerful enough, but generally there is one great desolate
prairie after another without lovely lines. The horizon at times looks so
much like a distant, peaceful sea that it would be impossible to believe
otherwise if one did not know the land's physical characteristics. We
thoroughly enjoyed surrendering ourselves to the illusion for a little
while. Some of the prairies are sprinkled with small stones, and such
areas are now overgrown with a gray-blue flower which much resembles the
crocus. {26}
Saturday, April 22. I wonder how Vilhelm is managing in this fearful
heat! He went to Minnesota today. I moved the table from our room to the
open window and worked steadily on the Sellø letter until I could bear it
no longer and had to sit outside, where it was too windy to manage pen
and paper.
The other day there was more discussion about the parsonage land. Nothing
was decided; everything was postponed until today. Now I wonder how it
will go. It is moving extremely slowly, it seems to me, logs and all!
<9> Torkild Hanson Holla, from Telemark, was a relative of the Dysjas; in
formation received from William Linnevold.
<10> Povl Frederik Barfod, Poetisk Nesebog for born og barnlige sjæle
(Poetical Anthology for Children and Childlike Spirits --- Copenhagen,
1855-56).
<11> Christian II was king of Denmark and Norway, 1515-25. Eleanora
Christina (1621-98), a gifted and beautiful woman, was the daughter of
King Christian IV of Denmark.
<12> Thunderstorms such as are common to Iowa and other parts of the
Midwest are almost unknown in Norway, and hence were unfamiliar
experiences to the Korens.
<13> See chapter 1, footnote 10. Johan Koren and his wife lived in
Horten.
<14> Marie was Johan Koren's wife. Mariane (Mally) Lassen married
Elisabeth Koren's younger brother, Johan Augustinus ("Stin'') Hysing
(1834-88), in 1864 Johnson, Slekten Koren, 1:188. The Lassens were
friends of the Hysings.
<15> Franz Theremin, Abendstunden (The Evening Hour --- Berlin, 1845).
<16> Magnus Arneson Linnevold (1805-97), a carpenter, lived in the
southeast quarter of Section 7, Frankville Township, Winneshiek County;
Linnevold in Decorah-posten, May 24, 1929.
<17> Mrs. Koren is speaking of a visit to her mother's grave.
<18> On McKay's post office, see chapter 9, footnote 4. The messenger was
Erik Egge.
<19> On Paulsen, see chapter 11, footnote 6.
<20> Per Haugen was possibly Peter E. Haugen. Fever and ague, or malaria,
was a dreaded enemy of early settlers in all the Midwest states. see
Ludvig Hektoen and Knut Gjerset, "Health Conditions and the Practice of
Medicine among the Early Norwegian settlers, 1825-1865," in
Norwegian-American Historical Association, Studies and Records, 1:1-59
(Minneapolis, 1926).
<21> A spurtle, thivel, or pudding stick was an implement carved of wood,
with blades at the lower end; it was used to stir porridge.
<22> A tinndøl is a person from the district of Tinn in Norway. Magnus is
mentioned in footnote 16 to this chapter. On Gullik, see chapter 6,
footnote 19.
<23> Ola T. Bekken (later Bakken) and his wife Aase Kittelson Bekken
lived in the northeast quarter of Section 5, Military Township,
Winneshiek County; information received from Miss Marie Koren. See also
George E. Warner and C. M. Foote, Platbook of Winneshiek County, 13
(Minneapolis, 1886). The stove had probably been moved outside the cabin
to make room for those attending the service.
<24> Erik Gudbrandson Egge and his wife Berit Johnsdatter Egge lived in
the southwest quarter of Section 33, Madison Township, Winneshiek County,
ten or twelve miles from the parsonage land; Alexander, Winneshiek and
Allamakee Counties, 577.
<25> Many settlers built their first shelters, which were known as
dugouts, in the side slopes of hills. The floor and three walls of such a
dwelling were of dirt, the roof and front wall of timber.
<26> This was probably the windflower.
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