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4 THE SETTLERS' HOLY DAYS

--------IV-------THE SETTLERS' HOLY DAYS -1THAT AUTUMN Karl Oshr cleared and plowed the last ofthe meadow that had originally stretched from the forest down to the lake. Thus he had turned into a tilled field the entire slope which had at first attracted him and made him select this lakeside for his farm. He had now broken more than thirty acres and no more meadow ground for tilling was available on his claim. And Kristina thought now had enough without further clearing. But Karl Oskar liked to sit at the gable window and look Out at the oak stand on the out-jutting tongue ofland to the east ofthe house; those mighty, high-breasted oaks with their enormous crowns grew in topsoil at least three feet deep, a ground that was as fertile as his fields. The grove back there called for a tiller as it were; it would add fifteen acres to his field! Up to now the tiller of these shores by the Indian lake had only needed to put the plow into the ground and turn the turf. It was easy enough to break new fields on even meadowland, it was something else to tackle a heavy oak forest. But those great trees-a mixture ofwhite oak and red oak-kept challenging him: Try to make a field here ifyou can! Our roots are thick and strong and go deep into the ground-try to pull us from our hold! Here your strength won't suffice! Come and try! This oak grove had trees that were four to six feet in diameter. The felling alone would be an immense labor. And afterward the greatest hindrance would remain: the stumps. How could he rid ofthem? He pondered this problem at great length. Oak stumps in America were as much ofan obstacle to a tiller as stones in Sweden. How could Karl Oskar conquer these mighty oaks, so securely rooted in the deep soil? Well, his sons were growing up, and becoming stronger; he must wait with this new ground breaking until they could help him. As soon as Johan and Harald could do a full-grown man's work, they would tackle the oak grove; then the strength ofthe tiller would be measured against the oaks. 35 THE LAST LETTER HOME He was also planning for his new buildings. But with the Civil War came dear times. Prices on implements made of iron and steel rose quickly. Everyhe needed to buy for his house building grew more expensive. He must wait awhile. He had hauled thick oak logs to the steam mill in Center City, where they had been sawed into planks and boards for the new house; he had a tall pile of timber already. And this year he planned to cut sills and foundation logs. But the war delayed all activity, all building in this part ofthe country. There must be an end to destruction and ruination before new undertakings could be started; one could not build a new house while the old was still burning. A MILE AND A HALF from their farm stood their church, a modest building of rough timbers, deep in the forest. But the church pointed a little wooden spire toward Heaven, indicating it was a God's house, a Lord's temple. The Swedish immigrants had sacrificed many days oflabor on their church, they had gone in debt for it and had not yet been able fully to pay for it. Karl Oskar and Kristina went to the timber church every Sunday unless blizzards or other bad weather prevented them. Once in a great while they would stay at home out ofpure tiredness and celebrate their day of rest in the home. But the distance between the church and their home was not so great that they could not hear the ringing of the bell which had been hung last year. The bell had cost all ofninety dollars and was paid for by the "nuisance tax" fines levied against parish members who in one way or another had misbehaved during the service. Petrus Olausson himself, the church warden, had suggested this tax, and he was greatly lauded for it when at last it bought the church a bell. To the poor parish, barely able to support a pastor, ninety dollars was a great sum. First and always, it was cash that the settlers lacked. Kristina could again hear the ringing of a church bell. On days when a favorable wind...