would not know it from his manner. He is never exuberant, enthusiastic or talkative, but sedate, reserved and self-possessed. He is a keen observer, a good listener, a logical and discriminating thinker and a thoughtful and discreet talker. He has a high sense of honor, a respect for others' rights and feelings, charity for the weaknesses and failings of others, and for one who has been so helplessly dependent the greater part of his life, is wonderfully free from servility. He is grateful for kindness and favors shown him, but never truculent or even obsequious. He has reasons satisfactory to himself for his actions, but these reasons are not always apparent to others, and because of this his motives have often been misconstrued, even by his friends and co-religionists. He has few confidants, and lives as it were in a world of his own, being reticent to a marked degree, but confident and self-reliant as to his course in life. Though diffident about admitting it, his spiritual impressions have largely controlled his actions throughout his life. When only ten years old the premonition of impending disaster was so strong within him, that just prior to the dreadful accident which left him maimed for life, he plead with his parents not to send him for the cow, and when they persisted in doing so, warned them that they would be sorry for if all their lives. They did not mean to be unkind or heartless; indeed, they had great love for their children, and the father was especially indulgent; but they had strict ideas in regard to family discipline, and when once the word of either one was passed as to any requirement on the part of the children, both were unyielding in demanding compliance. They saw no danger in his bringing the cow in from the pasture. He had done so many times before, without any harm resulting therefrom, and they saw no reason why he should not do so again, with impunity. The sequel, however, proved that his premonition was correct.

CHAPTER IV.

A VISION AND ITS PRE-MORTAL COUNTERPART—BESET BY EVIL SPIRITS—DELIVERANCE THEREFROM—PREPARATIONS TO MIGRATE—LONG VOYAGE—TOILSOME JOURNEY—LOST ON THE PLAINS—HELP FROM THE LORD.

His crippled, helpless condition was a great source of sorrow to Niels, and instead of his becoming gradually reconciled thereto, as it might be supposed that he would, he seemed to brood over it more the older he grew. He belonged to a proud and rather dignified family, and was naturally very proud himself, but realized that he did not present a dignified appearance. He was constantly reminded that people were repelled rather than attracted by him, and this of course wounded his pride and made him miserable.

During the summer preceding his baptism, after a day of extreme melancholy, an incident occurred that produced an entire change in his feelings. While engaged preparing his evening meal a glorious vision burst upon his view. It was not a single scene that he beheld, but a series of them. He compares them to the modern moving pictures, for want of a better illustration. He beheld as with his natural sight, but he realized afterwards that it was with the eye of the spirit that he saw what he did. His understanding was appealed to as well as his sight. What was shown him related to his existence in the spirit world, mortal experience and future rewards. He comprehended, as if by intuition, that he had witnessed a somewhat similar scene in his pre-mortal state, and been given the opportunity of choosing the class of reward he would like to attain to. He knew that he had deliberately made his choice. He realized which of the rewards he had selected, and understood that such a reward was only to be gained by mortal suffering—that, in fact, he must be a cripple and endure severe physical pain, privation and ignominy. He was conscious too that he still insisted upon having that reward, and accepted and agreed to the conditions.

He emerged from the vision with a settled conviction that to rebel against or even to repine at his fate, was not only a reproach to an Alwise Father whose care had been over him notwithstanding his seeming abandonment, but a base violation of the deliberate promise and agreement he had entered into, and upon the observance of which his future reward depended.

Whatever opinion others may entertain concerning the philosophy involved in this theory, is a matter of absolute indifference to Niels. He does not advocate it; he does not seek to apply it to any other case; but he has unshaken faith in it so far as his own case is concerned. Whether true or not, the fact remains that he has derived comfort, satisfaction, resolution and fortitude from it. He has ever since been resigned to his affliction, and, though never mirthful, is serene and composed and uncomplaining. He has always felt that the vision was granted to him by the Lord for a wise and merciful purpose—that he might, through a better understanding of his duty, be able to remain steadfast thereto.

In striking contrast to this experience was that which occurred during the night following his baptism. Evil spirits seemed to fill the room in which he had retired to sleep. They were not only terribly visible, but he heard voices also, taunting him with having acted foolishly in submitting to baptism and joining the Latter-day Saints. He was told that he had deserted the only friends he ever had, and would find no more among the "Mormons," who would allow him to die of starvation rather than assist him. That he had no means of earning a livlihood in the far western land to which the Saints all hoped to migrate, and he would never cease to regret it if he ever went there. This torment was kept up incessantly until he sought relief in prayer, and three times he got out of bed and tried to pray before he succeeded in doing so. Then his fervent pleading unto the Lord for power to withstand the temptation of the evil one, and to hold fast to the truth, brought relief to him. The evil spirits gradually, and with apparent reluctance, withdrew, and peace came to his soul, with the assurance that the Lord approved of his embracing the Gospel, and that he could safely rely upon the Lord for future guidance.

Preparations were soon made to migrate to Utah, although Niels was seriously ill. In addition to his other troubles, he had for years been afflicted with asthma, and he had such difficulty in breathing that for a long time he had not been able to recline, having to sleep, if at all, in a sitting posture. He was also so frail and weak at the time that many of his acquaintances expressed a fear that he would not live to make the journey, and some even predicted that he would die while crossing the ocean. Not at all daunted, however, by these pessimists, he determined to start with the very first company of migrating Saints, and soon arranged with a newly-married couple and a young single man who were ambitious to migrate, to care for him on the journey, carry and look after his luggage, etc., in return for certain financial aid which he was able and willing to afford them. He realized that it would be a long and tiresome trip, and his natural independence was exhibited in thus arranging beforehand for the help he might require, lest he might be regarded as a public burden. The journey, as planned, was not as direct as those commonly pursued in more recent years, nor nearly so expeditious. The company assembled at Copenhagen, whence they proceeded by steamer to Kiel, in Germany, and from there took train for Altonia. At Hamburg, on the river Elbe, they boarded an ocean sailing vessel, the "Kenilworth," bound for New York. The voyage lasted eight weeks, long enough for the passengers to get well acquainted with one another.

They had expected to proceed westward from New York, (or rather from the New Jersey side of the Hudson river) by rail, but Thomas Taylor, who was the Church Immigration Agent in New York at that time, had learned before their arrival that all the lines of railway extending westward