The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1995, Page 53

SPRING/SUMMER 1995
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
163
but terribly hot. We set off with our bur-
dens, but were soon tired out. We stopped
at several English farms to ask for a drink
of water but were refused everywhere. We
were probably taken for tramps, who are
seldom well-received in this country. As the
day passed, we became weak with exhaus-
tion and some of the men fell behind. Two
of us managed in the end to reach Fort
Rouge, which at that time was a village to
the south ofWinnipeg itself but is now part
of the city. I managed to cover the last three
miles to my home and arrived completely
exhausted after the forty mile trek from
Morris. Some of my comrades I never saw
again. Three days later the rest of the Ice-
landers were fired (among them Halldor,
Gestur and Pall) and had to walk all the
way home with their belongings. I don’t
think any of these man ever went to work
on the railway again.
There are many other incidents that
happened, about which the only good
thing that can be said is that they are past.
I was often very unhappy in Winnipeg,
mainly due to unemployment, homesick-
ness, and the poor health of my wife and
myself. The last summer of her life,
Gubrun had to be operated on three times,
unusually painstaking and difficult opera-
tions. Her doctor was Professor K.H.
Chown, at that time considered to be the
best surgeon in the city. She had a private
ward in the hospital (a room which had to
be paid extra for). I should add that I have
nothing but praise for Dr. Chown, and his
operations were considered masterpieces.
Gubrun finally died on October 24, 1894,
after suffering greatly for a long time.
We had three children: Herdis Margret,
who married Kari Fribriksson, cashier in
the Government Bank in Winnipeg;
Kristin, who is a telephone supervisor in
Carman, Manitoba; and Einar Hafsteinn,
who died August 26, 1894, shortly after his
first birthday.
I was married again on June 6, 1897, to
Kristjana Sigribur Helgadottir from
Vatnsendi in Eyjafjordur. We had three
sons: Thormann Benedikt, Finnur
Hafsteinn and Karl Leo, and two daugh-
ters: Helga Gudbjorg and Emilia Gudrun.
I wrote my first printed article at
Valdastabir, entitled On Drinking Coffee
(probably 1886). Since that time I have
written more or less every year and gener-
ally signed my full name under, with the
exception of one small story which I wrote
the first winter after I came to Winnipeg
(in Heimskringla). Kuchler mentioned it in
his work. I wrote mostly for Heimskringla but
also a considerable amount for Logberg as
well, especially while Einar Hjorleifsson and
Jon Olafsson were editors. I mainly wrote
educational material, fiction, criticism, on
agricultural matters, teetotaling, scientism
and song. I have a number of manuscripts,
for instance, on hypnotism and magic,
‘where do we come from and where do we
go?’ Indians in America (rather a lengthy
one), short stories of various sorts, and
more.
In politics I am a supporter of Social
Democracy; I consider all oppression
wrong, and justice and humanitarianism
the only right way.
I am a confirmed enemy of alcohol and
tobacco, and have refused to consume al-
cohol even when recommended by a doc-
tor for medicinal purposes.
I consider my support in no way proof
of the value of any opinion, nor proof that
anything I cannot understand is impossi-
ble. I consider it wrong to judge a man by
his position — the position should not con-
fer respect on the man, but the man should
bring respect for the position.
In religious matters I follow the new
school. I consider religious extremism un-
necessary and unhealthy, but that everyone
should defend his religion if under attack.
I feel everyone has a right to his opinion