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.