In 1955, Dora wrote the following about her life, most likely at therequest of Susan Nelson Nibeck, daughter of Nels Nelson:

"I was born in 1877 and grew up in a Danish city. I was the fourth andlast child in the family, arriving more as an afterthought and for thatreason, no doubt, I was cherished more than the group of older children,who at the time of my birth were already out in the world. I was aso-called towhead, petite and gay, fond of nature. In those days onenever heard of thugs or robbers. There was nothing to fear when I walkedin the cathedral-like woods, under the canopy of light-green beeches,picking flowers and wild berries, noticing birds and insects -- or in theneedle-carpeted dark pine woods where the owl, self-appointed sentinel,would inquire his 'Who--Who', and receive my merry laugh for answer. Andthen I would visit the witch who lived in the gingerbread cottage in thewoods, who made Aberskiver ‎(sp?)‎ in a cast-iron ...pan for me and myfriends. Pop-overs you might call them in English. Any old and wise womanmight be called a witch then. In the evenings old friends of my fatherwould visit and sit around telling ghost-stories about buried treasures,guarded on a hill by a big black ghost-dog, and if you would dig in sucha place, would be sure to find it worth your while, it was said.

"The streets and countryside were dimly lit in the 1800's. The moon wasshining at times, and you might carry a lantern yourself; and then therewas the lamp-lighter, who lit the street oil-lamps from the lighted polehe carried over his shoulder, so it was no wonder if people in the dimlight imagined having seen a headless rider on a horse, the ridercarrying his head under his arm, or, having seen a hearse outside of aneighbors house, a sure sign that he wouldn't last long. Another figurefrom those days was the chimney-sweep, who by the black ladder, which hecarried, climbed to the roof-tops and with his tools scraped the sootfrom the inside of chimneys to give fire draft. Houses were only 2stories or less then.

"Well, I grew up and went to schools preparing to become a teacher. Itaught privately and later in high school. I took my meals at a boardinghouse, where I met the fair-haired youth, with whom I in 1901 joined inmarriage, 54 years ago -- and we lived happily ever after."