Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-05-16
ISCELLAN NY.
BAYARD TAYLOR IN NORTH
ERN EUROPE.
Crossing she Arctic Circle.
lFrom the New.York rrlbunel

From the New-York Trbunel
JUoxENeI, in the Frgid Zone, Jan. 9, 1857.
! was obliged to remain three days in Hapa-
randa, applying poultices, gargles and liniments,
according TO the DOCTORS instructions. As my
Swedish was scarcely sufficient for the compre-
hension of prescriptions, or medical technicali-
ties in general, written programme of my
treatment was furnished The Fredrika, the ser
vant-maid, who was properly impressed with
the responsibility thereby dev6lving upon her.
Fredrika, no doubt, thought that my life was
10 her hands, and nothing could exceed the en-
ergy with which she undertook its preservation
Puncluality to the minute appeared the pre-
scribed application, and if she perceived or sus-
pected any dereliction on my part, ii was sure
to be reported TO The doctor at his next sist.s.
had the taste Of camomile and mallows in my
mouth from morning till night the skin ofmy
jaw blistered under the searching of ammonia /;
but the final result was, that was cured, as
the doctor and Fredrika had determined
This goOd-heared girl was genuine speci-
men of the Northern Swedish female. OF me-
dun height, plump, but not stout, with rath-
er slender waist and expansive hips, and foot
which stepped firmly and nimbly at the same
time, she was as cheerful body as one could
wish to see. Her hair was of that silky blonde
so common in Sweden her eyes clear, pale
blue, her nose straight and wel-lormed, her
cheeks of the delicate pink of wild-rose leaf,
and her teeth so white, reglar and parfect that
lam sure they would make her fortune IN Amer
lea. Always cheerful, kind and active, she
had, nevertheless, a hard life Of it she was
alike cook, chambermaid and hostler, and had
cross mistress to boot. She made our fires in
the morning darkness and brought us our early
coffee while we yet lay in bed, in accordance
with the luxurious habits Of the Arctic zone.-
Then, until the last drunken guest was silent,
toward midnight, there was no respite from la
hor- Although suffering from distressing cough,
she had the outdoor as well as the indoor du-
ties to discharge, and we saw her in sheep
skin jacket Harvesting horses, in tempera-
ture of 800 below zero. The reward of such a
service was possibly about eight American dol
lars year.
Wheni on leaving, gave her about as much as
one of our hotel servants would expect for an
sewring question, the poor girl was overwhelm-
ed with gratitude and even the stern landlady was
so impressed by my generosity that she insist
ed on leading us sheepsdin for our feet, say
ing we were ''good men,
There is something exceedingly primitive and
unsophisticated in the manners of these North
ern peoples straightforward honesty, which
takes the honesty Of others for granted la
tent kindness and goodwill which may at first
be overlooked, because It Is not Gemonstrative,
and total Inconsistencies of what is called, in
highly civilized circles, ''prOpriety." The
very freedom Of manners which, in some coun-
tries, might denote laxity of morals, is here the
evident stamp Oftheir purity. The thought has
often REQUIRED 10 me-which is the most truly
pure and virginia. nature, the faslidious Ameri-
can girl, who bushes at the sight Of a pair Of
boots outside gentleman's bedroom door, and
who requires that certain unohehding parts Of
the body and articles Of clothing should be des-
ignated BY delicately cireumlocutious terms, or
the simple-minded Swedish women, who come
into our bedrooms with coffee, and make our
hres while we get up and dress, coming and
going during all the various stages of ihe,toiei,
with the irankest Inconsistencies of improprie-
yi This is mOdesty in It's healthy and natural
development, not in those morbid forms which
suggest an imagination ever on the alert for
Profient images. Nothing has confirmed my
impression of the virtue ofths Northern Swedes
more than this fact, and have rarely felt more
respect for woman or more faith in the inherent
purity Of her nature
/ We had snug quarters in Haparanda, and our
detention wac therefore by no means irksOme.
A large room, carpeted, protected from the out
er cold BY double windows, and heated by an
immense Russian stove, was allotted to U.s.
We had two beds, one Of which became broad
sofa during the day, backgammon table, the
ordinary appliances for washing, and beside a
nunber Of engravings on the walls (among them
a portrait Of the Rev. DR.. Baird, our window