The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-11-30
oRNING, NOVEMBER 80, 1860

II
| did not know what II was like, he said bu
told him that was my exact reason for go
ing through the experience. Peter shrugged
his shoulders; Madame Wow, or, NOR
correctly speaking, Huswifo Wow (for lap
land Is not land Of titles, and there Is bu,
ono class, the yeomanry. with thoir depend
ants and servants,) lifted up her astonishcd
eyes and hands : all the daughters Uttered
and all tho sons stared, at this remarkable
decision on my part. But as not only paid
Peter for my board and lodging ut the un'
procedentedly liberal rate OF four rix-dollart
a week, but could speak, and sing on occa.
sion, in Swedish and Morse, knew u little OF
the LApponic tongue, and played the fiddle
and flute, besides being tho owner oil must
cal box, I was quite q popular character o.
mong my worthy entertainers, and my deter
-mination to rough 1t out through the win
tor with them was taken as compliment by
the entire community. Accordingly We 70.
moved into our winter quarters.
A Lapland winter hut has generally two
drawbacks, Of nature almost unbcarable
to Europeans-it is too crowded, and 1t is
sbockingly smoky. But Peter Wow, chief
Of the village, was rich man in his way,
and had roomy and commodious set OF cav
erns for his dwelling, with furs and cider
down quiltssin plenty the,family slept in q
quaint tier OF little box beds, about the
usual length of migionctte tronghs, which
bcrths on board packet ship. But |, as a
distinguished foreigner, had den to my.
self, such as hermit of especial austere and
sclf.mortifying tendencies might have con-
structed. for it was withouta window Of any
kind, aud air was admitted by means OF the
hollow trunk of an alder tree, which had
been thrust through the roof Of tho cave,
and made sort Of wooden shalt overhead.
Tho floor was carpetted, however, with soft
dried moss, softer and more luxurious than
the most costly thrce-pilcd velvet that ever
loom wovo the bed was pilo Of dressed
deer skins, as supple and as plant as silk |;
copper lamp hung by "a chain from the
roof; | had pillows and holsters stuffed with
the plumagc Of the elder duck and the wild
swan, two bear-skin coycrlets. and ut least
dozen quilts Of yielding cider down and
crOwning magniGcence there was an old
fashioned chest of oaken drawers, with brass
handles and key.plates, to which Peter Wow
pointed proudly, as q proof OF intercourse
with the civilized world Of Europe. 1t was
evidently the relic Of some wreck OF the
North Cape, and had been dragged many a
weary mile by the patient deer that drew
the sledges. iancied the scent of the sea
hung about II still.
Scarcely were we established in our
underground quarters, when, ono fine
evening, was summoned to Join sol
einn procession which annually, according
to immcinorial custom, asccndcd neighbor-
ing hill to SEQ the last of the sun for that
year, and bid the orb of day "Good-by J" 1t
was strangely picturesque sight, and not
without its touching pathos, that asscmblaso
of villagers, Of every age, from the wrinklcd
grandsire who tottcred on his staff, and with
a palsy-shaken hand shaded his aged eyes
MS be watched that fast declining sun which
was setting, not for night, but for drcar
winter, and which he might scarcely hope
to mark again, down to tho child whose
wondering eyes noted the scene for the first
time since It's reason began to dawn. All
were there, the maidcns and the young mon,
the reverend elders, tho feeble crones, who
shiycrcd already in tho ominous chill that
pcrvadcd the air. the hardy hunters, tho no
less hardy shepherds, or rather decrhcrds
old and young were gazing with common
intensity ol feeling upon the sinking lumin-
airy. All kinds OF wild imaginngs, all man
ncrof poetic memories, rushed in upon my
mind as the sun approached the horizon.
and prepared for tho final plunge. The wild
and mystic verses of Tcgner, perhaps sug.
ges.cd by that very spectacle Of tho death Of
N0rtherd sun, recurred to mo with boding
clcarncss. begun to wonder whether l had
not been rash and absurd in wishing to stop
o winter in Lapland, like u mole in q bur-
row. began to sigh after Glouccsteshirc,
where the sun would shine out, many day,
on tho crisp snow and frost-silvcrcd boughs,
when should bo left in Cimmorcan dark
ness. Plunge tho red sun had flashed
down below tho horizon. A heavy twi-
light settled, rs il by magic, over tho fair
landscape, still gilded by tho smiles Of sum-
mcr' Alas thogood fairy, 30 benefccnt,
30 bright, in her rainbow robe, studded with
flowers, was gone, and King Frost was to
reign over her devastated realms. IIark
the long wailing cadcnces Of the sweet sad
chant-an old, old heather chant, Of the
days when Frcya was worshipped, Frcya, at
once Venus and Summer of this far remote
racc-in which Laplanders bcwall tho part
ing day Now Tor the long, long night
Already rs wo turned to quit tho hill, after
stnining our eyes until the last ialnt glow
had died away too-already an icy breeze
had sprung up from the dim northwest, and
l sbivercd and wrapped my cloak around mo
at the sudden sensation of cold. " 1t is the
anow wind" said an old Laplandcr, us we
paced down TO the village; " no more flow
ers for the lasses to braid their hair with this
year."
must confess that felt uncommonly like
frightened child left alone in the dark, and
rcgretting my whim for staying among the
Laps. Nay, but for very shame, believe
should have proposed to hire Peter Vows
boat, before the ice should seal up mere and
river, and start, like bird Of passage, in
pursuit of the sun. The country seemed to
me to change in the unwontod twilight; the
familiar rocks ofthe glen, the far-away moor
lands, the pine thickcts, assumed q weird
aspect; even tho faces Of my entertainers
looked strangely grotcsquc, and their pigmy
figures impish in the deep shadow. Then,
too, tho singular feeling that this was not q
drcam-that 1t was real waking lile-that ]
had actually seen the sun 60 down into an
obscurity that was to last f,r the better part
Of year, and that was going TO try and
whilo away winter night that would have
given time to Scherazade herself to exhaust
quarter Of her budget Of storios-all this be-
wildered inc. But that night there were
high revels among the dwcllen In Caves
Peter Wow, rs chief ofthe village, entertain
Cd oil the beauty and wealth fall the ugliness
and poverty as wcll) Of Kublitx In his hospi.
table halls underground Torches blaled and
sputtered: lamps, fed by seal oil and deers
Cat were lighted, and hung to every bracket
and projection through oil the subterranean
dwelling; and ut very carly hour. the
monotonous but inpatient beating OF the
lapland drum summoned the guests.
An K.,b1,t. x.o. kboro vann,v and nII IN