Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-06

,
by visiting an occasional Castle, as at Wad'
| stera-which, beside its beautiful situation,
| close set upon the waters of the Wettern, sur
rounded by wells, towers and marts, has much
| of historical romance. When nunnery
Queen Margaretta, the Lemiramis of the North,
removed here as sister of the order
1t was built in 1900, by Gustavus Wasa
A most interesting love intrigue is recorded as
having taken place here between the daughter
of Gustaf l. Cecilia the beautiful, and the
Young count, John. How many took place
| here, that are not recorded, deponent saith
! not Queen Ulrka Eleanora granted the castle
| for the establishing of home for noble spin
sters; but they have never taken possession of
it, But the great interest of the trip lies in the
canal itself-so ingeniously linking together
lakes and rivers. Of the 400 miles between
| Gottenburg and Stockholm. not much over so
| are canal, so of sea and the rest through lakes
bays and rivers. The canal has ten feet depth
of water, forty eight width at bottom and
| ninety surface. There are seventy-four locks,
and 1t never failed to interest to see the little
| steamer climbing up or going down success
| sion of perhaps seven. Much of the work has
| been done at great COST by cuts through
lodges of granite. Proposals to connect the
Baltic and North sea, were made AS early as
| 1900, but the work was commenced much later
and went slowly on from the reign of one king
|
war Swedenborg gave impetus to the enter
prise by wise counsel, but it was not till 1882
| that the entire work was completed and the
two seas united. Baron Won Platen, who was
| placed at the head of the undertaking, and is
| called the founder of the Gotha canal, died
| three years before its completion His remains
rest beside his great work. A marble slab,
| with his name inscribed upon it, enclosed by
| an iron railing, shaded by elms, marks the spot.
| ,h1,1a of ha
bonco. The profits, as yet, have brought but
| limited dividend to stockholders. But traffic
| is slowly on the increase, Notwithstanding the
competition Of the railway, which has the ad-
vantage of making the "trip between Gottenburg
and Stockholm in eleven instead of fifty one
hours. This only picks up hurried travellers
and freight and leaves the bulk Of trade to the
canal. 1t costs about S270 per trip for the bat,
| ire udng coal and dues Woe betide any
i person sensitive to wind and waves; when
they rage On these lakes, there is room for
swelis of ample proportions. The Wet
| term, forty miles from the Wenern, VIII ich
| is the ti,lrd largest lake in Europe is
one hundred miles long by fifty broad. There
are only few islands in it., and it widens into
perfect sea. The Wettern forty miles from
the Wenern, but connected by lesser lakes,
all except twenty-five miles of canal, is ninety
miles long, and on an average form hundred
| half miles long, has upon its pleasant, wooded
banks pleasantly placed residences. The
Malar Lake, seventy-tive miles long, and in
places, nearly as wide, is so interspersed with
its thousand islands that its like sailing on the
| St. Lawrence. at the head of it lies Stock
helm, rising regally from the water, with its
towers and spires, but by no means seem as
! this first glance to best advantage. [ will
| take you with me to Mose-b backe for a first
| viz bi(rI Of
lion of the city overlooking the arm of the
| Baltic. From here you see Stockholm in all
her beauty-the Queen of seven isles vieing
even with Constantinople in loveliness Of stu
alton. Upon the central island-the city
proper-stands the massive, extensive palace.
| A fine iron bridge, with shops built upon one
side of it, leads to the North side Of the city {.
This is again connected by light iron foot
bridge with Keppo-holmen, and over this again
with Kastill- -holmen, both pretty spots, with
shade, and rocks, and fine buildings. Those
of the Admiralty are upon the first and upon
| the latter a new citadel Of red brick, with
castellated towers at each corner. Other
islands, isolated gems of green, are only COM
muncated with by boat. We will not linger
to fill up the picture, but hasten on to the Deer
Garden one of the most favorable resorts of
the people Of Sunday, and Just the place to
see all varieties to best advantage. These are
Dalecarlian damsels, l am told, in short blue
skirts, red caps red-Jow jacket over
a white waist, long red aprons, red
| leggings full at the ankle, low shoes
| with a Topping lapel over the top,
| and bridge-like heel extending across the
| shoe IN the middle, which causes them to walk
tottering and clumsy. They spend the sum-
mer in Stockholm, earning all they can, and re-
turn to Dalecarla in the winter, where they
have no difficulty in finding husbands, if their
summers adventure has proved moneyed sue
cess. ---'-
Every one is we'll dressed, and ! should say
| all classes represented, each being amused in
some way. There is 70 lack of varieties of
amusement-there is dancing, singing, hobby
horses going their round at a 2:40 speed, offer
ing most enticing gallop for children. An
| Amazon woman attracts with her hercu.ean
| performances, and in well ordered, tastefnlly
| ornamented music hall, by paying few cents
entrance fee, you may hear the best operate
selections. listened to the Miseriera well
performed, and thea went on into the grounds
which are certainly the hnest l have Seen in
| Europe in situation. The sea laves them on
| three sides, and nlets divide and SUBJ divide
| them inland.
! The park Is three miles in circumference and
there seems no end to the avenues, shaded by
magnificent Old oaks. There are dark, tangled
copse of natural wild woods There are beau
titul villas, gardens and statuary and every
where glmpses of water. | never witnessed
such wonderful coloring as the sky presented
the sun had been hidden and the clouds were
sullen grey, when, as if by magic touch,
! the sun appeared and the whole heavens were
| Illuminated with deep tinge of red. This H.
Illuminated the windows Of the city, shimmered
upon the water, and glared through every open.
ing Of the forest. 1t was really too wonderful
for pen to describe l fingered, SPELL bound
over the scene that Nature presented and then
awoke to be amused by the SPORTS of the peo-
pie, all quietly and decorously conducted. Par
ties were pic-ncing on the green sward, from
| well filled baskets. Others were dancing to
the lively airs Of fiddle and triangle. A fine
vila-like restaurant offered every variety of re-
freshment. From a balcony overlooking the
city, the sea, a pretty garden with cozy arbors,
pavilion where band dscoursed good music.
And this has been my first peep at the Capital
City of Sweden. AS / see, so shall I write
you. Wednesday took little steamer and
had three hours ride to Grissholm; on the
way fell into conversation with Prof. o., and
wife, Of Upsala, who have spent three years
in South Carolina; they were exceedingly kind
to me- dined with them, and joined them in
seeing the old Castle, which with its swelling,
pinacled domes, and castle like projections is
the one prominent feature of the little crown
possessed island upon which it stands. There
is no special interest connected with the laby-
rinth Of rooms, except their historical
association The damask hangings ofbeds and
walls as we'll as goblins, are faded and worn