The Portland daily press., 1868-09-18
Letter from Norway.

9th DIsTRICT-EBENEZER KNOWLTON.
Letter from Norway.
Noru egian Amusements-the Home of Ole
Bull-A Wedding-RuraI Lfein Norway
CHRIsTIANIA, August 81, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
In Norway where theatres are only sup
ported spasmodically and kings balls are rare
episodes, which, owing to conventional eti-
quette merely limited number attend, the
question naturally arises, what are the amuse-
ments of apeople not essentially literary, and
many of whom live apart IN villas, not only
during the summer months, but the year
through. The Norwegians are grave in char
acter, yet they are fond of social festivals
At Christmas, and all through the year, in
deed, every occasion is seIzed upon for the
exercise of hospitality. A silver wedding
dots the iyords with little boats and steamers
and the roads with the karrioles and larger
family carriages drawn by the gentle sure
footed Norwegian ponies. We have been in
vited to a Norwegian silver wedding. The
tste was observed near Christiania at coun-
try residence. Tables crowded with good
cheer were spread on green plat overlook
ing the fyord. After the compliments and
fluctuations were over we we're invited to a
a little table where dinner was served, then
came delicious sail on the tyord in small
steamer, on our return meal resembling a
supper more than tea. after which dance
for the young people. Among the presents
of silver I saw a beautiful ice-cream ladle
and knife, the handles were manufactured
after a design found in the hall OF antiqui-
ties at Copenhagen. On the handle of the
knife you were invited in old Morse charac-
tiers to eat slowly and not burn your mouth
The tste par excellence, however, came of
on the 10th of this month. Early in the
morning when l drew my curtains l saw
floating in the air large silk flag with the
Norwegian lion brandishing his battle axe in
the corner. The gay futter of this streamer
was answered by others from neighboring
villas. By the way, a flagstaff is a necessary
complement to every Norwegian country
house, and every fste day the flag is run up.
The 10th was the day when Mr.. Jacob
H was to enter into the holy state OF
mairimony with the youngest daughter oil
Ole Bull-Miss Lucy Bull-and his friends at
Cbristiania were invited to meet at the beau
tiful villa of his brother Mr.. Henry H to
do honor to the day. 1t is a Norwegian Gus
tom to send Immediately after the ceremony,
fluctuations by telegraph, but the marriage
rite was to be performed at the villa OF Ole
Bull which is twenty eight English miles from
the old city of Bergen, so this custom was
forced to be honored in the breach. We
were invited several days beforehand to din
ner, this meal here always including the ad-
denda of generous supper.
The day was lovely, heat and light being
tempered by gentle breeze. We drove past
cheerful harvest scenes where the yellow
grain stood bound in tall stacks. On every
side we passed pleasant villas enriched with
all the appliances of cheerful homes, and
small unpainted peasant huts, relieved always
by window gardening. l have seen in the
poorest homes double petunias and gorgeous
camellia japonicas, and some turn in the road
would offer view OF The fyord with its many
shaped islands or hills whose soft outlines
| in the distance, would be enveloped with a
purplish mist We entered long avenue
with forest trees On either side. Several carri-
ages drove under the branches TO give us room,
while servant ran ahead to warn others not
to drive out till we reached the house, which,
| on arriving, we saw was surrounded with We
| hicles. The house something in the form of
Swiss chalet was ma lie of Norwegian pine.
Inside the beauty of the grains of the wood
| with its brown knots had been brought out
by delicate varnish. Overhead instead Of
fresco were carved wooden beams. The
house stands on an elevation and commands
an exquisite view of the fyord. The host
and hostess received their guests at the door.
The dinner was standing up dinner
| The hostess, a Scotch lady, assisted by a
young sister, soon made all at home and as
merry "as good wine, good cheer, and good
company could make good people," We had
no soup, but salmon and Norwegian game,
lobster-patties, roast mutton, ham, good veg
etables, and before the desert was served
which was a compromise between the Norwe-
| gian and English customs, consisting oil ice
creams, frozen sherbets and blanc -manges,
along with mammoth glass bowl, filled with
the Norwegian yellow multiboer, sort of
wild mulberry eaten with cream-a sharp
sound of glass striking glass attracted atten-
ton. All stood still to hear the speech OF
MIR. H. the host, who made the usual pleas
ant tests on the power of the all-conquering
god, &C., and ended by proposing the health
| L rba
beth ladies and gentlemen, the latter empty
| ing the glasses and swinging them over their
heads and giving three rousing huzzahs.
Many of the guests also made compliment
airy speeches, and skaal. or health, was drunk
many times. At all the Norwegian repasts
deal of wine is drunk-generally at their
dinners there is vanity about having vari-
ETY. of wines-seven kinds is not unusual. At
our fete OF the 10th we had the light wines
of France, Tokay, and champagne of the
Chquot brand, and Norwegian beer.
The hostess at her husbands request sang
in homer OF America, Mr.. Longtellow's song
OF The Bridge, at which we loudly applauded.
This marriage brought to my notice sin
gular provision in Norwegian law; the gov
ernment compes all its officers ard employ
ees who contract marriage to enter into bonds
for the future pensioning of the woman in
case of widowhood, the sum to be never
less than fifty dollars per annum, and in case
of great disparity OF age on the husbands
side the sum provided by law is augmented.
After all is said it is in the country that the
heart of Norway beats; her peasantry full OF
quaintness, of shrewd sense, aud independ-
ance constitute the nation. You must cross
the great lake Ny0sen and follow the pic
turesqne river Lozen till you reach the heart
of the long rich valley OF the Gulbrandsdal
before YOU can begin 20 have an idea Of this
| .Oaxla Thair nastnral life il snmnthinn an