Richland beacon., 1873-09-20
Norway.


Lord, make us slso TO believe aud trust!
Norway.
Under the Midnight SUN.
A glance at the map will show that
Tromsoe is the most northerly city OF
town of any considerable size in the
world and, indeed, I think there is but
one town, Hammerfest, above this. We
are here, as you see, quite within the
Arctic Circle. Since about the first OF
June the sun has not once been out OF
sight save as obscured by clouds; and
for another month he will forget to hide
himself. You may truthfully say of
Tronsoe for two months in the year,
that there is emo night there" At what
should be midnight, he may be seen ex-
actly in the north, and apparently abe ut
an hour high, or some five or six de-
grees above the horizon. And that he
not only gives light at that, to us, un-
seemly hour, but heat, is proven by the
use Of the common burning-glass Holes
burned in the hat or coat or pocket are
the trophies which travellers carry away
to prove the existence of the midnight
sun. At midday the sun is in the
south, but only at height equal to that
which We usually see during the short
days of winter. Thus it is that we see
here the entire circuit of the sun. He
does not seem to 60 around the earth,
as in lower latitudes, but to ride around
in a great circle over our heads. No
mountain peak, no isolated tree or
house, but enjoys a daily sunshine on
pverv side at some time in the long day.
Fortunate are We at home to have the
sun upon three sides of the house, but
here the fiery chariot goes all the way
around. do not write thus minutely
of a well-knowH fact because 1 think
you are ignorant of it, but because I
wish, 80 far as 1 may, to impress a
realization of its effects upon your
minds. The fact is as simple as is the
existence of Niagara Falls; but as you
can only gain an adequate impression
of the power and majesty of those falls
by q comparatively long and intimate
acquaintance with them, 90 must you
dwell not q little upon this unusual
position of the sun in its relations to
the earth before you fairly comprehend
its scope. Such at least, is my personal
experience. And now I will try and
answer the question which I suppose
you wish to ask: "How does it seem
to be in continual day?" To person
in the least nervous it is exceedingly
trying. There is q constant excitement
in this continual presence of the sun
which can only be overcome by drill.
You must go to bed, not when you are
sleepy, but when your appointed hour
arrives. And if you would rest we'll,
neither daylight nor sunshine should
have q wakeful influence upon you.
Light and sun are too welcome here to
be shut ont with blinds, and hence the
houses are quite unprovidid with light
obstacles Of any kind. The people
here usually retire about two O'Clock,
and about three o'clock something like
rest prevails. have known, by books.
of the rapid growths and fruitfulness Of
the very short summers in these north
ern regions, but until now I could not
compreheni it. The first cause seems
to be q peculiar richness OF soil. Black
peaty loan abo-nds, and this cannot
but yield nourishm. Mt in abundance
with even The c0mmonest care; and this
supplemented by the constancy of the
suns rays and the unc asing daylight.
The six weeks of sunlight, in stimulus
to plant growths, must be equal TO from
three to five months of the alternate
heat and chill in our own climate.
When once it is started in life, the plant
pushes right on, and thus grows ct .
rate which, elsewhere, seems marvellous.
1t is thus, alone, that I can undei stand
why 0 plant here will sometimes grow
as much in q single day e in, perhaps,
a week with us. But the number Of
plants cultivated here ID, 20 far as /
have observed, very small. Potatoes
are the staple, and I might saw the only
table vegetable produced. No doubt
others might be grown with equal facili
ty, but the people heae have few wants,
and they seem abundantly satisfied With
this single and simple article OF. o.
kind. Hardy Wild flowers abound,
though their number is not great, and
there seems TO be 10 effort whatever to
,saltiYate flowers out of-doors. Judge
then, Il you can, how strange IL seems
TO find these Norwegians passionately
fond Of al Aovob r. Every window, on
every side Of evsux houSe, is literally
filled with them. yhe table on which
I write has its coutxibution both in
growing end cut AolteEu, and nearly
every meal il taken in their presence.
whethsr it b at the hotsl q On the
eteamer. ~ The graves e The osmeteFiss
arc the only unsheltsrsd places vhers
cultivated flowers ase 10 be found, and
hero they seem almost - abundant =
In Tie kome- wiudow. Not that they
thrive we'll, but that lovin, hands, con-
staBely renew the supply. No sooner
~ sn unexpected hos cut down the
4nder stem than another end another
- h brought from the WARM fre-
@ elush saaEihcs.- Cbr. CIsjstiGS
body ous1 . medicine. Every
anxiety, mo- = "a Grin care,
Life ought to Be- ,th;s ~ al
Of mirth. Il il s. - The al
Every man Ought 10 - = onery.
it 4 man without mirth 8 -
gon without springs, which 8 -,
go one h caused disagreeably = r.
puw pebble over which it runs.
- elp1s a - heart determiq@
6,1