The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1874-01-27

estv. There is not people in the
world so good as this northern people
OF Europe. Churches arc seen every
where, and the church in that country
is the grand standpoint. Schools al
so abound. Of course they are not
like our public schools, but, ncverthe
less, they are good schools. The peo-
DIE are Protestant and Lutheran.
I had an idea before I went to Scan
dinavia, that it was sort Of wild coun-
try, having a population that was only
half civilized, but that is a mistake.
They all know how to read and write
In the public schools the pupils are
obliged to learn English, French and
German. 1t is a good land-that
Land Of the Midnight Snn"-and l
am going to try and lead you into it.
On fine summers day left Stock
holm, which, by the way, is one OF the
most delightful cities in Europe. To-
ward midday we came to a place
where we were to get dinner. l came
to large hall in the midst of which
was a large table. on which was avery
white table cloth. The meat and veg
ctables were cooked, and / sat down
expecting one Of the servants to ask
ME what I was going to eat, when, to
my establishment, every man COM
menced to help himself. l ate also,
and when | had finished the meal ex'
pected to be asked for money. Moth
ing of the kind. When we had done
we went to the counter, our word was
trusted. we paid the cost Give five
cents) and then left. While l was in
Stockholm I thought l would very
much like TO see the King. lie came
to the city two days after my arrival,
and received me in the most charming
and Agreeable manner. He asked me
to spend the next day at his summer
palace, a few miles from Stockholm,
and Of course I gladly accepted the in
vitation. When l went there / saw
no policemen, no soldiers. no servants,
and when l entered the apartment in
which the King was, I found him in
his shilt-sleeves engaged in painting.
l then left to see the midnight Sun"
and to my astonishment, met an old
gentleman of seventy-siX, from Phila-
! delphia, who was bound on a similar
mission. 1t was in the summer and
there was no snow. After time
got to the farms, and to my utter sur
prise found that the COWS were fed on
raw fish. Then after while | found
that not only the COWS, but the sheep
and goats were fed on raw fish.
Finally reached Finland. The Fins
are an exceedingly agreeable people.
Now and then l would come upon a
church in the desert, as you might say,
and there around the church was the
graveyard. No matter if you die two
or three hundred miles away, your
people carey your body to that grave
yard to be buried there. l found the
clergy we'll educated and exceedingly
simple and amiable. Then l went on
following the midnight Sun" days
and days. Finally reached the north
crn extremity OF Europe, and what 4
grand finish it was 10 my journey!
There stood that Midnight Sun and
that Polar Sea in all its stiffness and
beauty. At last l was obliged to leave
it. I went to study the Norwegians.
l found that three Of my books had
been translated into Norwegian and
Swedish, and that the people knew
me somewhat by name. admired
the simplicity OF the rich, the modesty
of the women, and the simplicity Of
the whole people. Never have l seen
such honesty as have experienced
among the people there. The simpli-
city among the rich surprised me. l
remember being in a magnificent
country seat in the South Of Sweden,
owned by man whose annual income
from land was fifteen thousand dollars,
and yet his wife daily appeared in
calico dress, with nothing in the shape
OF ornament except a velvet ribbon
round her neck. The simplicity Of the
engagement ring is remarkable. Even
the King would not think of giving
more than a simple gold ring as an en-