The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-11-08

Oeuhy ABOUT tine usual length OF mlgnonette
troughs, which we're sunk into the clay
walls like row Of sleeping births on
board packet-shp. But !, as distin-
guished foreigner, had den to myself,
such as hermit Of especially austere and
selEmortifying tendencies might have con-
structed, for il was without window Of
any kind, and air was admitted by means
Of the hollow trunk of au alder-tree, which
had been thrust through the roof Of the
cave, and made sort Of wooden shaft over
head. The floor was carpeted, however,
with soft dried moss, softer aud more lux
urious than the most costly three-plied
velvet that ever loom woye; the bed was a
pile Of dressed deer-skins, as supple and
plant as silk; copper lamp hung by a
chain from the roof; | had pillows and
holsters stuffed with the plumage Of the
eider.duck and the wild swan, two bear
skin eoyerlets, and at least dozen quilts
Of yielding eidcrdown; aud, crowning
magnifeence there was an old-fashioned |
chest Of oaken drawers, with brass handles
and key plates, to which Peter Wow
pointed proudly, as to proof Of inter-
course with the civilized world Of modern
Europe. 1t was evidently some relic Of
wreck of the North Cape, and had been
dragged many weary mile by the patient
deer that drew the sledges. | fancied the
scent Of the sea hung about 1t still.
Scarcely were We snugly established in
our underground quarters, when one fine
evening / was summoned to join solemn
procession which annually, according to
immemorial custom, assembled neighbor-
ing hill to sec the last of the sun for that
year, and bid the orb Of day "good-by !"
1t was a strangely picturesque sight, and
not without its touching pathos, that as.
semblage Of villagers, Of every age, from
the wrinkled grand sire who toitered on his
staff, and with palsy shaken hand shaded
his aged eyes as he watched that fast-de-
clining sun which was setting, not for a
night, but for drear witer, and which he
might scarcely hope to mark again, down
to the child whose wondering eyes noted
the scene for the first time since its rea-
son began to dawn. All were there-the
maidens and young men, the reverend
elders, the feeble crones, who shivered
already in the strange ominous chill that
peryadcd the air, the hardy hunters, the
no less hardy shepherds, or rather deer
herds, old and young were gazing with a
common purpose and common intensity
Of feeling upon the sinking luminary.
All kinds Of wild imaginipgs, all manner
Of poetic memories, rushed in upon my
mind as the sun approached the horizon,
aud prepared for the final plunge The
wild aud mystic verses of Tegner, perhaps
suggested by that very spectacle Of the
death of the northern sun, REQUIRED to
me with boding elearness. began 10
wonder whether had not been very rash
ahd absurd in wishing to stop winter in
Lapland, like a mole in its burrow. ]
began to sigh after my home, where the
sun would shine out, many day, on the
crisp snow and frost-silvered boughs, when
| should be ia Cimmerian darkness.
Plunge the red sun had flashed down
below the horizon A heavy twilight set
tied, as ifby magic, over the fair land,
seape, still gilded by the smiles Of sum,
mer. IIark the long wailing eadencei
Of the sweet, sad chant--an old, old heath
en- chant, Of the days when Freya wa
worshipped, Freya, at once Venus ans
Summer oil this far remote racc--In wnlci
the Laplanders bewail the parting day
Now for the long, long night Already
as we turned to quit the hill, after strain
ing cur eyes until the last faint glow hat
died awSy too-already an icy breeze hat
sprung up from the dim northwest, and
shivered aud wrapped my cloak round nj
at the sudden sensation Of cold. alt il
the suow.wind," said an old Laplander, al
we paced down to the village; "no NOR
flowers for the lasses to braid 10 their hai
this year
must confess that felt uncommonl,
like frightened child left alone in thu
dark, aud regretted my whim for staying
among the Laps. Nay, but for very
shame, | believe should have proposed
to hire Peter Vows boat, before the icC
should seal up mere aud river, and start
like bird OF passage, in pursuit Of ths
sun. The country seemed TO me to change
in the unwonted twilight; the familiar
rocks Of the glen, the far-away moorlands
the pine tbickets, assumed weird aspect
oven the faces Of my entertainers looked
strange and grotesque, aud their pigmy
, figures impish, in the deep shadow. Then
too, the singular feeling that all this was
not a dream-that it was real, waking life
that | had actually seen the sun &C
dc.n into an obscurity that was to last
for the better part Of a year--aud that
was going to try and while away winter
night that would have given time tC
Scherazade herself to exhaust quarter Of
her budget of stories--all this bewilderet
me. But that night there we're high rev
els held among the dwellers in caves
Peter Wow, as chief Of the village, enter
tanned all the beauty and wealth Gall th,
ugliness and poverty as well) of Kubliti
in his hospitable halls underground. Torch
es blazed and sputtered; lamps, fed by seal
oil and decr's fat, were lighted, and huns
to every bracket and projection through
all the subterranean dwelling; and at |
very early hour, the monotonous but i'm
patient beating of the LapIand drum sum
moncd the guests. All Kubliiz was there
young aud old, in holiday garb. There
were games aud sweetmeats for the chill
dren, dancing for the lads and lasses, anS
abundance Of tobacco, gossip, and strong
liquors for the seniors Of the village.
pet reindeer lovely milk-white creature
almost hidden by the flowers with which i
was garlanded--was led through the room
by rope of roses held by six young maid
ems. Six young hunters followed, eacl
with drawn sword, with which they wert
presently to figure in the ancient sword
dance Of Scandinavia The orchestra
composed Of the strangest-looking instru
monts, still managed-for the Laps are
very musical peope--to discourse swecl
sounds, now Of wild pathos, now almosl
inaddeningly gay and exciting. Such
hearty, vigorous, agile dancing | never
beheld. 1t was marvellous sight, that
assembly Of small folks under the level Of
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