Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-11-16

careful to set aside those really caugh
by his neighbor ; once in while, too
the honest Lapp in the far north may
not make haste to report that rein
deer or two have strayed into his herd
but these ofenses are win ked at yer,
much after the manner of Americans
toward the sanity deacon who over
reaches his neighbor in horse trade
Of common thieves, however, Their
seem to be absolutely none outside th'
cities. Simple trust in the honor o
every one seems to be universal, apC
this feeling extends even to the socia
relations Conventional restraints are
often set aside to an extent that startles
and horrifes the traveller, until he dis
covers that they are not maintained be
cause they are not necessary.
The Scandinavian is earnest, indus
trious, and methodical in every thing
he does He works, during the day
light season of the year, longer hour:
| than any American would think of do
ing, and his industrial habits are a.
regular as those of the clock He is
eqnally thorough about his devotions
the church may be far from his farm
and the Sunday very stormy, but he
attends service if he is not sick. Con
gregations of from three to five thou
sand persons are not unusual in the ru
raj districts. He is just as much in
earnest when at his diversions. An old
farmer Will fiddle all evening while his
family-children and servants included
dance. He is very fond of visiting;
and wedding is sufficient excuse for
q three days jolliication. Prepare,
tions for wedding feast begin three
weeks beforehand, and are so extensive
that NJ. Du Chaillu was utterly amazed
at the quantity of solids and liquids
that be saw stored against an approach
ing marriage feast. Invitations to
weddings are sent out well in advance
Of the happy day, so that the guests
may prepare for two or three days ab-
scence from home; and the poorest per-
son invited is never without wedding
garment. The happy couple eat, drink
and dance with every body; and it seems
never to have occurred to the people to
inquire how they do it. There is a
limit to the endurance of the native
head and stomach, and this generally is
found on the third day; then the guests,
on bidding good-by to the bride, tender
their wedding presents, which always
consist of money, and are deposited,
without being examined, in box
which the bride wears at her side. How
many American girls will wish-only
to themselyes-that a similar custom
might prevail here cannot easily be es-
timated, but all of them will under
stand why there are but few bachelors
in the land of the midnight sun. Long
as are the wedding festivities those of
Christmas far exceed them. for feasting
and fun are industriously kept up from
Christmas-eve to Twelfth-night, and
quaint and charming are some of the
attendant ceremonies.
The patriarchal mode of life seems to
have been better preserved in Scandina-
via than in any other part of Europe.
Even in the cities, where the habits of
good society are in no way inferior to
those of similar circles in England and
France, servants and other SOCIAL infe=
riors are treated with thoqghtfu!ness
and consideration to degree that is
seldom approached even in our own
land of boasted equality, and many
large employers look to the general
well-being of their workmen, caring for
the sick, and pensioning the families of
those who die in their employ. In the
farming districts, where the people are
fully as we'll educated as those of any
rural district in the United States, the
servants form part of the family circle
at the table, around the hearth.stone,
or in the pew at church; they share tie
best sleeping apartments of the family,
wear just as good clothing as the mas
ter and mistress, and the maids, if they
are as pretty, get as much attention
ters of the house, too. One fine old
farmer, Thord by name, insisted on en-
tertaining the author at special table,
but first he ate with his family and SER
wants Feeling sure that six meals
per day instead of three would cause
his host discomfort, Mr. Du Chaillu re-
monstrated with Thord, who replied
that il he were to absent himself from
his family table. the servants would
think him proud. And yet this consid-
crate old fellow was descendant of
King Harold the Fair-haired, and in
habited an estate that had been in his
family thousand years-an estate so
rich that his father, who entertained
the late king during that rulers trip to
| Norway for coronation, sent the king
word to bring no silver service with
him, as there was enough on the estate
for the whole royal party. While do
mestics can eat at the board at the head
of which sits such man, 1t is useless
for American ladies to sigh for the per.
feet Swedish servant that they have
heard SO much about.
The author admires the scenery of
Norway and Sweden as heartily as be
does the people. There is general
impression that all Scandinavian land
scapes are rugged and gloomy; some
of them certainly appear to be sombre,
though many of these are unspeakably
grand both countries, however, have
regions as smiling and beautiful as any
in England, and offer the traveller q
variety that he cannot find within sim,
liar area anywhere else in the world
The western coast of the Scandinavian
peninsula is indented by numerous
narrow, long bays called fiords, with
water sometimes nearly mile deep
while their sides are abrupt and
mountainous. Farther inland there
are wonderful waterfalls in profusion
the authors volumes contain sketches
of many of these, and the American
trembles for the fame of some of the
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