The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-18
In Daleoarlia, Sweden.

Passing through the station we open-
Ell the door into new world. Crowded
around the ticket office was a score of
people OF both sexes, wearing the dis.
tlnctive dresses of a half-dozen Delecar-
Ian parishes. We had stepped from
the auditorium into the WINGS Old
men III buckskin small-cl6tTes and
leather aprons jostled pretty peasant
girls III quaint pointed caps and many
hued kerchiefs; mothers with leather
sacks full of babies on their backs.
ana workmen with bundles of tools.
all clamorcd eagerly for tickets,
evidently too little familiar with rail-
way travel. Here and there flash.
Ell among the drapery the orange
yellow aprons of the women, enlivenIlg.
the color composition Of the group with
a lew strong notes. and cheering us with
the proof that we had not lost the trail.
fortunately it was near midsummer.
the vegetation was in its perfection, and
the sun shone for nearly twenty hours
each day. The people, un.worshipers
III thelr way, were preparing for the
festivities of Midsummer-lay-ap pop,l-
lar holiday, which is celeblnted on the
24th OF June, and is perhaps more thai
any other day the great Dalecarlian
festival. From tho railway line it is
about twenty-five miles to Siljan Lake.
and the chief means of communication
IS ny steamers OH the Dal-Elf, or river
Dal, a shallow stream only navigable at
intervals. Wagons, by courtesy called
dlllgences, transport tho passengers
around the rapids and shoals, and mater
jally add to the dlscomforts of the
Journey. The Dal-Elf is so near like
the American bacl1woods stream that
IL IS not remarkable that the Swede
VINO exchanges his small river farm for
the extensive woodland tract in Ameri
ca rarely experiences the pangs of home
sickness, but settles down to a content
ed life OF diligent toll. Tho stream ed
dies are full Of timber on it's way to tho
saw-mills below. The odor Of pines and
spruces fills the air, daisies and butter
cups sprinkle the fields, pond-lilies dot
the surface of the meadow-pools, and a
bright sun ripens the grain waving in
the large fields redeemed with difficulty
from the stony slopes or from the dense
forests that cover the hill-sides.
smut your ears to the sound of mems
voices, and you cannot believe YOU are
IN Sweden. rThat.1ittle,gr log house in
the distance, with its shingled roof, the
cattle sheds and barns, the well-swcep
and curb, the stone walls and post-and-
rail fences, might be transported bodily
and set down in the backwoods of many
State and never be noticed for the dif.
terence OF single stick of timber or
the tashloning OF single stake. Let
the door open and the geography changes
ny magic. a little child totters out into
the sunlight. 1t is dressed in a single
long garment Of yellow homespun wool
as bright as the petals Of the buttcrcups
or the dandelions. From under a close
lifting cap of vermilion hue strargles
out a mass Of taxen hair. A stout
leather apron tied under the arms and
over the shoulders protects the dress
from the chin to the toes of the clumsy
little shoes, a half-dozen other chill
dren dressed exactly the same troop
out after it, and following them, the
mother, with curious poke sun-bonnet
OF bright red rivaling in briliancy the
crimson Of her homespun apron, carries
a pail on each arm to milk the COWS
lowing at the pasture bars. The faith
er comes to tho door Of the barn to say
a word rs they pass. But for his lcath.
or apron shining with wear you would
take him for New England farmer of
continental times, with his low shoes.
knee-Dreeches, long waistcoat and felt
hat. The ever cqualizing influences of
modern science have not yet reached
them, and they live and feel much the
same as their great grandfathers did be-
fore them.