Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-22
Lie I'm Lapland.
Feom Tromholt's "Under the Aurorn.
DRIVING TI5r prr,,r,,,,

| out the slightest regard for either man or
sledge. 1t IL, In fact, even for the most expert
Llspp driver. only possible to make the reindeer
sntrelS er tse, TS but + chooses tie read
that the straight line between two points 10 the
shortest the reindeer knows NOT, Of utterly dis
| In making detOurs and zipzag movements rieht
and LETT, and to make the journey twice as
long as 'necessary A reindeer in harness sell
it can, with the tongue out Of tie mouth and
painting IKE q dog for breath, From time to
LIME lime IL lakes bite of the snow 10 quench its
snort hopping gallop, as both hind and forelegs
S Sone qoWn almost simultaneously. With the
bacI son % Inc mind legs the snow is kicked
perpetual snow-storm. This is accompanied BY
peculiar cracking noise in the hoofs, when
galloping, which may be compared to the pro
duction OF q series Of electric sparks or the
cracknng OF salt thrown on a fire. was, am
Pro9a 70 say, not long in learning the mode of
snouioer OF the deer on the right side, at the
very moment the driver jumps into the pulk;
nsh enS iatIer action is not SO easily accom-
Rnsneu ~ may be imagined, as on the slightest
INDIGESTION Of the intention Of the driver the
Ieinaeer starts off at wild gallop. When driv-
ne the Side to Which Il Il Wanted 70 so
stop the rein is cast on tie lott side At the mo.
But whether stopping or driving one must
never let go the rein, or the reindeer might, as
~ H., sometimes son does anyhow, turn upon the
other times If the rein be let go the deer will
DOlt on over the extensive wastes and days may
eiapse before 1t is recovered.
DOMESTIC LIFE.
All live in tents, there being no such things
as articles Of furniture, the ground supplying
the place Of chair, table and bed, men, women,
chllaren and dogs all lying together. IT is
neS Is t1at life In such tent Is not very Te
meals, caused chiefly by the circumstance that
the members OF the family have each to take
their turn in guarding the reindeer, A large
Lapp wants to eat he dives with his hands into
the pot, fetches out piece Of meat, which he
devours by the aid of the knife always carried
Ut his side, the fingers serving as forks. During
the winter the reindeer meat and milk, the
melted snow, Constitute the food and drink Of
the Lapp, in addition to which, he will. wien
obtainable, consume a large quantity of coffee.
be he IaRpd s ceqsan
amount of reindeer hair in the food, as
pe sss ssni is
bing they become Electrical and Ind adhere still
consumed and watch every morsel from hand
to mouth with intense attention. In the night
they crawl about the tent, selecting the warm.
est OF the company for q couch. 1t is rare that
the entire family is at once collected in the
tent, as the herd always requires their attention
ali share IL this task benp resyed twice.
day. Each one brings his own dogs. which
only obey his commands, while those relieved
eight or ten dogs walk over the sleeper to find a
snug corner. And they certainly need rest,
considering that they are in constant activity
during the day guarding the flock. On them
depend the well-being and safety of the herd,
and by them alone is the flock gathered and
moved from one place to another.
AS soon as Lapp children can walk they are
funny by their dwarish appearance. But the
in sheepskin and moss in sort of halt basket,
half cradle, formed of wooden ribs, in the shape
OF little trough, covered with leather, its size
being adapted to that of the baby. For the
protection OF the babys head there Is a wooden
disk at the upper end, similar to that on era
mother throws the sustaining strap over her
shoulder and thus transports it. When the
child is packed 1t is not only easier to handle,
but Is also safer when left to itself, and the
die is often stuck on end in the snow while the
mother goes into the hut. Tho games and
making lassoes and pulks and practicing their
use. When Lapp children enter school they
are like unbroken colts; either they are defiant
or seek safety in excuses. They are Indifferent
to their parents and entirely neglect them if
property or other egotistical considerations do
not influence them. Only unwillingly do they
take care of their parents in old age, and more
from a sense OF shame than from any feeling of
affection. Old and decrepit people are much in
the way OF the Lapp moving from place to place.
but either left to beg or boarded in the family OF
settled Lapps.
LAPP WEDDING.
The bride is dressed in costume which, by
the Lapp, is considered to be the grandest and
| most brilliant toilet the human mind can con-
ceive. The striped frock is Around the
neck and shoulders many-colored shawl is
worn, but over 1t Is cast, in the most coquettish
manner, gaudy silk wrapper, the intense col
ors of which-yellow, green and red-throw
again is laid silk scarf, with various colors,
which Is fastened with a brooch on the
breast, and snowy necklace of silver orna-
to crown it all, the hands are kept in kind
Of mutt formed Of large plaid. But the
Of Of the whole but is shs eadgea It is
those worn by the peasant women of Scandi-
navia on such occasions. The Lapp bridal
pearls and silver ornaments, closed above Hs
with bunch of flowers and silver-gilt leaves
while a number of long, mary:-coIored silk
scend from the top down the neck. The BRIDE
groom is clothed in the usual blue summer
diploma of his dignified position is a narrow
| white band laid around the neck and crosswise
over the breast, the ends nearly reaching the
Popping the question is done by the lover
attempting to take possession of his Dull
cinea's furry gloves, and her answer is indi-
Gated by the willing, half-wlling, or unwiIl-
ing manner in which she submits to the rob-
berry: On marriage he looks with the eye of
unhappy unions and unrequitted affection are
utterly foreign to him.
AN ARCTIC AURORA.
On the horizon lies CLOSE cloud Its upper edge
is illuminated, and from this a band is devel-
oped which travels upward, extending east and
west, and increasing in intensity. In ever
changing play, the band slowly but steadily
alters it's position and form. The width is con.
siderable, and the intense whitish-green light
stands out in magnificent relief on the dark
background. The band now falls into manifold
curls, which cover but do not obscure each
other, the furthest being discernible through
the nearest. Waves of light course constantly
through the entire length of the band with al,
undulating motion; now they run from right to
left now from left to right; they seem apparently
to cross each other as they appear on the nearest
or furthest side of q curl. Now the band uncoiIs
itself to its entire length. 1t seems as III the
wind, high up in the atmosphere were play-
ing with the broad flaming pendant the point
of which Is lost In the opposite horizon. The
light becomes steadily more intense the waves
increase in number and velocity; at the upper
and lower edges Of the band rainbow colors an
pear; the soft white in the middle is bordered
below with q streak Of red, above with one of
green. Two bands have developed, the upper
most OF which. approaching nearer to the
zenith, throws off streamers, which all point to
one spot near the zenith. The band has now
reached this spot, when round the common
point of meeting short streamers gambOl and
watt to and fro, displaying prismatic colors in
every edge, short and longer streamers alter
nate, while waves of light whirl with rapid
change round the central point.