New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-08
THE RADICAL BJORNSON.
A MAN OF SYMPATHY.
fCODyrigbt 1881

u
head above all the people 1t is difficult to speak Of him
except I'm superatlyes; for foT mon have ever come
urder his influence without becomn, his disciples In
this age OF dIuinutiye. uncemOnstratiye men, all cut
less after tho pattern 1t IL refreshing
meet OF such large, heroic mould-a man whom
Putarch would have delighted to portray and Michael
Angelo to fashion In colossal marble.
When in 1881 BOrnsOn visited the United states had
the pleasure of spending puoh time his company. Ho
breezy and aggressive and oyerbrmming
with startling ideas. Tho progress which had been
made In the constitutional conflict which he had been
chiefly Instrumental in preciptatng delighted him, aud
he reoced like child in every fresh advantage which
had been gained by the peasant party At the same
time other problems, OF still wdor scope, occupied
much of his thought.
To Socialism, IN some shape other, belongs the
FUTURE he sald to mo; the present crude theories
whcn the Justly Disconnected OF the earth propound
Ing only significant tho first serious agitation OF
the greatest OF problems. II Is pleasant to think that
God made the earth for you aud Inc. who promenade
about brOldClOth, cat and drink MI, sip
moderate amount OF pleasure from variety OF eI-
perIeuccs. But have yOu known what 1t Is to
Ue hungry my boy TO be raveDOus. aid yet not know
where 10 turn for d bite OF bread Have you ever
thought how the world must look 10 the hungry man
We may ull uneasy conscicncos TO sleep with the
idea that need lie hungry who wants 10 work
But that H. after ALL very transparent lie There
thousands no arc hungry aud who get work. or
only work at wage, hitch Hre but modified form OF
starvaton. All, Lu. those people degraded you
say they vicious and incapable OF honest work SO
they are. great many OF them: but who made them
degraded and viciousi They did uot make themselves
So That the colossal nctlOn for which Christianity
responsible. that has himself to thank FOR his
inherited degradation and will re damned clernally Ia
the end unless ne makes haste to mend All. but for
cgraded soul that - about easy to liz hiusc Or
the straps OF BIS boots And to believe, all yes, to
/ eirve. "a II tnat could help anybody"
or tho future Organization Or society which Is TO do
away with the most glarnS injustice Of tho present,
Bjuusou did not Pretend 10 have perfectly clear idea
The thug humanity had TO do To rid Itself OF the
last remnant OF teudali-m with its attendant military
BURDEN. military distinctions wnrliko instincts.
complete and perfected iudustrisllem would, however
be but partial solution OF the pro9lcm for Industrial
Ism in re spect- cruel and fosters distinctions
which are a. unjust Tho abOlishment OF personal
property In land and the raising Of all taxes from the
rental would long stride iowa ri the equalization Of
tho burdens Of humanity
ono Of tho fundamental traits OF his character
i a deep sympathy with the small. tho help
le,. the UNHAPPY. A tie rcely democratic feeling
Ia h- speech In his later writings. and animaes
h, COHdu.t At his estate AucotaJ IN embarrassing
where tie yed until low years ago. h, uOuSo and his
always open To- those who suffering.
Ter IN the Damien ioarnI tIS ~ A,WHtc remhtk-:
H., household consists often O an unusual number OF
women. II no noe's oi thy ono aIOIhu III th5
parishes who for economical or moral reas"ns 10 IN need
uf support lao says At once: Lot her come - u.s. And
share tue dHr ana Ia0' o. the rest and 10 stay until
n.ploN oil litiun, call her elsewhere Whom visitors
whom lie Nisues to give insight into tue internal
relation, ~ ms household no Is sure TO Introduce these
tunate members with some aleh words those:
fhs IS Ui good friends who IL staying with H. ;
or Ihls is ono OF oar very best friends who has prom
OF his rird upri-htucss. coupled with a certain
hut shall content myself with When some years
en- .scrs visited the estate BorlsOn took them about
and did only eIpatate upon tue advantages OF TITO
It's hidden disadvantages. The purchasers.
unarcsloned to sucH scrupuouSneSo, naturally cGas
G"rn,nn Ina. three children ~ whom tic eldest SON
Rorn already made the world Of his existence
imo 10 ,r,i lie ro"iI mai drr,n v,htnr i.irn
MAS a fool II genus. lie would disappear for
DAYS, and thea, hhcn search was instituted wOu.d G1
sIfliy strlr the gable oil house gazing ut the clouds
or SEVENTEEN venr+ Old his father heard tremsndons
moths AZ Jornoor assembled tho stairs he heard some
one doCsimnX violently. lilo remembered that he had
taken Born 10 the theatre some days before 10 see
OF OiEcilO he was decaiming. The father Peoped
through crack In the door ana saw the boy matreat
terribly a big wofskin oycrcOat which Tor tho
played the part Of IngO There passion and
pathos in his voice which wcro revelation TO tie
a,tOnshcd father. iIo thrilled him with splendid half
lmprUYlsed OutOurss Of wrath-IncOnsciUuS and gen
uine.-aud with swift transitions to the most touching
tculcruess which rppled through every nerve ana hOre
When Born had Hnshcd his father flung the door open,
soz,d him JoyTuIly by the Sho"dor, shook him, and
You rascal here You have been genius all the while
and haven't said u word to yOnr father about 1t"
This episode decided Horn rate; ne was sent To tho
best schools of acting Germany and France became
member OF the famous McinBgen Company, made Il
great hit in schillcrs The beers" and finally
-,timcI the management or tho national theatre III
Christiaut Ill1 debut there H'chGrd HK was the
greatest theatrical event OF the present generation In the
countries. An actor combining 20 many
81 ri0rdinary CUTS, splcndldy equipped both by
nature and by training, Norway hHd never before
OF L3 company at dinner and many O tho anecdotes
which he then todd % famous auhors whom he knew
entered my plrlor aud his fine vbrate
strangely IN my memory. ~ think OF him As he sat
ITO at table loOken ouriousy the wins bottles
Turning TO the hostos' he sad DO you really expect
She assured niIn that that was her expectation
You know ask" he weut on, because md that
this not the general custom in the United States.
gain aud again nave invited to dinner aud there
has been wine on tho table l'ut II | showed any
nrcsIon to ecrc me on the beauty OF temperance and
u ali tho horrible things that might happen TO
mo II drank From this / concluded that Amor. !
had tho table exercise Ia self abnesa
ton. or a text for a temperance lsctutc."
In the course 81 the conversation an alson was made
10 celebrated German author. since deceased whose
domestic fc none OF tne haplest. We both knew |
THIS man well, anu found that we Mad both been made
his c0nAisnt- In his matrimonial martyrdOm. Ws |
began TO compare notes, and BJornsOn |
/ Mas dining At KS summer night" he said.
and after dinner IL WAS proposed that should take
oOk the lc8d Mrs X. and myself followed. As No
NerO passing "a DUST OF t'Ottub | pointed 10 IL anu
remarked: lie great and wise man aud direct
ns my eyes toward x. VINO was tow steps Ia advance
)f Us. added lie too Il wise man The next morning
finishing my breakfast y. entered my room nnd
said iugubriousy: am sorry to hear Biornson, that
you think am not poet. denied having said my
hing OF the Sort but could not convince him You
nave said that am sage. but no pOetv Then must
have denied Goethe. too. tho title of poot for IL was
with HIM compared you 1t was Of no USE he was
tn have ms grievance. After awhile no
proposed walk; and hnd scarcely rot ont OF tho
lote when we Wet Mrs y. returning from 4 shopping
"a pedtOu In drosohke. Now We can settle our
Ills ,utc. / said. stepping mp ana greeting MIRO "
Peaso tell me- said that your husband Is no
poet Mrs X. turns upon her frp htonc spouse with
terrible garo: There, you have been lying again, she
said (Dt hast Du ,cicdcr 0riGgiH. ana bowling to mo
drove on How could you talk 30 TO het Z he Asked
half admrngly as a2aln back upon the side |
walk DO you SUPPOSE replied. that afraid OF
any woman All, hO exclaimed significantly that
IS well enough; but You are not married To her ,"
During tho last two years BlOrnsOn has been residing
PA abs i'm work. Hi1