The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-06
SWEDEN'S HEROES.
Burial Place of Gustavus Adolphus, John
Rernadotte, and Others.

leaves have fallen from the trees in the little
park opposite my residence, I can look beyond
their bare boughs from my window and see ris-
ing against the bleak, sombre November sky,
hanging low down on the waters Of beautiful
Lake Malar. the tall, conicalshaped. perforated
c~ast-iron towers surmounting Riddarholm's
Kyrka. This church is the Westminster Abbey
of Sweden, and within it's walls are entombed the
heroic and royal dead of the nation. The build
ing is of brick, except one chapel of stone, erect
ed later. and bears on it's outside walls the evil
dence that the tooth of time has not been idle in
all the years since first this place of wor-
ship, and afterward Of sepulcher. be-
came the last earthly resting place of
the great dead. The style of architecture is of
Gothic, simple and severely plain, with the stone
addition, which is more of a Disagreement than
anything else. Originally the church belonged
to the Franciscars, and was used by that order
prior to the expulsion of the Catholics from the
country, or rather prior to the time Lutheranism
became the state religion of the Scandinavian
peninsula. The exterior is not very attractive,
and yet the begrimed and aged walls have a
weird and melancholy interest, as though they
were making proclamation to their visitor that
within them. and standing like s~entinels above
them, was the earthly dust of the heroic men
who filled so large a place in the history of
Europe during part of two centuries.
My first visit to Riddarholm was one of pecu-
liar interest. It was on a fete day. when all
Scandinavia was in holiday attire. and think
ing, perhaps, I might better observe some of the
characteristics of the people I visited several
places of interest; and was not disappointed, as
you say in America. in my find. AS I approached
the church I noticed about the entrance a group
of peasants wearing the unique and picturesque
costume of Delacarlia-the one province of
Sweden that rigidly retains it's ancient manners
and habits, and preserves in itself, as a sort of
last citadel, defying the encroachments of more
modern times, all that is typical and picturesque
of Scandinavia. These people had come on this
holiday, like myself, out of curiosity, or respect,
to visit the old church. If it were germane to
the subject, and my pen a little more facile, 1
would like to draw for your readers a pen-and-
ink sketch of the little group standing about
me waiting for the church doors to open; but
possibly some other time 1 may essay this piece
of Characterization. Let me add, however. l have
seen the peasants of France, Germany, Switzer-
land, Russia and FINLAND, but. to my mind,
there are none of these costumes comparable to
the peasant dress of Sweden. There is a comb
nation of color, uniqueneSs and makeup, added
to a jaunty and Independent carriage, a supple
and strong frame, that gives the wearer a be-
coming engagement.
When at last the doors were opened, I walked
in with my friends from the country, ard stand
ing for a moment upon the threshold of the
inner vestibule, l looked down the long vaulted
aisle, into which the broken sunbeams were
struggling through the gorgeous stained glass of
the transept windows. There was an air of
solemn awfulness about the great room.
and reverently taking off my hat 1 walk
ed down over the pavement formed
of tombstones to the burial chapel
of Gustavus Adolphus. Here, in a green mar
BILE sarcophagus, is all that is mortal of the great
Protestant King and warrior. Between the
windows OF the chapel are placed the flags.
standards, kettle drums and keys of walled
cities, taken by him in battle with the Austrians,
Russians and Danes, while in the vault beneath
are deposited the remains of his Queen, Maria
Eleanor, the daughter of the Elector of Brandon
burg. Directly opposite. in a chapel of the
same size, stands a black marble sarcophagus,
on which is placed a lions skin of brass, and on
this is a crown, sword and scepter, The simple
letters in brass on the side. &c. XII" tell their
own story. And what a story it is! History
has no more pathetic one. What a story the old
kettle-drums and t%attered. moth.eaten en-
signs and flags could tell could
LIoN Uut SPEAK. Lucy D6dG n CaL-
too from the Baltic to the Caspian
and back again to Friederichshold, where finally
the great but misguided spirit met death in the
trenches, and after eighteen years of absence
from his government he brought back to his i'm
poverished country. on the litter which carried
his dead body, the cessation from war
she so much needed. If there was no other
compensation in my long journey to this Morse
land | found it here on that day, standing in the
presence of such heroic dust as that of the great
A @~l - & I:- -
successor, Charles XII. To me they had been
always historical characters of great interest,
and now at their tomb I found that here there
are no pompous inscriptions, no hattery paid
the dead. but all is elegant and awfully simple.
They have each written their names and deeds
in the worlds history, but to my mind the great
est Of the two. the one whose life went out on
the bloody field of Lutzen 253 years this very
day, deserves most of the worlds praise.
Adjoining the chapel of Gustavus, and to the
west, is the chapel of John Bernadotte, once q
marshal of Napoleor's, afterwards King of
Sweden and the founder of the present dynasty.
The sarcophagus is Of rorphyry, and is the most
massive and elegant in its exterior of any in the
church. Below in the vault rest those of the
family who have died. On the day l first visited
the church wax candles were burning in the
vaults below as we'll as in the chapel of Berna-
dotte.
All of the Vassar family. except Gustaf vassar,
the founder of the line, and the first Swedish
NAAct 49, fNSHNN 40 SaAS W GAO
choir, or under the floor. The entire floor is
composed of memorial tablets, while the walls
are embellished with armorial bearings of
knights of the Seraphim order. Some of these
are extremely gorgeous in color and decoration.
My attendant, the custodian of these mortuary
relics, took great pains to inform me on all mat
tiers connected with the lives of the dead, and
could repeat his story as glibly as a lightning
calculator solves an intricate problem. He was
a pompous and solemn old body, who wore the
same ~funereal aspect as the church itself, but as
courteous and polite as a royal chamberlain.
Here We see
"How sleep the brave who sink to rest"
Until that final day, when these men, who
played so prominent a part in the worlds history
will stand like their more common brothers.,
equal and contemporary.
The word Riddarholm means knights island,
and is one of the nine islands upon which the
city of Stockholm is built. / cannot better close
this than by quoting from Legner, the native
poet, a line from one of his poems referring to the