Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-12-17
LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN.
Where People Go to Bed in Broad Day
light-A Cold Fourth of July.

but | have never been to northern Eu-
rope before this summer" said ex- Attor-
ney General Brewster to reporter. Il
left here on the 21st. went up to Hull
on the 23d, and on the Gath | joined the
ship Angelo, and after very smooth
and pleasant passage arrived at Chris
tiansand in Norway, on the following
Sunday. It's a very interesting old
place. | went to church there. It's a
clean, nice style of Norwegian town.
The people are very quiet, nicely be-
haved, plain and simple. Monday was
passed i'll Chrlstanla a town of Consid-
erdb,e importance. | staid there one
day and then went by rail up to Thrond-
jem, the old capital of Norway, which
at one time was the largest and wealth.
est town in Norway. 1t had at one
time many monasteries and churches.
In Throndjem is the oldest cathedral
in all Norway. 1t was founded in 1916
by St. Olaf, and on the ground where
he was buried the present building was
erected III 115l and completed in 1910,
and was enlarged in 1900. The cathe-
dral is very interesting work of gothic
architecture 1t was damaged three or
four years ago by fire, and in rebuilding
it large walls were erected, which
changed the architectural appearance of
the structure. 1t is now being restored
with very much pains and care. There
was an annual fair being held in
Thrond jem while / was there and it was
filled with specimens of farmers and
working people. 1t was held in an open
street. 1t was quite crowded and every
thing was orderly and quiet. and all of
the people appeared to be comfortable,
well-dressed, sturdy, vigorous, and sim
pie in their ways, and very honest
people. The fair was held for business
and friendly intercourse. All the time
was in Norway l saw no dirty pow
erty, no beggars, no tramps or idle,
worthless people. The farms all APP
peared to be thoroughly taken care of.
Everything around the house was kept
in good order. Farms were in perfect
condition. The houses were clean and
comfortable and small and unpretend-
ing. The women are plain looking but
very vigorous, and they are quiet and
clean and mild in their ways. They
look as if they were exposed to hard
work, and they have a healthy, COM
Portable, satisfied look. The men had
sturdy, manly look. They look like
people who have no wealth and they
appeared to all be on social level.
There seemed to be no distinction be-
tween them, but they had an air of in
dependence. | saw no drunken people
there and heard no noisy people. 1t is a
very peaceful place. Throndjem is built
of wooden houses, good broad streets,
well paved, and has plenty of good
shops.
THE sun reaches its uppermost point
on the 2lst of June. l got to Thornd jem
at o'clock in the morning on the Goth
of June. There was no night. 1t was
broad daylight at midnight. There was
scarcely any darkness. The sun shone
night and day. The people went to bed
regularly at an early hour, with the sun
shining, and closed their shutters and
pulled down their curtains and slept and
the town was as quiet as if the night was
totally dark. After leaving Thrond jem
l took a ship named after some ancient
Norwegian king, and in company with
fifty or sixty other tourists, all people of
responsibility and intelligence and men
from different nations. There were
twenty two Americans: the rest were
natives of France, Spain, Germany,
Denmark, Norway. Sweden and Eng
land. We went up the coast to Tromso
and then to Hammerfest, the most
northern town in the world. l saw the
high mountains and the whole of the
coast all the way up to the North cape,
the extreme northern point of Europe.
Il arrived there on the 4th of July. 1t
was a cold. wet day. The climate is
harsh, cold and wet, rainy and damp.
When it is not raining there is heavy
mist. The North cape is on a point of
land at least !, 900 feet above the level of
the sea. When l was at the North cape
the sun was obscured with clouds. At
~ o'clock at night the sun was visible
for a time. In winter it is dark there
nearly all day, as well as at night.
returned by the same towns, but through
different waterways. The whole of the
navigation was protected by land, there
fore the sea was mild. We were sur
rounded by immense mountains, covered
jem | went across Norway through i
country which was filled with lake.,
hi:h noun aims AMI green v..AvyS. ca
ca es and Ills, and farms we'll care
for 1t al, lad solitary and bleak az
pearanc'. 'eop.r We're maNing T. q most
on; of Y Ia, they ha /, but their liz was
evident. ulrd one. The railway ST.
tions are supplied with eating houses
that are clean and with an abundance
of good and wholesome food and fruit
and wines at reason prices. The traveller
is treated honestly. The women attend
these eating-houses generally. They are
all quiet women, pleasant and prompt
Philadelphia Times Interview.
The Flavor of Slang.
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