Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-03
AMONG THE PEOPLE or ICELAND.
ne Natives Devoted 70 0au1 and stroas
Drink-Lsek OF Clsanliness-Nsmes.

ne Natives Devoted 70 snug and Seroaa
Drink-Lsrk Of Clsaaliness-N.mes.
verith, thejer siler-May you be blessed.
Upon entering Or leaving store or house.
parting with a friend, or meeting an entire
stranger on the road. this sentiment Is
always expressed. The national saluta-
ton Is . kiss all round, friends and
strangers alike, and in the country the
custom is still followed, but like many
other time-honored practices handed
down from the days when Iceland, in
several and great respects, was leading
the world, this habit is fast disappearing
at the capital 1t Is the rule of the road
never to pass person without q saluta-
ton, and in travelling one sees many
sffectionate greetings between the people,
who, although very cordial to foreigners,
have ceased, within the last few years, to
extend-their demonstrations toward them
beyond the proffer Of the snun horn or
brandy bottle. or perhaps piece Of rock
candy or few raisins they may have in
the recesses Of their pockets.
To see horny visaaed men, often without
dismOunting from their ponies, earnestly
embrace and kiss one another as afYec-
tionately Is two parroquetts, strikes the
stranger as decidedly fcelandic; especially
when, as in almost every case their upper
lips are crossed by two very prominent
dark streaks, the result Of the frequent
use of snuff. After bussinR each other in
good round style, one of them produces
small horn, from which he empties at
least a spoonful into his own Large
nostrils, and then passes it round. eener-
ally following IL up with a small key
unstrarped from behind the saddle. or a
bottle brought forth from the depths OF an
old stocking. Owing to the isolated lives
they lead. the country people imnrove
every opportunity to chat with those tAey
meet, and after some time spent in the
exchange of news and friendships little
commodities, they again embrace. catch
their ponies, who have been allowed to
stray, and once more take the road.
sSurr AND AycoHoY
The ability Of the .ver.,. Ic.,.n6., to
appropriate snuff ia rarely eocaled Some
whenr I have read of . 0neen I,h.rlotte
who. in accordance with the or.ce with
which she did all things. and Tor which
she was greatly epyied by the Iadies Of
her court. was in the habit Of LAYING :
train Of snu6 down the vhole lenotS ~
her white satin sleeve and then with onc
sweep OF her oueenlv nose abe would
.scnre every n.rticIe fev ~ thess ~.
nile empty a small mountain Of the novder
upon the b.ck of the hand And transfer II
20 the nose. but The vay Il 70 anplv the
end Of the SNUFF horn directly to the nos
triI. throw the head Tar hack and nv .
shake of the horn, and - long pull and q
strong pull" obtain the desired quantity,
Of course treating the other nostril in the
same way. 1t b needless to say that they
enjoy the operation and that the removal
of external traces b considered entirely
Unnecessary.
~ for the drinking habit, It wfu be met
witA everywhere, but here it il certainly o
great and universal obstacle to the I'D
Of the people. Every oppor-
tunity IL improved TO get half seas over
and It h no uncomm0n thing TO - Q
farmer hobnObbtnG with some chance &C.
quAintance, In the shadow Of rock, while
Ills pack ponies, loaded with the wares for
which he has baEtefed his years produce,
are scattered far along or straying from
the road, and his riding-pony stands
sleepily BY, apparently understanding the
situation. The IcelandsD are seldom
ugly or quarrelsome, nor can thsir time
Be reckoned - valuable, but the fact that
mot the least proportion Of their scanty
pgodnce goes for drink and that they often
lose In other ways through this habit,
would, under other circumstances, con-
denim the custom upon grounds of
and thrift.
HOUSEHOLD HABITS.
In personal and household habita- these
people are emphatically mot clean. md
culinary uutidiness. together With entomo-
Ioeicsl discomforts are mot the lo.st In.
Of Icelsndic travel Az re-
yards wearing apparel. manv Of the mo-
Die seem to have adopted the urincipie Of
he man who. every SATURDAY, niebt
flung his socks AGAINST the wall n they
stuck they were washed. Otherwise tbey
were GOOD for .notha, vo.k In ,o,,r,,s