The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1888-12-21
Sights SEEN IN erocx4oLm.
Group Of tho GirdIo DueIists-Becgars'
sClubs--Other Curiosities

| oi1H - St6N IN STOCKHOLM.
Group OF tho Girdlo Duelists-Beggars'
| Clubs--Other ,Curiosities.
| Many bronze statues to Sweden g kings
stand IN the various squares andLparks,
and there Is one bronze group that holds
! the attention longer than any of these.
! its placed in the grounds of the Ma
donal museum, and. is tho masterpiece
pf the Swedish sculptor Moleri, the group
" the Girdte Duelists. according to tho
-Sirbarous, old custom in Scandinavia,
ysis$7Sa i6sS,rl arose between, two men,
fhpy ~erd E01ald together by a gifdle,
provided with knives, and allowed to
fight,out the duel until one or both had
fallen. This group is worthy,of the an
tiqueS for the splendid physique of the
actors and fearful interest of the strife.
Each has seized with his left hand the
right hand of his foe, which grasps the
murderous short knife, and both wrestle
for life with terrible energy. 1t is said
that these combats We're so universally
fatal that women carried winding sheets
with them to the banquets, where their
husbands might be slain.
-Four bas reliefs on the pedestal with
Runic inscriptions show such q scene
two men drinking together, while the
lovely vii of one of them stands by.
The jealous anger reused by some undue
attention on the part of tho guest, the
wife on her knees endeavoring to prevent
the quarrel, and lastly the poor thing
weeping alone by the gravestone of her
husband. a memorial such as this of
ancient customs has always an interest
independent of its artistic value; and this
interest attaches to great many objects
in the collection of the Northern Museum,
an institution devoted TO the preservation
off ci.ndinayian Jrelics and curiosities.
YShSsee her3a '1~@ef ca thet2ll pixies and
battle axes SO formidable of old--cruel,
murderous looking instruments ten feet
long, their blades and heads rusted as IL
with the blood of enemies; ancient swords
and helmets, together with innumerable
articles of more peaceful household use;
ruce looms that might have woven the
garments of the Vikings, and the odd
hand mangles used for smoothing linen
heavy pieces of wood, polished on the
under side, and deliberately carved above,
with handles usually representing horses.
1t seems impossible that such flat irons
should have been very efilcacious, but
here they aru by tho hundred.
Odder still are tho kubbestols-chairs
made of the trunks of trees-or kubbes
(whence our "stubs, suppose), the
edges OF the seats ornamonted with, of
all things in the world, human teeth,
driven into the solid wood. These are
not relics OF battle, as one might sup
pose, but the teeth lost by the family of
the owner of the Chair, preserved In this
manner as charm against future tooth
ache. Little white milk teeth make an
agreeable variety with hugo molars that
cIl lsHrS5 ac,iC1. enough before they came
to this end. Here, too, is another relic
of ancient manners-beSgars' clubs.
These formidable weapons were given to
beggars to enable them to obtain relief
at the next house they came tor What
a comfortable thing it would be If ono of
us could get rid of an importunate tramp
by giving him club to compel our next
neighbor to entertain him! Yonder is q
bundle OF Runio stayes-canes or long
pieces of wool carved with runes, or SEN
tences in Runic characters, usually
quoted from one of the sages. Whether
these were considered as charms, or only, |
like the Jewish phylacteries, used to keep |
in mind some sacred text, we could not |
learn.
OLc HoOi4i is l4sLGti up III compartments, |
each repreSS SptinS kitchen or living
room 0f ct--c..iug III I IN
and, or Iceland perhaps; with life size
figures in appropriate costumes, sur
rounded with the yo-y furniture and pot
terry brought from such houses, all in
some interesting position. A man re-
cciving an official message brought by
an envoy in one of the old "bud stiiker,"
or message sticks, which ho in his turn
is bound to carry for q certain distance,
and if no one is ut hand to take it, to
stick it in the earth until some one comes
along, as if our mail bags should be laid
on rock at q certain place and left for
the next passer to take charge of! An
other group shows a girl receiving pres
ents when the bans of her marriage are
third, q Lapland family
mourning over dead child. All the
figures are very lirelillc. But time would
: In. SSns spool Of the various museums
and thc;r treasures. S-ss...-..ss On I'm Cor. San
Francisco Chronicle. ..,