Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-11-11
LIFE IN ICELAND.
POLICEMEN WHO ARREST NOBODY AND
WRITE BOOKS.
Glimpse Of an Icelsudic FMm--S.spirg 10 q
Church-WiLser Life Of the Icslander-
A Universally Educated People
HWam H. Capen,r in o3o>.r Atlantic.

HWuW II. Cu'ptNtT VI ''LVDF dHaHlaC,
Reyk avik poor little metropolis of p
900 inhabitants, has, neyeIthele,', lis
sights and sourdI. It's horss. with Int
few exceptions of wood, consist usually { f
o single story, but in isolated Instances ri e
to the dignity Of two. Through the tow n
runs wide and I.rab'y Straight street,
on which live yeral Of the diguiiares OF
the island, III, bishop, the governor, tie
chief Justice, and otfer members Of the
government. Upon one side, surrounded
Dy wooden palipgs, is the public square, in
the centre of which stands the bro re
ssntu, Of Tto'walsden, presented by the
DiIi n government t) the native country
Of the soul p.o-. At the farther end is the
little ,the5rsl, which contains o marble
font By the artist himself. Around the
Il rent sides of the square are groupsd
the re- Parliament House, the pOstc flee
and a 'cto fer girls which draws i,s pa.
p Is from a | parts of the untry. One Of
the most imposing bulldogs o! the CAP ital
is the jail, and two OF the mo Il awe iuspir-
ing CT her ciiz,ns are this policemen, who
in turn patrol the streets i,
felt h:lmeis and uniform II was
not discovered however, that
they ever arrest d anybody, because no.
body ever so far fOrgO! himself rs to war
rant arrest. The jail, consequently, IL
always empty, fact that can be but i'm
p,rfe tly understood when one see, its
msnifest superiority to all Othe' dwellirg'
Oae of the policemen exercises, IN addition
20 his futcion Of guardian Of tho public
veal, that of librarian OF tn. Icelandic
Literary Society, which WAS established %
long ago az 1916, ard has Published many
works He is also IN author, and has
writ 1 st least o,e valuable book.
The street, o. RyLj ~ ka ere uupavSd
bu. at certain corners, wide apart, stand
lamp post. wherein burn ktros.ns !amps
to lighs this belsted citizen to his dco..
One OF the most characteristic Of street
sight, is this long lines Of ponies that a.
mott continually come and ~, bringing
load, Of dried fish, and carrying back the
necesslries OF lie; aud slmost all CT Iife's
Necessary Gensnds in Iceland mustbs cop
piled from without. Even the wool wi h
which TIE h'us,s are framed comes from
Norway, and must be taken into
the interior on the backs Of horses
A frequent sight is prooc sion
OF ponies cash with board
on either side, fastened at one end TO the
pack -saddle, while the other end Is ltf. II
all and bump along the uneven road. On
pleasant IN THings another kind Of prooe,
sion isof.ea seen. It's comp II Of women
and gi Is, each with o woode1 tub sni oil
goir to the warm spr ngs TO do the houst.
tOli washing. The water can be had az all
'em peraiurss, from billing hot, where IL
bubbles cot oG the earth, 10 tepid. f4rth;r
| down the lTtls stream firmed from ths
oveIs01. Dipping up bful Of hot WI te-
the WssherW nan puts her washing tr
soak, AID then selects Convenient pla {
upon the bInk. near ths waters edge
where she kneel, AID rubs and wrir z
piere hy piece.
The buildings Of farm usually are unY
der one roof and stand in 0 row, with their
gable ends facing the /. They are %.
cul arly constructed; &C ,romy Of timbs,
and the exigenceI Of the climate furnish
however, key to their architecture. Ordi
nsriIy they are but one SOY In eghf
They framed Of v, BOD. AID TIER gable,
also are wooden; their sides and backs
which usually tlope 10 the gouod, ere
com monty Of lava and turf; the rIof al Hsy.
lie thstche1 with turf, which quickly gov,
together aud forms a continuous eoyering
through which wet and cold scarcely car
psneGa'e. Ssen rom distance . grouI
Of farm buildings bars tie appearance o.
al irregular gras+goWn hil ock, upor
which, to heighten tbs illusion, sheep ar,
calmly grazrpg. TIE farmhouse propei
consists OF two or three gab'e,; next 1t 4
the bJre fer the winter shelter ofthe CO.'S
if the farmer Is sufficiently w.ll.tn-do h
posses any, and next the snithy with il
forge and anvil; the Ieslinder In bis isola