The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-02-14

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the typical fieldsman. The farms of
Soebo and Skjegadals will be familiar
examples to the tourist.
In the summer months, female serv-
ants, or the daughters of the farmer,
tend the cattle high up in the field.
living in sPterS or cabins, where they
prepare cheese and butter.
Excepting for such luxuries as coffee,
sugar and tobacco, the farmer in Nor
way can be Independent of the outside
world. His fields and stock give him
food and clothing; while from the tim
ber on his hillsides he builds his houses,
and manufactures his furniture. There
Is no lack of plate in those little farm
houses; the hostess can muster quite a
display of silver mugs, spoons and
Advantageous. Some of the spoons are
worthy of special notice, for the pat
| terms are delicate and chaste. A fa-
vorite kind is that with the thin twisted
handle. Any Sunday or fete-day, one
may also observe the profusion with
which the female population adorn
themselves with silver and gold. The
arrival of a steamer in some of the less
frequented districts is enough to stim-
! ulate the wives and lasses to attire
themselves in all their bright costume
and filigree nicknacks. 1t is OCCASION
ally the fortune of a wanderer among
the fjords and fields thus to witness
these gathering of the women-folk.
Many of the ornaments and plate find
their way to shops in the larger towns,
and also to hotel parlors, where they
lie, tempting objects to the tourist
matron and miss. On inquiring into
the cause which led to the Norske
women parting with their adornments,
we were informed that it was generally
done by intending emigrants.
There is no feudal principal in Nor
way. The land is held by its owner
absolutely, without any tenure from
the king or superior. Property thus
requires no charter, and the owners
have never been subject to military
service as vassals. The facility with
| which property can be transferred is
refreshing to one who contemplates
the COM Heated and costly machinery
of the law to be encountered in other
| countries. A stroke of the district
judges pen is sufficient under the sim
pie laws of Norway.
On death of farmer, his children
sons and daughters alike-have the
property equally divided among them
Should the farm be insufficient for all
their wants, an amicable arrangement
is usually made, by which the surplus
relinquish their shares on payment of
a compensatory sim, and settle else
where, or emigrate. 1t might seem
that this system of subdivision would
ultimately result in impoverished hold
ings; but, as justly remarked by Mr..
Samuel Laing in his Diary, the reason
that such an issue is prevented lies in
the fact that in Norway the land being
held in full ownership, Its aggregation
by the deaths of co-heirs and by the
marriage of female heirs among the
body of landowners, balances its subdi-
vision by the equal succession of chill
dren."
There is no aristocracy in Norway,
unless it be that of successful enter
prise and labor. The farmer owns no
superior, is uniformly polite and hos
pitable to all; while servility and
obsequiousness are utterly foreign to
his nature.
Sufficient has been given in this
short sketch to enable the reader to
form an idea of Norwegian farms and
farmers. If it should occur to any one
to inquire why it is that men toll year
by year in hard and constant strug-
gle, where farming is task of the ut
most difficulty and hazard, we feel
sure the reply, and only reply, is this,
that the land they till is their oDn.
They love it, for on it their fathers
lived-many Of them can trace their
ancestors us far back as the grand old
days of the vikings-and they, unless
compelled by force of circumstances,
are happy to reap and SOW the same
acres season after. With all the forces
of nature arrayed against them, these
men can show that their small hold
ings feed them and their children; and
make them the backbone. the strength,
of game Norge. .-BG,toW's Monthly.