The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04
NATURES NoBLEMEN.

NATURES NOBLEMEN.
Sterling Honesty and Natural Politeness
of Men and Women of Sweden.
The beautiful politeness and courtesy Of
the Swedes, writer in Temple Bar says, V
a thing that is very striking to visitors.
They have large assortment OF bows,
hobs, courtesies and hat-liftings, according
to the age and sex, but the lifting OF the
hat to mere acquaintance reaches, fancy,
much lower down in social scale than else
where in Europe. It looks odd to see the
butcher boy in blouse taking of his hat
to the bakers assistant. I suspect. on ex-
animation, Swedish hats would be found to
contain little extra stiffening in order to
enable them to stand the wear and tear OF
these greetings in the market places.
On one occasion when going by steamer
to Upsala, noticed very quaint example
of this national trait. The steamboat as it
nears Upsala passes through many shallow
reaches of the Mal8r lake, where the depth
of water is insufficient to allow of the pas
sengers being landed in the ordinary man.
ner directly on to landing stages and SO
have to be taken ashore in small boats. The
ferryman on shipping his complement OF
passengers would first take dozen strokes
or SO in order to clear the screw Of
t4e steamer, and then would
seat, and take off his hat with solemn
bow to the people sitting in the STERN
whom he had Just taken off the deck Of the
steamer. He would then row on again and
put them ashore. This did not occur as an
isolated instance, but regularly every time
the passengers had to be landed by shore
boats. am afraid even our English rail
way guards and porters, whom had hith-
erto imagined to be the best hammered
people on the planet, would not bear cCul-
parison with these natures gentlemen.
Lord Chesterfield himself would scarcely
be in the running.
The women of the middle and lower
bands and brothers in this matter. Their
good temper and pretty behavior are
worthy of all praise. The servant girls in
Dalecarlian peasant dress, the cafe-mam-
selles, and the young persons employed IN
shops all make the prettiest of all possible
bob courtesies, and so, oddly, enough, do
the young ladies of good family, up to the
day of their confirmation, which ceremony
takes place rather later than with us. gem
orally about the age of 16. From that day
forth they put their hair up and take to
bowling.
The Upsala students amuse one good
deal BY the elaboration aud oeremonioIs-
vacation few of them may be seen gather
ing around table in the garden cafes of
Hasselbacken or Tivoli, bringing their
punch. They are mostly lads under 20, but
they bow to each other and make little civil
speeches and pledge each other with solemn
ish etiquette, as if they. were middle-aged
gentlemen of high dignity and position, but
slightly acquainted with one another. They
certainly take themselves very seriously.
The custom of pledging or health-drink-
ing is survival from very ancient times.
The glass is raised. slight bow made, the
word skal LITERALLY bowl pronounced, fol-
lowed by another slight bow when the glass
is replaced on the table, generally emp ty.
It is not de rigueur, however, that it should
be so, but in Denmark, where similar GUS
tom obtains, the glass must always be
drained to the last drop. To English eye
it appears quaint to see this complicated
ceremonial observed toward each other by
college companions not yet out of their
teens.
That this universal courtesy and polite
ness is not merely on the surface is proved
by the trouble to which Swedes will invari-
ably put themselves in order to be of use to
a stranger in need of help or information.
So much is this the case that at last tried
to avoid asking my way in the country
around Stockholm, because it so often hap
pened that the countryman whom interro-'
gated would lay aside his occupation and
accompany me some little distance in order
to make sure of setting me on the right
path. For this service he would seldom &C
cept any recompense.
Another point which soon attracts the at
tention of visitors is the punctilious hon
esty and truthfulness of the Swedes; this is
best seen in the many little incidents of
daily life. When asking for places at a
theater, for instance, the ticket clerk never
fails to inform you if, owing to the crowded
slate of the house, a better position would
be secured with a cheaper ticket than the
one asked for. Again, when parcels are
taken out by steamers from Stockholm to
country places in the neighborhood they
frequently remain half day without being
they could possibly be taken by any one
but their rightful owners.
On trip of any length-as, for instance,
to Gothenburg by canal-a little book lies
in the saloon of the steamer in which each
passenger keeps his own account of the
number of meals, Cafes cognRcs, etc., he
may take during the journey. But, indeed,
it is impossible to talk to Swede for any
length of time and not see how incapable
of any meanness or dishonesty he must be.
There is nearly always a simplicity and
straightforwardness of manner the very
antipodes of affection, which is certainly a
very pleasing attribute and which can scarce
ly fail to convince the least observant
person that he has before him man who
thoroughly respects himself and who walks
steadfastly on the straight line. The Swedes,
you feel, are nation of gentlemen down to
the coal and the wharfmen.