St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-30

assortment of bows, hobs, curtsies and
hat-liftings according to age and sex,
but the lifting of the hat to mere ac-
quaintances reaches, l fancy, much
lower down in the social scale than else
where in Europe; it looks odd to see the
butcher boy in blouse deliberately TAX
ing off his hat to the bakers assistant.
[ suspect, Oh examination, Swedish hats
would be found to contain little extra
stiffenng, in order to enable them to
stand the wear and tear of these greet
ings in the market places. On one oe-
casion, when going by steamboat to Up
sala, l noticed very quaint example of
this
National Trait.
The steamboat as it nears Upsala
passes through many shallow reaches
of the Malar lake, where the depth of
water is insufficient to allow of the pas
sengers being landed in the ordinary
manner directly on the landing stages,
and so have to be taken on shore in
small boats. The ferryman on shipping
his complement of passengers would
first take a dozen strokes or so in order
to clear the screw of the steamer, and
then would carefully lay aside his oars,
rise from his 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 in an isolated in
stance, but regularly every time the
passengers had to be landed by shore
boats. am afraid even our English
roll rd ond nnrtarS whom / had
hitherto Imagined to be the best-man-
nered people on the planet, would not
bear comparison with these natures
gentlemen.
Lord Chesterfield
himself wonld scarcely be in the run
ming The women of the middle and
lower classes are little it at all behind
their husbands 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-mamselles and the young
persons employed in shops all make the
prettiest of ali possible little bob curti-
sizes, and so oddly enough to the young
ladies of good family up to the day of
their confirmation, which ceremony
takes place rather later than with us,
generally about the age of sixteen.
From that day forth they put their hair
up and take to bowling.
The UpSala students amuSe one
good deal by the elaboration and cere
moniousnesS of their manners. Any
day during the vacation few of them
may be seen gathered round table in
the garden cafes of HaSSelbacken or
TivOli. drinking their punch. They are
mostly lads under twenty, but they bow
to each other and make little speeches,
and pledge each other with solemn sal
utation, all according TO the strictest
Swedish etiquette. as if they were mid
dle-aged gentlemen of high dignity and
position, but slightly acquainted with
one another They certainly take them
selves very seriously. The custom of
pledging or
Health Drinking
is survival from very ancient times.
The glass is raised, slight bow made,
the word skal literally bowl pro-
nounced, followed by another slight
bow. when the glass is replaced Oh the
table. generally empty; it is not de
rigueur, however, that it should be so,
but in Denmark, where similar custom
prevails, the glass must always be
drained to the last drop. To English
plicated ceremonial observed towards
each other by college companions not
vet out of their teens. That this uni
versal courtesy and politeness is not
merely on the surface is proved by the
trouble to which Swedes will inva-
riably put themselves in order to be OF
use to stranger in need OF help or in
formation. SO much is this the case
that at last tried to avoid asking my
way in the country round about Stock
holm, because it so often happened that
the countryman whom l Intercepted
would lay aside his occupation and ac-
company ME some little distance in
order to make sure of setting me on the
right path. For this service he would
seldom accept any recOmpense. An
other point which soon attracts the at
tention of visitors is the punctillous
honesty and truthfulness of
The Swedes;
this is best seen in the many little Incl
dents of daily life. When asking for
places at theater, for instance, the
ticket clerk never fails to inform you
if, owing to the crowded state Of the
house, better position would be Sc
cured with cheaper ticket than the one
asked for. Again, when parcels are
taken out by steamers from Stockton m
to country places in the neighborhOOd,
they are just thrown out on to the quay,
where they frequently remain half the
day without being claimed. 1t never
seems to occur to any one that they
could possibly be taken by any one but
their rIghtful owners. On trip of
any length, as, for instance, to GOthen-
burg by canal, little book lies in
the saloon of the steamer in which each
passenger keeps his own account OF the
number of meals. cafes. cognacs, etc.. he
may take during the journey. But, i'll
deed, it is impossible to talk to Swede
for any length of time and not see how
incapable of any meaneSS or dishonesty
he must be. There is nearly always
A Simplicity
and straightforwardness Of manner,
the very antipodes of affectation, which
is certainly very pleasing attribute,
and which can scarcely fail to convince
the least observant person that he has
before him man who thoroughly re-
spects himself and who walks very stead
you feel, are nation of gentlemen
down to the coal-heavers and the wharf
men. Not to appear preludiced in their
favor, however. will confess that they
are intensely obstinate. 1t is the trait
in their character. believe, that has
made the application of trial by jury, at
any rate in the usual acceDtatlon OF the
term, impossible in Sweden. There is
certain Scotch housewife to be me-
with in the classic pages of Punch who
wakes sarcastic about the folly of lev-
ing summoned her ''gude man. to serve
on jury, and the absurdity of expect
ing him to agree with eleven per feet
strangers when he had never even been
known to be of one mind with his own
beloved wife. 1t was. of course, a most
unreasonable thing to ask of
The Poor Man.
The Swede being of very similar
mental texture with the Scotchman, it
is not attempted in this country to get
twelve men to agree together. A jury
is certainly impaneled, and its members
are invited to listen to the evidence and
form opinions, but they are not con-
suited as to the verdict. except in the
event of their unanimously disagreeing
with the judges sentences In this case
the iury'S decision prevails, and the