The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-09-18
LETTER FROM L. A. LISDER.

running through the middle OF the en-
tire room, with two unprotected rail
ings on either side. looking for all thu
world like q church aisle. ThE
Skandinaviayiska Kr-Attiebolage1
is located in d fine building
and its Office looks like and
compares fayofably with those Of the
larger banks in America, and reminds
one OF the Union National bank OF
Chicago. The bank here at Warberg
looks rather primitive: the office fur'
niture consists Of table. on when Is
placed blank drafts, draft punch,
money and books, and at which are
seated the two persons cashier and
directory, who make the personnel and
who wait on their customers WITHOUT
getting I'D. There is also table IN
an outer room for customers use.
Board here is cheap enough. lodging
rather high in comparison. but o1nei
things seem high. The cost or travel
ing in Norway and here is more mod
crate than in most other parts or Eu-
rope. but the distances are great and
much time is spent in trayersing them
by road. steamboat and rowing boat.
lllu LuS IOlGlA " IL AAOA ~
much less than s. per day.
German and English are spoken on
board the steamers and at the prlncl-
pal resorts and at the hotels IN the
larger cities. At the Hotel Skandlna-
via. in Chrisriana, where we stopped,
proprietor, clerks and walters all
Smoke English. Nearly all the steam
ers. both here and / understand also
in Norway. are comfortably fitted up
and have good restaurants on board.
Food is good and abundant, but veg
etables are rare. and salt relishes, such
as anchoyies. picked herring and sar-
dimes and several kinds Of cheese, al
ways preponderate at breakfast and
supper. The usual charge for supper
OF, breakfast if Il kr0nOr and for din
ner y krOnor. Wine. beers tea. COT
fee are extra. Each passenger keeps
his own account of what he eats and
drinks. in book furnished for that
purpose and settles at the end OF the
the Journey. The tickets are not Ia
ken up until one steps of the boat al
destination. The railway carriages
are much smaller than in America,
not much more than half as large. and
have no aisle in the middle, but are
into compartments. From %
TO 20 pounds of baggage is free. All
baggage except what the passenger
takes into the car with him IS booked.
Average speed. - miles. Nearly al
trains convey first. second and third
class passengers. Al the trains have
smoking cars and ladies compart-
mentS. Railway restaurants are good
and inexpensive. Passengers help
themselves. there being little or no
attendance. For breakfast and sup
per the usual charge is y kronor for
dinner. L kron0r, for cup Of coifee
or half bottle OF beer. , ore. spirit
Gus liquors are not obtainable. The
trains stop at fixed stations. the
names of.which are posted in the cars,
10 allow time for meals-oniv ID min
utes.
Except in the larger cities, such as
Stockholm. Gothenburg and Christi
ana. hotels OF the first class aIe rare
IN Sweden. but second class hotels
and unpretending country inns are
abundant in proportion 70 the popula-
tion. atfording, as rule. cheap and
very folerable accommodations. The
hotels at Christiana are more eXpen-
siye than similar houses in America.
In Stockholm. on the other hand, the
charges are reas0ndble.and in Gothen-
burg there are excellent hotels with
very moderate charges. Tables 'hote
are almost unknown. in Sweden and
rare, in Norway. as a rule. however,
they have them on board the steam
boats. All Swedish and Norwegian
hotels have a restaurant attached.
where one can dine and sup "a la
carte" The .Smorgasbord,f where
relishes OF various kinds. cold meats.
several kinds OF cheese. breadand-
butter and brandy and liquors are
served. by way OF stimulant 60 the
is an institution peculiar to
Sweden. The waiter expects a gratu-
ity Of 10 ore or more at each meal.
Beer is the beverage usually drank,
and costs 20 and . ore per half bottle.
Porter is also much used at Gothen-
burg and Stockholm. Whisky drink
ing, which used 10 prevail TO an enor-
nous extent. has been greatly dimin-
ished by recent liquor laws. In Nor
way, where the liquor traffic was for
merry almost entirely free, the con-
sumption Of spirits amounted. in 1888,
TO % quarts per head Of the entire
population Owing TO the raising of
the duty and the efforts of temperance
societies the quantity has been re-
duced TO less than nine pints per head
per annum. The authorities of each
district may. by majority vote. re-
fuse TO grant license for the retail
sale of spirits within their district, or
they may grant monopoly TO i COM
pany. which is bound TO pay the whole
ofits profits TO the municipality after
deducting expenses and per cent. in
terest. The former option has been
exercised in many country districts
with the result that drunkenness Is
said TO be now almost unknown. and
that poverty and crime and disease
are greatly diminished. The sale OF
spirits is entirely prohibited on Sun
days and holidays, and also on Satur-
days and the ewes Of festivals after )
p. III. The laws restricting the sale
of beer and wines are similar, but
much less stringent. In Sweden the
law is similar TO that in Norway, but
IL is further provided that food shall
always be sold at saloons, and police
statistics show that drunkenness and
crime have decreased considerably.
The Swedes are generally pleasant
and courteous in their manners, and
very hospitable and obliging TO stran-
gers.
Sincerity. honesty and freedom from
conventional can't are the chief vir
tues Of the Norwegian. The outward
forms of p0liteness are not so much