The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-01-23
THE couRrEous swfpts.

THE covRrEous swEoEs.
Ps,.es which Att1ess Il; xsss,Iist.sI Il
Teavolefs In Oaeaxss E1Agdo0i
Tho beautiful politcnes6 and COURTESY
Of tho Swedes is d tking that il very
striking to visitors, writea = contributor
to Temple Bar. They have : large -
sortmont Of bows, hobs, couttesiei and
hat-liftiugs. according 70 age and sox.
but tho lifting 0f the hat to mere %.
qraintances reaches, fancy much
where in Europe; It looks odd to see the
butcher-boy in blouse clnborately
taking Of his hat to the bakers assist.
ant. I suspect, on examination, Swed-
ish hats would bc found to contain . lit.
tie extra ssiffening, in order to enable
them to stand tho wear and tear Of
these greetings r. the msrlsot-places.
On ono OCCASION, when going by
steamboat to UpsaIa, noticed 5 very
quaint example Of this National trait
The steamboat, as 1t nears Vpsi1G,
passes through many shallow reaches Of
tho Molar lakc, where the depth Of
water is insufficient to allow Of tho pas
sengcrs being landed in the ordinary
manner directly on to landing stages,
and so have to be taken on shore In.
small boats. The ferryman on Stripping
his complement Of passengers, would
frst take dozen strokes or so "a. order
to clear tho screk. OF tho steamer, and
then would carefully lay aside his oars,
rise from his seat, and take OF his hat.
with solemn bow to tho people sitting.
in the stern whom ho he'd just taken OF
tho deck Of tho steamer. lie would
then row on again and put them ashore.
This did not occur as IN isolated in
stance, but regularly every time the
passengers had TO be landed by shore
boats.
The women Of tho middle erd lower
classes arc littlc II ct oil behind thcit
husbands and brothers in this matter.
Their good temper and pretty behavior
are worthy OF all praise. Tho servant
girls in Daiccarlian peasant dress. tho
cGj:-n.amse!!cs and the young persons
employed in shops all make the prctti-
est of all possible little hob courtesics,'
and so, oddly enough, do the young To-
dics of good family up to tho day OF
their confirmation, which ceremony
takes place rather later than with us,
generally about the ago of sixteen.
From that day forth they put their hair
up and take to bowling.
Tho Cpsala students amusc ono
good deal by tho elaboration and cerc-
mooiousEcss OF their manncra.. Any
day during the vacation few of them
may be seen gathered around . table n.
the garden cafes Ct Nassclbackcn OF,
Tivoli, drinking theirpunch. They are.
mostly lads under twenty, but they bow
to each other, and mako little civil
speeches, and pledge. cach other with
solemn salutation, all according to tho
strictest Swedish etiquette, as II thcy.
wcrc laiddle-agcd gentlemen OF high
dignity and position but slightly no.
\ quainted with ono another. They Ger.
sainly take themselves very seriously
The custom of pledging or health
l drinking is survival from very ancient
times. The glass is raised. a slight bow
made, the word skat .(lfteraily bowl
pronounced, followed by another slight
bow, wnen tne glass IS rcplasco on the
table, generally empty; it is not dA
r;saesr. however, that it should be SO,
but in Denmark. where similar cus-
tom obtains, the glass must always bc
drained to the last drop. To English,
eyes 1T appears quaint to SEQ this com-
plicated ceremonial observed toward
each other by college companions not
| yet out Of their teens.
Another point which soon attracts the
attention of visitors is the punctifioue
honesty and truthfu.ness OF the Swedes;
this is best seen in tho many little In
cidents OF daily life. When asking for
places at the thcater, for instance, the
ticket clerk never fails to inform you IT,,
owing to the crowded state of the house,
better position would be secured with
. cheaper ticket than the one asked
for. Again, when parcels are tasen'
out By steamers from Stockholm,
to country places in. the ncigh-
borhood they arc just thrown. out on
to tho quay. where they. frequently re-
main haif the day without being claimed.
1t never seems to occur TO any one that
they could possibly bc taken by any ono
but their rightful owners. On trip Of
any length, as for instance to Gothen-
burg by canal, little book lies in the
saloon of tho steamer in which each pas
sengcr keeps his own account of ttc
number of meals, cafes, cognacs, etc.,
he may take during the journey. But.
indeed. 1T is impossible to talk to .
swede for any length Of time and not
sec how incapable Of any meanness or
dishonesty he must be. There is nearly
always simplicity and straig
ness of manner the very antipvdcs Of
afiectation, which is certainly . very
\ pleasing attribute, and which can
scarcely fail to convince tho least obs
servant person that he has before him
man who thoroughly respects himself,
and who walks very stcadfastly on .Ac
straight line. Tho Swedcs, you feel,
are nation Of gentlemen down to the
coal-heavers and the wharf-men.
A Nsel.iaes Of Human Eyes.
Tho wife of w. e. Curtis, of Washing
ton. says the st. Louis Republic, is the
nOHSp0Sor Nf n nncf .,ncnp n q, 1,,,cs ~. - 4