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

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| built houses having disappeared,
though plenty OF them can yet be seen
| in the outskirts. Christiana has many
| fine parks. but the prettiest is St.
Hanshaugen, or ST. Johns Hill, laid
out on hill about 80 feet above sea
level, on the summit Of which is a res
eryOir. bel0ngin 70 the city water
works. a high tower erected here
commands an excellent view Of the
town, the ford and islands beyond it.
When | visited this place il was after
hours and the tower was locked, but
/ used silver krone for key and
gained admission without further
trouble. The ramparts OF the Aker-
| ShuS fortress, which have been con-
verified into pleasant promenadeS, also
afford beautiful views Of the ford, eS-
pecially in the early morning. Among
a number Of charitable institutions
one deserve especial mention, and that
is a Steam Kitchen" a large estab-
lishment for the poorer classes. where
about 1000 persons are daily provided
with dinners for % to IS ore Some Of
the customers carry away their food,
while others dine at large marble Ia
bles provided for that purpose.
Our train left Christiana at 4::20 D.
m, July 9Th, and about 10 O'Clock
reached Charlottenberg, the first sta
tion in Sweden. Here a stop Of 80
minutes was made 10 allow time for
supper and custom house examination.
From here the railway trayerses the
beautiful province OF Vermland which
abounds with lakes and forests and is
rich in iron ore. Vermland is famous
as the birth place of several noted
men, among whom is the late Ameri-
can inventor, John Ericsson. and its
praises have been sung by Tryxell in
his beautiful ''Vermlandsyisa.'
The night in this region at that
time is almost as light as cloudy day,
but [ must draw veil over the bal
ance Of the journey, as / did not wake
up until the train had come TO a stand
still al the central depot in Stock
holm, at about 10 o'clock a. N. on the
lIth
Stockholm. the capital Of Sweden,
lies al the Influx of lake Malar. into
an arm Of the Baltic. The situation
of the town on islands, on plain and
on rocky hills, surrounded by water
and islands in almost every direction
is exceedingly picturesque. The NEST
striking popularity Of the city con-
sists in the fact that it lies IN imme-
diate proximity 70 forests and rocky
islands. where 10 this day there is
hardly a trace Of cultivation. Many
modern improvements have been made
in the northern quarter. but in the
southern portion the bare granite
rocks are frequently seen prOfruding
in the midst OF houses. Stockholm
consists OF seven parts or quarters, the
city proper. which is situated on the
islands, contains the royal castle and
is the headquarters Of the
shipping and wholesale trade.
Norrmalm. the handsomest part
Of the city containing all the hotels.
railway stations and the best stores,
has regular and wide streets. while
only three feet wide, and crooked and
irregular. Ostermalm is now the
handsomest residence portion. Beside
these are Kungsh0lmen. Soedermalm,
SkeppSholmen aud Djurgards-staden.
All these are connected by means OF
bridges. the most important OF which
are the N0rrbr0. VaSsbro and the
Slussbro. The most interesting view
OF the picturesque site OF Stockholm
and its busy harbor is from the Norr-
bro. a handsome bridge OF seven arch
es. 100 feet long and so It. wide. Part
of IL stands on a small island and there
are number Of stores or baZars on
one side and on the other side and
below it is the Strom parterre. one Of
the pleasantest and most frequenIed
of StOckholm's numerous cafes and
where band plays evenings. Beside
steam and horse street railways and
omnibus lines which run every i've
minutes in each direction and on
which the fare is TO ore. and u ore
were transported By ferry, the COM
municati0ns between the different
parts of the city and suburbs is MAIN
tanned By numerous steam ferry boats
which cross in ali directions at inter
walls Of to minutes The fares vary
from 3 10 Is ore, according TO the dist
anee.
Stockholm has 50 many places of in
terest that person could pr0fitably
spend q month in viewing them, and
in the few days of my stay there /
visited only some of the most interest
ing, and for me TO make an endeay0r
at describing these would be useless.
and | viii only mention one or two. such
as the National Museum, which COM
prises the following collections: A
historical museum or museum OF
Swedish antiquities (which consists
of all kinds Of objects for domestic.
agricultural and ornamental uses.
weapons. implements. ETC., from the
prehistoric period of Sweden down TO
the present time, a cabinet of coins.
art-industriai collections, antique and
modern sculpture, picture gallery.
and drawings and engravings. The
Riddarholms church which has for
centuries been the burial place of the
kings and the most celebrated nations
OF Sweden. It was formerly church
of the Franciscans, but has not been
used for divine worship since 1907. It
contains beside monuments and sarc0-
phagi thousands OF flags and banners
and other trophies of war captured
by the Swedish armies during
the thirty year. war and in wars
with Russia and other countries OF
all its parks Stockholm is proudest Of
the Djurgard, with its pleaiant villas
and its beautiful walks in every di-
recti0n. It occupies an island two
English miles long and three-quarters
Of mile wide at its broadcast, and was
originally used as deer park, as its
name implies. Near the landing place
is Hasselbacken. the largest and the
best OF the numerous cafes and retau-
rants situated here. The grounds