The Portland daily press., 1892-01-22

cellent fish market, and the fish are all
lakes around in boats. Many kinds are
carried to the city alive. No Swedish
servant would think of buying dead
pike or perch for her masters table.
The Swedes are very economical and
careful of everything. Skim milk is
carted through the city and sold in glass
jars, ''but it is sold for skim milk says
the author, thinking perhaps of home as
he wrote. The people are clearly about
their persons, their houses and their
streets, which in Stockholm are swept
every night and it is not recorded that
the people grumble about it as they do
in Portland.
Should you have occasion to employ
physician in Sweden you will find him
not only skilled in his profession, but a
highly educated and most honorable
| gentleman, and you will also be furnished
with a striking proof of the honesty of
the people and their friendly confidence
in each other. The Swedish physicians
do not make out any bill to their pa
tients. What you pay your doctor is en-
tirely optional with yourself. The rich
pay him literally, whether they have
need of his services OF not, if he has once
been retained by them. The poor pay
him small sum, and the very poor pay
him nothing at all, and yet he visits them
and cares for them as assiduously as he
does the rich. On the evening of the
last day of the old year you place what
you consider proper sum of money with
your card in an envelope and send it by a
servant to your doctor. The servant
brings back the doctors card in sealed
envelope directed to you. No receipt
passes and no question about money is
ever raised. The amount sent, whether
the doctor has been employed or not,
varies from 100 to 500 crowns Tor from
about S25 to $125) according to the posi-
ton of the family in society. If you
send nothing at all he will come the next
year and so long as you live just the
same, and he is too dignified ever to say
anything about money. In the remote
and thinly settled hamlets the govern
ment pays the physician proper salary
as well as supplies minister of the
Gospel.
Democratic King.
Whatever may happen in other
countries the American minister to Swed-
en- will never become persona non grata
so long as Mr.. Thomas holds that Office.
This book furnishes many interesting in
cidents showing the pleasant footing on
which he stands and the esteem in which
he is held. His relations with the king
seem especially fortunate.
King Oscar is now 90 years old and has
been upon the throne twenty years.
When young two elder brothers stood
between him and the crown and he was
educated without regard to accession to
it. He is one of the best educated men
of the day. He speaks fiuently half
dozen languages besides his own, Eng
lish being one of them. He is known as
a poet beyond his own kingdom, and is
easily it's first orator. The motto on his
seal is ''Brodra-folkens val ''The brother
peoples weal'' and, says Mr.. Thomas to
this motto he has been ever true. His
rule has been wise, considerable, humane,
liberal; and increasing years bring him
the growing respect, confidence and love
OF his people. He delights in travelling
about and mingling with his people, and
L 10
BILE on public occasions as that of a Gov
ernor of Massachusetts, within his realm.
Every Tuesday he gives apublic audience
and any subject has access to him in |
private, simply entering the waiting room
registering his name and being called |
when his turn comes to the royal pres
ence. No third person is present to hear |
what passes. In society he is as brilliant |
in conversation as he is polite and agreea-
BILE in manner. He is of slender and |
Graceful figure, feet, three inches in |
height. His son, Prince Carl, by the |
way, is three inches taller. Says Mr..
Thomas:
King Oscar delights in pleasing every
body; he has strongly sympathetic
nature, and his heart is filled with kind
ness for every human being. l was once
accorded a special audience of His
Majesty, soon after a great sorrow had
fallen upon me. AS entered the audi
ence chamber, where the king stood
alone, he threw up both hands and ex-
tending them towards me as advanced
took my two hands in both of his, and in
the most delicate and refined manner
proffered me his sympathy for my great
loss. ''Ah! my dear sir,'' said the king,
II, too, know what it is to lose a dear
good mother. 1t is a loss that can never
be made good in this world" AS he
spoke the tears stood in the good mon
arch's eyes and one coursed down his
cheek.
Gen. Henry G. Thomas of this city
contributes an exceedingly interesting
chapter to his brothers book. 1t is en-