Morning journal and courier., 1893-12-09

and all manner of parsphernslia, almost equsling in bulk and weight the packs upon the ponies' backs.
 Towards evening of the second day we came to the sseter of Kron. From a dis tsnce nothing could be distinguished but low, wide hut at the side of a gentle rs- vine, here and there between the rocks splatohed with bits of verdure. The hori- zon line was close and serrated with masses of hchened stone, here and there inter- sected by other gullies and rayfnes Through thsse, Lars said, the herds wan dered long distances In their daily grazing jaunts. No human beings were at first In sight about the saeter. Shortly a haxen haired maiden, huge of girth and limb, stood at the hut door, and, shading her eyes with her great bare arm and not her hand, looked long and earnestly st us Lars gurgled at this and made wonderful gestures In return. Suddenly the girl- Tillis, Lars called her-rushed at us in a sort of bounding gsllop, and seizing my post-boy guide, hugged him ecststically, wrestling with him, turning him round and about, and again hugging him, while tears of joy flowed down her honest face. perfect torrent of questions and inter ieetions meantime being poured upon him.
 The rascal Lars, who had previously kept me in ignorance of the fact, then told me that the ssster-giIl, Tillie, was his only sister. A cousin, Christine, as little ss Ttllie was big, was her companion; for two women were required ct the Kron saeter, there being altogether thirty cattle, three fourths of which were milch COWS, and ss many more sheep and goats to care for, and so In few moments no stranger was there, but all were best of friends So glorious s treat to these lonely folk is the arrival Of friends or kin from the world below that all manner of hospitality is lavisaed upon them. All they have is yours without the asking. The cows might come. or stay in the mountain fast nesses, until We were given our drink of milk, and drink and drink again we must: water for washing; some curious old half wooden shoes to replace our heavy boots: and such an aftsnsnad or supper SC was never before piled up before me partaken of; groed or stirsbout enough for the sse- ter's pigs; cream by the gallon; butter by the hundred weight; milk by the barrel: great wooden bowls of jordbser or straw berries; coffee and black-bresd and bacon; while we were piled ceaselessly with i'm poItunate commands to eat and never stop eating, and beset with mourntul rsproofs because we could no: eat 1t all
 The sseter house or cabin itself was rudely constructed of pine logs, though
 
 quired. Its roof was of pine beams sneathed with birch bark in many layers, and this overlsid by turf and sod In the latter several species of mountain brsm- blss and wild flowers were growing luxuri- ously. There were two large rooms, per hsps twenty feet in length and nearly as wide, and against the whole of one side of the structure was a huge low shed, where the herds huddled in time of long. contin- ued storm One of the two rooms was kitchen, living and sleeping room com bined. Two holes in the house wall and the open door served for admitting light, and there were no candles, lamps or Ian terms about the plscss, as bed time slwsys comes long before night time in the most nightless Norwegian summer.
 The table was simply huge, high bench. Stools and short benches answered for chairs, few shelves resting on pegs, and large, rough cupboard for holding food and provisions. with 6 bunk bed built in one corner, comprised all the furniture of the living room, aside from a large skors ten or fire place in another corner, oppo- site the door, with its accompaniment Of iron utensils, and 6 little erockery ranged upon shelves at its side. The other room was the dairy. In this was fireplace, suspended above which was a huge cAul- dron kettle; and near this was a boiler built in the wall, in which the milk is heated to a curd and is finally moulded in the most primitive fashion, by stone weights, into mysost or cheese, the whey being fed to the swim or pigs, or, carried In krukker or kegs and dasks, when not too remote, to the valley homes below.
 Vessels containing milk and cream were ranged along high, strong benches. Two high keg-Hke churns, number of whey Hacks, cheese in the process of curing, and empty molds, kegs filled with butter and empty kege, milking psils, the krsk or milking stool, skimmers and numerous other rude but ample appliances of the dairy were cumbrously but conveniently disposed, and everything was cool, dry, sweet and clean. In her innocent and boundless hospitality Lars sister was de- termined that we should occupy the girls bed while they slept upon the floor beside us; but we compromised by making our own couch of reindeer-moss upon the sac ter floor; and passed three nights in this peculiarly informal manner, the girls using every artlfice and entresty to per susde us to longer remain.
 In the meantimn In company with Tillle and Christine we visited few neighbor- ing sseters. The arrangement, belongings and customs at all wers precisely alike. At night the girls call the herds from the mountains with peculiar penetrating calls and songs. As they approach, each COW, goat or sheep is addressed by name. each name ending with the Norsk syllable ros, 6 term of endearment; and each animal Is rewarded by bit of sslt licked from the sseter girls oApscious hand. The threno- dy of the musical little bells with which the herds are provided, intensified by the echoing rocks and rare mountain sir, is a melodic experience never to be forgotten. Each animal stands demurely at milking, | night and morning, until signal for its lib. srty is given by the saster- girl briskly pat | ting its back. At night the animals dis pose themselves for slesp In little groups | closely huddled about the cabin; and the csressing and cooing of the girls to the dumb and faithful creatures. ss they gre sent away to the crags for the long dsy's | grazing Is scene of tender pastoral sweet ness and Affectionate simplicity worthy the noblest poets or painters art.
 EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.