The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-31
WAKEMAN'S WANDERINCS.
Peeps at Some Of the Most Inter
eSting Features Of Norway.

Future Life Work of Fiction, With
q Study of the Norwegian Peas
antry-Quaint Home Interior-Huge
and Ancient Kitchens Curious
Carved Chairs, Tables and Chests,
and Marvels of Text-Painted Beds.
A Peasant Folk of Fine Presence
and Noble Tread-valeI
Copyright.
London, Dec. 16, 1S93.-The interiors of
Norwegian peasant homes never present
that warm, CHEEKY, snug, restful and al
most somnolent atmosphere of the Cum
berland stat sman's home, but it is still a
place Of simple comfort and plenty, and
is often most characteristic and pictur-
esdue, If the ceiling be low, there is
always plenty of room. l have come
upon many a bonders kitchen from 20 to
20 feet square, and houses in whose great
hving.rooms the whole family, and mean
by this the three or four families of each
gard or farmhouse, with-a goodly part
of the neighborhood, could all be fed at a
wedding or funeral supper, or engage in
dancing of which they are very fond, at
one time without serious inconvenience
70 the assemblage.
These old kitchens are very ancient.
Some are from 300 to 400 years old, and
were the original and sole dwelling places
of the founders of the family. Some have
the remains of the central cOne-shaped
holes in the roof through which air and
light once exclusively came, as is still
found in some of the Scottish crofter huts
of Lewis and Skye. The corner chimney
and open fireplace which now are seen
are comparatively modern, though still
often from one TO two hundred years old.
Tiny windows are now found in these an
cient kitchens; but the floor is usually of
beaten earth nearly as hard as stone, A
few rude wooden shelves, the heavy iron
pots and kettles, a strong pine Ia Die and q
stool or two, complete the scant and cum
brous furniture. ....
The living room is a more pretentions
apartment Huge pine rafters stretch
from wall to wall and their natural red
dish tint is deepened by age to the rich
hue of rosewood. Often the windows
have deep easements, with little diamond
shaped panes, and in the summer time
they are bright and winsome with plants
and flowers. This room always has its
wide high fireplace and occasionally two
of them on opposite sides of the room.
In one corner, near the fireplace is a
cupboard, wide, deep and extending from
floor to ceiling, and if not flaming with
paint it will be covered with a protusion
of carving, often in imitation of various
articles of tableware.
In the angle where the stars ascend to
the second story, another curious closet
or cupboard is let in to the projection.
This will contain the family store of
books and what-not for the long winters
nights amusement A huge pine table
stands in the center of the room, and its
legs will be fairly flounced with carvings
Usually a smaller pine table is placed at
the side of the room with the best chair
or stool behind it, against the wall. This
is the seat of honor, but no guest must
ever occupy it without invitation from the
bonder or his wife
There are a number of shelves always
laid on pegs or perched on grotesque
carved brackets; and the stools and chairs
are curious collection of home hand
work. l have seen in many peasants
houses more than a score of chairs carved
out of solid cross-sections of huge pine
trees. The seat is followed deep and
wide: the back is worked out shin and
round with fine oval top in which is cut
q curved hole for the hand, in order to
easily move the chair from place TO place /;
wide well-fashioned and carved arm-rests
are at each side; and the bottom of this
curious piece of furniture is always
worked out as true, thin and perfect as
an inverted chopping-bowl or cauldron
kettle.
Usually the heads Of the household
sleep in this comfortable living-room, and
the bed will always be found in the long
recess behind the angle of the stairs. In
many instances the beds are simply hunks
built against the wall; and in most of
he chief Nf afah nod 81 f h frc,
observable will be skins of sheep or Of
the raindeer, beautifully dressed, and the
hide itself cured as soft as loosely woven
wool In not a few Of the more preten-
tious peasant homes the beds in these re-
cesses are sufficiently wonderful for ex-
hibition at worlds fairs. They are big
enough for giants to rest in, and are from
to feet above the floor. Steps lead up
to them, and the single corner post and
the side rail which shows, in addition to
being carved or painted in the most fan
astic mapner, will be covered, along with
the sides Of the ascending steps, with
painted texts and mottos, with gaily
painted rude panel let down from the
ceiling above the front Of the bed bearing
in iaring letters the names of the bender
and his wife, and the date of their mar.
riage.
In the larger guards there will be a
best room, usually the length of the liv-
ing-room, but narrow, and if this is not
possessed, the chamber above the living
room bears the same relation TO the Nor
wegian peasant home. 1t is in either case
a sort of show room, where the posses
sions of the female members of the
family are on exhibition, and a sort OF
huge family closet. It's furniture is al
ways as rude and simple and of as print
tive construction as that in other portions
of the house, but il is more gaudily
painted. Curious old pine bureaus and
chihoniers are here, marvellous in design
and coloring, and, yellow, and blue paint
predominating. These contain the family
underware and all the general drapery.
One always has painted upon it the
maiden name of the housewife and the
date of her marriage, forming sort oil
permanent marriage certificate; and un
doubtedly in this, packed carefully away
in aromatic leaves and bits of ancient
fnery, will be fouad that most glorious
bauble to eyes and heart of all Norwegian
women, the huge bridal-crown Of hand
wrought silver or gilt. l have been shown
some which were said to be over 600 wears
old, and no doubt there are hundreds OF
these huge and gaudy relics in NORWAY
which have descended in unbroken line
from mother to daughter since the days
of Olaf the Saint and Hakon the Good
If this room be the chamber, all around
the wall will be ranged curious collec
ton of little pine trunks or chests. Somt
are ella bOrately carved. and all are gaudily
painted. When daughter of the house
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