The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-06-16
CORRESPONDENCE.
OUR MINNESOTA LETTER.
DANEwooD, May 30, 1S9

| l.
many of them end with "son;" the
Danes vary the suffix to "sen," and !
find it to be the relict of an old Scandi-
naVian custom, which is for the son to
take the Christian name of his sire for
his own surname. One old gentleman in
the neSghborhood bears the name Christ
ial Petersen. Il presume his fathers
nlme was Peter), and his son is 0lof
Christensen, and if the grandson
should continue the same custom his
surname would be Olsen. That explains
a great majority of Scandinavian ma mes
Nelson, son of Niles; Anderson, son
OF Andrew; Emilson, son q Emil; Swan
son, son of Swan, etc.
Spring has put in an appearance at
last, the grass is getting green and some
trees, may flowers are abundant and the
fruit trees are in bloom. For nearly two
weeks we have been using pieplant for
pies, and have begun on the asparagus;
some grain is coming up, but no corn is
planted that Know of. Long piles of
cord wood is seen on every hand,
ranked up" as they say, ready for
market next winter. These piles fire.
quently serve as fence, beingput where
they would otherwise have to build one.
Much of the freshly cleared land here is
|
ploughlng, only narrowed thoroughly;
the stumps seem to rot out of the way
sooner than when it is kept ID cultiva-
tion. Corn is planted but none up that l
know of. The fruit trees are overloaded
with bloom.
WHAT THE GooD MAN Duas Is ALWAYS
RIGHT.
have recently read the above story by
Hans G. Anderson, and / consider it such
capital illustration of contented SIM
plicity and old country folklore that
will boil 1T down for the BANNER. The
Americans practical intellect is several
centuries in advance of this:
The author says it is one of the stories
that he heard when a boy.
In an old Danish farm house lived a
peasant and his wife who were past the
period of active life, aud had settled
down in a cOntented enjoyment of each
others society.
There remained to them horse that
had formerly performed the farm work,
but as they had ceased their efforts to
raise any crops, the horse was left TO
pick up his own living and do an occa-
sional days work for a neighbor and take
the old couple to town when they felt
like ride.
They concluded that they might profit
ably exchange him for something that
they had more need for but had no idea
what. One morning the old woman said 4:
at is fair day to-day, and you had bet
ter ride the horse to town and exchange
him for something or other, you know
best what is useful to us and any ex-
change that you make will he all right to
me-"
SO she took pains to TX binn up smart
and dismissed him with a parting kiss.
The road was dusty and full of people
and the heat became rather oppressive,
so he did not enjoy the ride as much as
he had anticipated. He overlook man
| leading cow to market. Oar peasant
| liked the cow and offered to give the
horse for it. The offer was readily ac-
cepted, and he took possession of the
COW. He had made up his mind to see
the fair anyway, so he trudged on lead
ing the COW. He soon found man driv-
ing sheep, and he became possessed
with desire to own it, so he easily sue
| ceeded in making another even trade.
His next exchange was for fat goose
which a man was carrying under his
arm. He now came to toll gate, and
while parlying with the gate-keeper he
noticed a hen with red string tied to it's
leg, and he soon had that under his arm
in exchange for his goose. BY the time
he got to the fair he was tired, having
accomplished considerable more bust
ness than was his usual custom. He
started toward the inn for dinner and a
glass of ale. At the door he met the
ostler with sack.
"What have you in the sack?' he en-
CURED
Rotten apples for the pigs"
"Why, that will be waste. 1 should
like to take them home to my old wom-
an" said the peasant. Last year the
old apple tree by the grass plot only
yielded one apple and we kept it in the
cupboard until it was quite withered.
1T was always property my old woman
said, and in this sack full she could see
much property"
what will you give me for them?"
said the ostler.
81 will give you my fowl"
'All right"
He took the apples in and laid them by
the stove while he went to dinner There
was fire in the stoye and soon the apples
began to spuCter and siss until the guests
began to wonder and enquire. This led
our peasant to relate the whole story of
his exchanges.
your old woman will give it to you
well when you get home," said an Eng
lishman, who sat at the table,
"Give me what?" said the peasant.
'She will kiss me and say, whatever the
good man does is always right"
II will wager you ton of gold that
she won't" said the Enelishman.
mo, bushel will be enough" said
the peasant. 81 have only bushel of
apples to put against it, bat will put
myself and my old woman in for good
measure" so the bet was completed and
the ERglishman called tor his carriage
and they went to the hut Of the peasant.
AS they entered the hut the peasant said :
Good evening, old woman"
Good evening, old man," replied the
wife.
''I've made the exchange"
'Ah, well, you understand what you're
about" said she, as she embraced him.
81 got COW in exchange for the old
horse"
"Oh, how delight9u1!'' said she
Now we shall have plenty Of butter and
"Yes, but exchanged tho cow for a
Sheep"
"Ah, better stilll'' cried the wife; "you
always think of everything; we have
just enough pasture for o sheep. Ewes