Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-12-24

parish churches Of England. would sur-
gost ihht rs dark interior was ftting
housing only for some gigantic fre-belch-
ing Hlndoo god. LIS inner dimensions
are ridiculonsly small The nave is but
twenty three feet long and about twenty
widei tho chanecl Is only sixteen feet
long and eleven In width: but is one mass
of caryings-sirange old crosses horrible
deliDeatons Of the passions, grotesquc
dragon heads, and loathsome INTERVIEWED
serpenik interpreted with Runic In
scripti6ns; rs though in the stern olden
days, none might near the sacred pres
ences without visible tokens Of those
earthly powers which delight in conjur-
ing an eyer-present hell.
The Hitterdal church is more symme'-
ric than that Of Borgund. Its dimensions
are greater; and it, six steep shingied
roofs arc carried to = far greater height
| Three curious towers rise at equal graz
| dent The lowest above the apse, ana
| the second above the chnncel are circular
| in form: have cOne-shaped peaks, IKE
neatly matched English hay stacks; ana
the third above where the nave IS sepa-
rated from the chancel by the diminu-
tive transept, is sharply peaked from
above a square tower The three towers
sustain huge carved wooden crosses. I'm
interesting peculiarly Of It's interior Is
that the central tower Is supported ny
wooden columns Of tremendous height
each one OF which Is single tree Of Nor
way pine, stripped of It's bark, and whose
dimensions have never been equaued IN
any trees since found IN NOrweigan for
ests Among other cnriosities Of the HIT
tordal church Is a chair of remarkable
solidity. standing beside the altar Its
carvings are amazing In their character
and profuslon; and 1t is pretty well set
! lied by antiquarians that 1t was made
-, la, fi'lta tnqERQ 10
the oldest, If not the oldest of, wooden
chairs in existence. Two facts should be
kept in mind regarding these, ancient
"stavekirker" which certainly adds
greatly to their antique interests. No
other material but pine has been used
in their construction or reetorations; and
every one was originally built after the
true church form. Each one possesses
nave, a clancel and side aisles, usually
TRANSCRIPTS giving the outlines OF the cross,
and they all stand east and west with the
altar and apse at the head or east end
On the east bank Of the Iysler Tiorl,
opposite Solyern, IS Percbed tle lonely
hamlet of Uruaos, But tiny p3lch
of tillable land surrounds IL, and then
comes the mountains which pierce the
clouds above. Iutiing out into the
gloomy ford is little conc-likc pro
montory. upon the peaks of this stands
the lonely 'stavekirke' OF Urnacs.
Antiquarians tells us that here once
stood temple to Thor Scattered oa,i aii
about are huge mounds, called
"Nnempeh0uge." where mighty Nilings
aud prehistoric heroes lie buried. One
feels at weird old Uruaes rs though he
has come to the very inner temple OF
Morse antiquity and mythology. The
church itself intenslies this weirdly ias'
oinRting feeling. To my mind It's lone
L. ,tt.I laVt1ans tmtoripp pIuIIf
the fancy TO a more intense and search
ing grasp upon the mighty past OF Morse
land than any other spot or scene in
Norway. The Pine beams of the interior
are tremendous in size and black with
age. carvings are even more ilncilul
and grotcsquc than at Borgund or Hit
terdal Behind the altar arc rude pic
lures Of the twelve apostles, 400 years Old
No one knows how old is that most Gu.
rious candelabrum ever seen, 70 be foune
here. a rudely wrought tiny iron ship
the chalice is $50 years old; beside the
altar hang the priests vestsments dated
1851; but all these things are compare
lively modern establishments. A curios
ity Of earlier date Is a huge beam across
some rotting pulleys. This was the an.
cient "gabe stok,' or pillory. from which |
in those dear old times many long TO |
have returned naughty children and Of |
fending parents were strung up IN sight |
Of the congregation which had gathered |
for consolation, forgiveness and prayer!
While the entire agricultural population |
Of Norway may be regarded as the peas |
ant class, by far the larger portion OF |
these are what are known as bonders or |
udamen. These own absolutely their |
lands free from all rents, tthes or CON |
dltions Of tenure. The original utles TO |
many Of these landed possessions are so |
ancient that they are written in an ex- |
tinct language Inheritance of land and |
perso1al property has lately been made |
equal among sons and daughters. II |
properly Is aleniated from its original |
possess0rs through mortgage sale the |
next OF kin has the right Of redemption, |
at any time within three years, on pay |
ment of foreclosure or purchase price, |
with actual cost OF such improvements |
rs have been made, All lands passing |
out Of the hands Of original family |
owners do not again become udal-lands |
until they have been in possession Of |
new proprietor for period Of twenty |
years; and the subdivisions Of these old |
Norwegian estates is largely prevented |
by one heir purchasing the inherited
rights Of the others, when their purchase |
Of reclaimed lands, and emigration, do |
the rest.
The almost universal spectacle Is |
therefore presented IN Norway Of a land |
OF farmsteads, old as the forests about |
them, housing n folk rooted with the |
affections, the legends. the customs and |
the Eoble independence OF centuries Of |
growth 10 tie soil beneath them with a |
strength Of love which amounts TO their |
eraudest passion. There is no other |
country in Europe and American love |
OF land. Of landed home-spot with the |
saeredness Of generations Of toil and joy |
and sorrow cOnsecrating It's every atom |
OF Garth, has not yet grown beyond the |
thrifty. shifting sentiment Of speculation |
where such conditions universally exist; |
and but one where, In tiny corner, the |
same class Of stern, sturdy, liberty /
invinr and almost MISUNDERSTANDING yeo- |
men can be found. That one l. England. |
Tibe little corner Is the shire Of Cumber- |
land. over against the roaring Sowny |
edes aud the rampant Irish sea. There, !
- tBa folk are free Of the lords taxes,
sits,os and terrons. Statesmen" they are /
c,iled. because lords Of their OWL tiny |
estntes. "St0teHren" in grand old Cum |
herlsn1 and Udeimen In glorious Norway |
arc like as brothers may be In those yir- |
tnss Of steadfestness, loyalty, integrity |
md simple goodness which are as ever
i lu5 sinews to the graDdest attributes
u I ,iIa The Cumberland statesmen atone,
t,iif homes. which seem 10 have aauei |
ou l,,,r damn Of rock and wall for each |
ai.. ~ Or century, the Norwegian |
bonder's gaard or fafm-house Is on ~