The record-union., 1893-11-25
special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1881
LONDON, November II, 1893.

UNION. Copyright 1881
LONDON, November IL, 1898.
Among the characteristic roadside
scenes of Norway the Stations" where
carrioles and ponies are changed, seem
TO have the keenest interest to the thou
sands Of tourists who madIy rush in the
brief summer months through this
grandly beautiful northern land. There
Is nothing quite like them IN any other
country. They serve the purpose of re-
lay establishments, as did the roadside
inns of old England, half a century ago,
you can find bed and food behind their
curious wooden walls, because the Gov
ernment compels their proprietors or
masters to furnish the same, but there
the similarity ends.
Not single feature of the hustle, cheeri-
ness and activity of the old coaching days
is here. There is no ringing post-horn to
pierce the gorges and valleys with its mu-
Eical echoes. No "whip" sends his
smoking four-in- hand alongside the well
coming inn at a mad gallop, or bandies
eloquent phrases with ruddy barmaidS
No rubicund landlord or sleek hostess
beams upon you as you arrive, or sends
cheery farewelIs after you as you depart
Seen from distance they seem as gray,
bleak and scraggy as an eagles nest
among the crags. When you have
reached them and come to know them.
the grave, gray, lonely and colorless
tones still prevail on every hand. Specks
of animate soddenness, threading ever
changing and sublime desolation, are the
structures and inmates of the roadside
travellers stations of Norway.
These stations are good and bad, luXu-
rlous and repulSlve, hearty or hopeless,
as is true of wayside inns in all countries,
and range in prestige and comfort from
the noted Tottemoen of GudbrandsdaI to
those villainous station caves of gloom
like StorsVeen and Vetti Farm. Tofte-
moen is huge, rambling gard or farm
house and station combined. 1t is one of
the most ancient homes in Norway, and
is even renowned in the sagas. Its pro-
prletor Is not only station master, pro-
viding travellers with entertainment in
return for Government exemption from
taxes, but wealthy landed proprietor,
and, what is of more account in Norway,
a lineal descendant of the first King of
Norway, Harold Haartager. Conse-
quently he is of NEUROLOGICAL descent;
for did not good Harold claim his lin
cage from Odin, the true Hercules of
Northland?
This quaint old place has many huge,
paneled rooms, filled with ancient cabi
nets containing priceless Scandinavian
relics, and there is more solid silver in
Tottemoen Station than in the home Of
any American money-king, or in the
richest English princely house. The late
King of Norway and Sweden tarried here
Tor entertainment when on his way to his
coronation at Throndhjem. The testy
little station master not only insisted
on sitting at table with the King, as be-
cause his own royal descent, but when
the King suggested that his silver be un-
packed TO provide proper table service,
this royal on-keeper brusquely in
formed him that his own silver would
serve not only for that occasion, but for
much larger party than any Morse King
had ever travelled with. And so it did TO
the amaZement of the noble guests and
10 all Norway ever after. The members
of the humble, yet royal house Of Tote,
have never married outside OF their lam
lily, and are gradually becoming mental
ana physical freaks, but TO remain day
or two at their half castle, half inn and
observe their antics as hostler and royalty
combined, IS TO possess an experience
hardly securable outside of Norway.
The stations at StorsVeen and Netti
Farm are little more than rough, long
rooms, upon which open kitchen novels,
their dirs floors usually strewn with small
tufts OF spruce or pine, possessing huge
chimney corners as large as the kitchens
themselves. AT one side of the long room
is something better than a shed, where
are narrow hunks. y You will get sheep
skins for coverlids, black bread, blacker
coffee and goats cheese for food at such
stations as Storsveen and at Netti Farm.
The latter station is really the starting
point from which the wondrous Vetti fos
or waterfall Of Netti is reached after a
Two hours Journey. 1t is little more than
hut. There are two or three cold stor-
age boxes OF sleeping-rOoms. You must
perform your toilet in the common room,
and the food is no better than you may
secure at the lowliest PEASANTS home.
For comfort these and the like are really
surpassed at the shebeens of Donegal and
Connemara, in Ireland, or at the folkless
stone huts along the way from Catania
to the smoky rim of Etna's nights in
Sicily.
But the average station is fairly COM
Portable. It must be borne in mind that
it was never originally intended for an
inn. As travel has increased in Norway,
the Government has said to Jan Jansen,