Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-28

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 emf
grafton, do the rest.
The almost universal spectacle is
therefore presented in Norway of u land
of farmsteads, old as the forests about
them, housing folk rooted with the
affections, the legends, the customs and
the noble independence of centuries of
growth to the soil beneath them with
strength of love which amounts to their
grandest passion. There is no other
country in Europe-and American love
of land, of u landed home.spot with the
sacredness of generations of toll and
joy and sorrow oonsecrating its every
atom of earth, has not yet grown be-
yond the thrifty, shifting sentiment of
speculation-where such conditions uni
versally exist; and but one, where, in q
tiny corner, the same class of stern,
sturdy, liberty-loving and almost land
worshipplng yeomen can be found.
is the shire of Cumberland, over against
the roaring Soiway tides and the ram
pant Irish sea. There, too, the folk are
free of the lords taxes, tithes and terrors.
Statesmen" they are called, because
lords of their own tiny estates. Estates
men" in grand old Cumberland and
Udelmen in glorious Norway are like as
brothers may be in those virtues of
steadfastness, loyalty, integrity and
simple goodness which are as everlast-
ing sinews TO the grandest attributes of
man.
Like the Cumberland 'ststesmens'
stone-built homes, which seem to have
| added new clump of rock and wall
for each generation or century, the Nor
wegian bonder's gard or farmhouse is
an odd tumble of structures, like tiny
huddled hamlet in itself. Whether in
one continuous series of attached struct-
ures, or comprising many separate
| buildings, they always seem to have
been gradually brought together with q
view to forming an irregular sort of
court, protected from the terrible winter
storms. First there is the farmhouse
itself, if the Oldest still the widest,
largest, and most commodious of all,
with its invariable quaint, carved porch,
its huge chimneys, and its roof of big
scale-like shingles, or still of turf in
which there are often seen growing
vagrant mountain flowers. Then there
are the bake-house, also used, on ac-
count of the heat which can be secured
and for its privacy, for the family bath
house, the dairy, always an important
structure and a veritable feast, in butter,
cheese, and milk, for city eyes; and
most important Of all, the "storhaus.' "
The latter is not only literally house
for stores and supplies of food, such as
sugar, salt, candles, flour, dried and
picked fish, bacon, pork and dried
meat hanging from dark beams in start
ling variety and profusion, but it is the
granary as we'll; and here are found in
huge bins, heays Of the rye, barley and
oats, the quickening sun of these north
ern latitudes natures in such generou!
measure and fine hard gruin.
Besides these there arc long, low
sheds; huge building similar to al
American or English barn, in which
every spear of precious hay, tende
birch, twigs, and great quantities ot
reindeer moss are treasured against the
long winters needs for the herds; ant
often three or four comfortable, stout
walled cottages in which "housemen'
or cottagers, each having the use of
poIllOn VI lunu, Ieut llco loI u Ceitdil
number of days labor upon the farm
live in more than ordinary comfort anC
content. However old or weather-beatel
these farmsteads may be, they give t
all this stern north land that tangible
palpable warmth Of color which sub
dues and softens all material sterilit
and desolatlon, wherever is enduringl.
built that blessed and thrice blessse
earthly type of heaven, the home.
EpGAR L. WAKEMAN.