Morning journal and courier., 1893-11-25

ment Along the Lonely Mountain
Ways-Gray and Scraesy as Eagles
Nests Upon the Crags, These Half
Farms, Half Hospices are n merciful
Provision for TraveIers-Grave and
Sodden Folk OF the StEtions-Won-
drous Outlooks.
LONDON, Nov. II.
70 the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
Among the characteristic roadside scenes
of Norway the "stations," where carrioles
and ponies are changed, seem to have the
keenest interest to the thousands of tour
lets who madly 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 relay establishments, ss did
the roadside inns of old England and New
England, half century and more ago; you
can find bed and food behind their Gu
rious wooden walls because the government
compels their proprietors or masters to
furnish the same; but there the similarity
ends.
Not single feature of the hustle, cheer
mess and activity of the old coaching days
is here. There is no ringing posthorn to
piece the gorges and valleys with its musi-
ical echoes. No "whip" sends its smoking
foar-in-hand alongside the welcoming inn
at mad gallop or handles eloquent phras-
es with ruddy barmaids. No rubicund
landlord or sleek hostess beams upon you
as you arrive or sends CHEEKY fsrewells af
ter you as you depart. Seen from dis
tance 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. Speoks of
animate soddenness, threading ev er chang
ing and sublime desolstion, are the struot-
ures and inmates of the roadside travellers
"stations" of Norway.
These stations are good and bad, luxuri-
ous and repulsive, hearty or hopeless, as Is
true of wayside inns In all countries; and
range in prestige and comfort from the
noted Toftemoen of Gudbrandsdal to those
villsinous station caves of gloom like Stors-
veen and Vetti Farm. Toftemoen is q
huge, rambling gard or farm house and
station combined. 1t Ia one of the most
ancient homes in Norway, and is even re-
moved in the sagas. Its proprietor is not
only station master, providing travellers
with entertainment in return for govern
ment exemption from taxes, but wealthy
landed proprietor, and. what is of more &C.
count in Norway, hneal descendant of
the first king of Norway, Harold Haarfa'
ger. Consequently he is of NEUROLOGICAL
descent; for did not good Harold claim his
lineage from Odin, the true Hercules of
Northlandl
This quaint old place has many huge.
paneled rooms filled with ancient cabinets
| containing priceless Scandinavian relics;
and there is more solid silver in Toftemoen
station than in the home of any American
money king, or in richest English princsly
house. The late king of Norway and Swe-
den tarried here for entertainment when
on his way to his coronation at
Throndbjsm. The testy little station mas
ter not only insisted on sitting at table
with the king as became his own royal des
cent, but when the king suggested that his
silver be unpacked to provide proper table
service, this royal station keeper brusquely
informed him that his own silver would
serve not only for that occasion, but for 9
much larger party than any Morse king
had ever travelled with. And SO 1t did, tc
the amazement of the noble guests and Il
all Norway ever after. The members of the
humble, yet royal house of Tofte, have
never married outside of their own family
and are gradually becoming mental ant
hysical freaks; but to remain day o.
two at their half castle, half inn, and OBJ
serve their antics as hostler and royalt,
combined, Ia to possess an experience hard
ly sscurable outside Of Norway.
The stations OF Storsyeen and Vett