The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-08-17
An Interesting Letter From Mr.. j. c,
McGrew.
ON BOARD STEAMER "ULEABoRG,"
SATURDAY, July 10th, 1895. I

Editor Inteliigencer:
We left ''Trondhjem" where l mailed
you my last letter on the 9th. We travelled
by railroad from Trondhiam to storem,
about 81 kilometers, or about 32h miles,
and arrived at Storem at 4 p. m, where we
again got into our landaus for a five days
drive down through Northern Norway.
We had some very fine scenery on these
five days drive, but not near SO grand or
rugged as our weeks drive was across the
state in Southern Norway. We ascended
some iour thousand feet on our way: had
beautiful and elegant roads, as are all Of
them in all parts OF this country, as the
state owns all railroads, wagon roads, and
churches, and pays the preachers. They
are all kept In good repair and well built.
We passed by much snow on our drive,
some OF 1t within ten feet Of US, and It |
rained on US every day. Yet as we are pre-
pared for rains, shows aud colo weather,
little things like these, even IL they are Ia
the middle of July, do not affect US. One
day, Thursday, July 18th, l called for some
ice water to drink at the dinner table, as
they had no Ice + ut up from last month or
the month before. as they do not need 1t
as tho water is all cold up here, aud as
they were not prepared for just such an
emergency, on sudden notice. However,
they soon met it by just stepping out to
this bank Of snow just outside, and soon
brought me in a pitcher of show, and
poured the water on 1t, So | was furoished
ice water. On this day our drive Yves Q |
cold Que; we were too cold most OF tue
timei we had all OF orr heavy wraps over
US, Mclotoshes, ETC., all our heavy winter
clothes on, and yet we would get cold, 90
when we arrived at Tretten, the railroad
station, at 10 q. IN. Saturday, July 18Th.
and got into our compartment in the car
aud were closely shut up We were soou
comfortable and were glad to quit our
ndaus. at. -
We saw much beautiful and fne scenery
on our way across the country settlements
or farms, as they call them, where hay and
potatoes are raised, some little barley and
ways OF these people TO make q iiviny. and
III our good people at our homes and farms
could see the great piles Of rocks where
these people have cleared up Q little piece
of billy ground. aud see them apparently
as happy and contented ~ can be they
woul the more appreciate b TACT that
they and we live In Gods " country.
Ali the hay that Is raised all over this
country, aud this Is their stapl and great
standby. has to be raked up after being
cut, 0uu tuTucu OvGI 0uu OvcG cV0Gy 0Wy
for q few days. and then put up on wires
stretched on little pine posts. % 1t can be
thoroughly dried and then hauled to their
large barns to be put in for their cows to
live on through the long, cold winter
nights, as it is all night In this coantry
Is ever seen. Then . great Publication 10
made on acc0uut Of its shining 70 them.
Their barns and houses are we'll built Of
pine. About four 70 sig inch lumber 10
used by putting on top OF each other like
our log cabins. yet many Of them ara pain
ted white aed look nice. All are set on
heavy rock foundations, the walls being
from two to four feet thick, q these
stone Easements or foundations arr warm
aud their stock 10 housed In them from
brought down to them all BY troughs
made Of the small pine trsss gouged out
and by tapping the. ends one over the
other, Q complete set Of water works 10
thus supplied by the little water streams
that seem to spring out Of the mouutain
houses, although many Of their homes or
houses seem to be up SO high on the rug-
ged mountain side IL seems almost fmpos.
sibie for them to get up to them. We can
easily zee howthey can roll doWn. Each
aud every house has q small herd Of coWs
and goats, from the milk OF which they
make their cheese, OF which every table In
this country has q b0untiful supply. They
all make good butter, which 10 plentiful
aud nice. Fish ID about their only meat.
These they catch plenty out Of the many
streams. The finest trout and salmon can
be caught anywhere and without any ex.
pert fishing. In some places they have
herds OF reindeer which supply them with
meat. and in winter they kill and can
s sp1:fnies. Similar Ins 70 p par prsi4ie =, csi ( essd
and is considered q dainty dish. We do
not agree with them on this. Il might b
nice freshly killed, but canned We would
prefer our turkey and chicken TO It. BIZ i.
These people think more Of their horses
Ing In our landaus about -, miles or 90
kilomsters 10 considered q bigdrive. They
will start by seven O'Clock and stop o
every hour to feed. Doe day, a. an In.
stance, we travelled about 20 miles, six q
this three hours Of It was used for feeding
and resting. However. this Wa the slow.
est time made. Our guide whom we bed
along to do our talking when we could
not be understood, tried to urgerthe driy-.
or along faster, but he could not succeed,
and as ] could not be understood by him
l could Jaw" him all l wanted 70, 10 We
made fun out OF II. One does moi really
need . guide through this country - NO
many OF the people can speak, % they say,
s'isedie" English:s somstimes, however,
some amusing things happen, such a.
when we have had . cup OF coffee and PETS
hsps want . iittls more, they are Just as
apt to pour tea In az coffee. We, however,
have not become accustomed to shis mix
turs Of the bsyerass yet. aad enjoy their
We lott Trsttsu. whsrs We took the cars
at Las, and after . pleasant railway travel
Of 2lA kilometers or 10 miles, We arrived
10 Christisna At p. m. 10 coming along
we could bu. admire how s~ubstsntjal thss6
people build their ~railroads-thst 10 One
rock abutments for all bridges or culvsrts
and Q solid roadbed. Their trains, that 10
cars nor engines or anything like COM
pare with ours. About the largest capsci-
" we see TO any freight car is 10 toas
50 tons. We enjoyed our arrival In Chris.
tiana on Saturday night, TO get into nice
rooms and in Q comfortable hotel after be.
ing cooped mp In Q state room on . steam
er Tor ten days, and then In Q carriage sod
small country inns for I've days more.
Sunday, July l4th, we took sss good day
of rest. However, l must speak OF the ele-
giant dining table d'hote We had It the
Grand Hotel, ESQ TO 1880 O'Clock. The din
ing room can not be excelled anywhere in
lions, or its beautifully and artistically
painted ceilings mi walls. The sweet
music as rendered by b orchestra Of nine,
as we'll as the elegant dinner served IN
courses, made it very enjoyable eod long
to be remembered by Us. We had this
music and table d'hots dan ers every day
of our stay here, and arrange ~ IL may
seem to your readers, 1t only cost ps three
kropers each, or 81 cents each tor the DIN.
psr. Rooms here only cost ~ 8 krouer
aud 80 ore per day Qt2.60) for Two good
rooms for three OF Us, 90 you can see that
hotels are not expensive In Norway, al
though we are at the best.
We bad here o experience worth re-
Iating. My wife and daughter wanted
their bair sbampooed. asked the ''Por-
tier" Of the hotel. BY the way, the por-
tiers Of the hotels are the busiest men SON.
pected with them-t0 send us an artist
who could do It nicely. 30 preseutlyas
very large bot hsndsome young lady
knocked at the door aud we vshsred bsr
in, and Is she could not speak one word
Of Euglish We had to call in one Of the
bell boys who could. 30 soon we had all
things arranged, and she was at her work.
We could but admire her style OF dress, -
she had on y delicate yellow colored body
or waist aud otherwise DRESSED in her best
and seemed proud OF such an opportunity.
Alter some two and One-half hours shs hn-
ished. aud Just TO think OF 1t, iu ell that
time the poor woman coald not talk one
word to US. just imagine nov one of our
American young ladies' would have felt
under such q trying time. We paid
her 4 kroner (88 cents) and with the most
polite bow she bid US good bye.
On Monday morning We walked up to
the museum, aud after seeing mapy
strange and old things, amongst them the
oldest yiking ship, said to be 1000 years
old, and the relics found with her, such a.
their cooking utensils, parts Of the bodies
or bones OF those said ID have been on her,