Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-09-21
TRAVEL IN NORWAY.
The English Language Taught In the Pul
lie schools.

The English Language Taught In the Pub
lie schools.
We have seen most pathetic evil
dences of poverty rs we have driven
for hundreds of miles through the
country. The stone 'saeters" on lofty
heights. where the farmers live in sum-
mer, driving up their cows for feed, re-
turning to the valleys in winter, are
terribly lone and bare. Low, window
less huts, dreary and dismal with
moss-covercd roofs, greet us even
among the snow fields. In some places
these huts are more like dens for
beasts. Up on the great heights are
little patches of grass which, from be-
low, seem impossible to reach save by
a mountain goat. This is gathered in
little bundles and swung down on II
wire over foaming torrents TO the val
ley below. In storm OF sleet en-
countered on the mountain we over
took two sad-faced women and man
carrying on his shoulder load of hay.
We fastened to Il cover and sought
shelter and warmth. They plodded
along in the storm.
Here and there are lying under the
shoulder of snow-clad heights little
funny farm houses, with fine outbuild-
inrs, quite suggestive of New England,
but in the long drives these outside OF
the larger towns were exceptional.
Everywhere, from peasant to prince,
we met with gracious politeness that
won our hearts. The humblest lad
would raise his hat, while tine girls
would courtesy" in good old-fashioned
style: old men. us they met their
neighbors. always had graceful
salute, while conductors on railroads
and officers on steamers always ac-
costed you with military salute,
with genuine cordiality and a grace
which would equal Partisan.
We have in our long journey here
met but one drunken man, have seen
no rowdyism or rudcness, though we
have stopped at country hotels where
the crowd gathers as in our own land.
We find no difficulty in our lack of
knowledge of the language. English
is taught in the free schools and is one
of the required studies, while post
boys and drivers catch very quickly
enough to understand us We are con-
stantly surprised to find other nation
alities answering our questions with
great ease. The liquor laws are grow
ing more and more stringent, and our
consul at Christiana tells us that 1t is
becoming u question as to prohibiting
beer and securing n pa!atable and re-
freshing drink free from alcohol. The
women are taking an active part in
the suppression of all liquor drinking.
Our good captain runs up to beyond
the cape in the fall and winter, and
sometimes carries three hundred or
four hundred fishermen, but rarely is
one found who Is intoxicated or quar-
relsome. As to schools and churches,
master" goes from hamlet TO ham,
let in the winter, teaching the young,
and country people flock to church
over hills and fields, facing ofttimes
the Arctic storms.
In one of the large cities Is school
for deaf mutes, where the students are
taught lip-reading, and church where
the pastor conducted service In the
same way. The love for native land"
we see exempliRed in young men and
old, who have lived on our rich prai-
ries and are returning to the noun
tains and valleys which they had left
A gentleman who had lived in Ham
merfest since boyhood became quite
wealthy, sold out and went to Ham
burg TO live. He quickly became
homesick, and Is now back again In
his Arctic home, the northernmost
town In the world. Springfield Repub-
lieauL. r..