The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-05
Mr.. HAMLET'S GRIM CASTLE.
Mrs. George Newcomer Visits the
Abode of the Oft Quoted Dane.

Below are some interesting scraps from
Mrs. George Newcomers letters. Mr.. and
Mrs. Newcomer have been travelling In Eu-
rope:
I'VE went by train to Elsinore," she says,
"and there took a ferry boat In about
twenty minutes we were in Sweden. AS
we started out of Elsinore we passed the
grim old castle where Hamlet lived, now
used as barracks for soldiers. We walked
to the old castle and passing over the old
moat and under the great walls, soon found
ourselves in the castle yard. 1t is beau
tiful building in excellent preservation. We
walked out on the rampant where the ghost
OF Hamlet's papa was won't to
cavort and scare people, but no
ghost annoyed our view. -
We were invited to the F0s for a
beautiful dinner given in our honor and
when the frozen thing came on at the last
I just wished for you. 1t was called ice
cake My, but it was good. We have been
to two old castles, Rosenberg and Fred
ricksborg. both built by Christian w in 1900
They are not used as residences, but as
museums. being filled with possessions Of
the earlier Danish Kings. Such quantities
of elegant furniture, jewels, silver, brasses,
china and glass. One can hardly believe in
their existence.
After dinner we were all driven to the
Royal Theater to witness Carmen The
prima donna was a Norwegian. the daugh-
ter-in-law of the author, Bjorson. She was
not paid. but was a guest of Denmark, and
they treated her with such courtesy. She
didn't prima donna much. but the chorus
was wonderfully drilled. The King of Dem
mark was there in his box and / would
rather have seen that good and kindly old
man than the opera. His people all love
and respect him and his family. .
I'VE slept between linen sheets, with a
feather bed for a cover. We were as far
north as Labrador in America and yet the
snowdrops and an exquisite flower known
the the daughter lily were blooming in
the gardens On our way north we passed
many of the fjords, this country's chief
charm. On the hilltops we were shown
many mounds, graves OF the Vikings. and
from them have been taken many of the
antiquities which in the museums.
Think of our seeing the Vikings graves!
We were entertained at Mr.. HIS and such
a dinner! / felt all the time as If I were
a girl between the covers OF one of Mrs.
wister's translations from the German.
The house is filled with treasures. All
around the dining room, just below the
frieze, is shelf completely filled with rare
old brass and copper urns and pots and the
silver was exquisite. We placidly ate out of
spoons made in 1900
"In Amsterdam the old women in their
caps interested me much Some of their
caps are most beautiful, made of fine lace,
with large gold ornaments on the sides. We
walked all over the city and had the good
fortune to see three wedding parties going
into the municipal buildings and we stood
and gawked with the rest of the common
ers. After luncheon we took a car and
rode to the museum. The collection there is
wonderful, Rembrandt's pictures are the
chief glory. his masterpiece, The Night
Watch. being the Kohinoor, so to speak.
The guard told us there were one and half
million objects to be seen in the museum