The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-18
IN THE OLE BULL STATUE.
OF FJELDE UN-
yE1LED REFORE THOUSANDS OF
SPECTATORS.
DURHAM CASE IS DRAGGING
Aryumeuts for the Defense Not Yet
Begun-News of the MIL
City.

the work of the Ole Bull Monument as
sociation in the unveiling Of the mag
nificent Fjelde statue of Ole Bull and
the presentation to the city Of Mime
apolis of it's first work of art in bronze,
heroic size.
1t was festival day, indeed. One In
which all citizens took great pride 1t
was a source of qualification to the
committee having the vast enterprise
in charge and a proud day to the Nor
wegian citizen, who collectively consti-
tutes large proportion Of the popula-
ton.
The day was an ideal one in every
respect. A more beautiful May day
could not have been anticipated.
Shortly before o'clock the parade
arrived. This parade had formed at
Dania hall with the following societies
in line: Normanna and Svea bands,
Norsemen's Singing society, FRAN"
Norwegian Total Abstinence So
ciety, .Hugnad," and the Nor
wegian Y. M C. A. With
martial music this division marched to
Third street, to Nicollet avenue where
it was augmented by Sonner af Norge,
and other Norwegians from the North
and East Sides Under the marshalship
! structor of the Norwegian Turner's, the
two divisions, a total of 1,200, marched
up NicOllet avenue to Tenth street,
from this point to Harmon place, and
from there to Loring park. AS all the
societies carried their banners, and
some of them were uniformed, the line
! was a most imposing one, and was one
of the prettiest civic parades ever seen
in Minneapolis. With Normanna band
playing the Norwe gian national march,
| "Sonner af Norge" the line entered the
| grounds, where places had been re-
served for the different societies.
By this time fully $4,000 people had
gathered about the statue. An endeavor
had been made with ropes to spread the
crowd out, but they broke tEe-r license,
| and the police were unable to keep them
back 1t was, however, not a boisterous
| assemblage, and the management ac-
| cepted the freedom taken with good
| grace. Shortly after the arrival of the
| parade, the announcement was made
| that the governor and his staff was
present. This party was shown to a
section Immediately to the left of the
| statue. In this stand were also seated
the invited guests of the Ole Bull
| Monument associa ton. Immediately
| to the right of the statue stand five
feet high had been erected. This was
reserved for the members Of the eXecu-
! tive committee of the Ole Bull Monu-
ment association, members of the park
] beard, city officials, judges of the su-
preme court and newspaper representa-
! tives To the front, and in immediate
proximity to the statue, was seated
! Miss Ragnhild Sorensen, upon whom
! the duty to unveil the statue was in
volved, and her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
S. Sorensen. The speakers stand was
directly to the left of the statue. The
singers occupied seats in front of the
towering column. Danz's orchestra was
seated on a stand behind the statue.
1t was but a few minutes past 8
o'clock when Prof. Eric Oulie raised his
! baton, and the first tones of the Ole
Bull festival march vibrated forth from
the violins Being the first public rem
dition of the compositions, the musical
ly inclined Norwegians lent more than
| passing interest to the number. 1t
must be said in favor Of it, that its
conception and arrangement was ad-
mirable. He allows Scandinavian
| thoughts to enter into it, and 1T per-
meates with songs taken from the
fields. 1t was accorded hearty recep-
ton.
Because through his great ant Norways fame
went to farthest shores; because of what he
! has done to make Norway truly great and
free and independent, we Norweg:an-Amer-
| leans have raised him this statue
| We have realised It her in America because
| faithful son of Norway he was, he learned
| to love the people of this great republic.
| When kings Tn vain did sue for favors, fellow
ship and friendship at his hand, he cast his
| lot among us, and cast 1t here because he
| loved our institutions; because he was proud
of our government; because he felt at home
| among free people.
He once said: Next to being born in Nor
way, I deem it the greatest honor ever be-
| slowed on me that I have been permitted to
| become an American citizen" We have built
| this Stafup here object lesson TO coming
| generations that those make the best adopted
| citizens of this republic who love their ma
tive country most.
The 18th of May was Ole Bulls great festive
day. On that day of all Gays DID his violin
sing proudly as on no other occasion, the
beautiful songs Of Norways old grandeur
| of its newborn liberty; of its hopes; and OF
its future. In his old age he became young
again on that day. His face beamed. His
heart dubbed. Why should it not? 1t was
| Norways independence day.
/ feel certain that today, in the sunny
land where he now dwolls, and where they
will have given him violin with sun rays
preparatory to singing ON it the praise OF
Norway's liberty day. And if, from his lofty
stand, he can see us gathered around his
that the beautiful smile which took the world
by storm. again Eghtens up his eountenance
Methinks aa,a u. | see him nod approyingly as II
rectly. my friends 1t is in free America
| wish tossee my features first immortalized
/ in the eternal bTonzeJ and it is on Norway's
liberty & Gay prefer all people to first gaze
Through Norway,s nature, as through the
life of its sons and daughters, there runs a
thread Of sadness of sorrow Even in theil
gladdest moments, when their Joy is widest
you will always hear IL you listen carefully
enough, a suppressed sigh. In all Norway's
national music you will Always find an un.
dertone in the minor key; SOBER earnest
gruff; sometimes wild and despairing as the
wall of lost soul; sometimes like a gilt
tering tear, but always sad and sorrowful. L
forms the theme of all their melodies.
So in the midst of this joy. there must
forsooth, come shadow over our glad faces
He who created yonder masterpiece, soon t.
be unveiled to the public gaze, is not witt
us today. 1t was the ambition Of Jacol
Fjede's life to be permitted to create
statue of Ole Bull. He had sat under tn
spell of his bow and he felt that in mould
great patriot he could give the world
truer conception of his own great geniu
than ever before had been vouchsafed him
His wish was granted. When told that h
could proceed with this statue he set abou
1t with feverish haste. Never have l seel
in his eye such CLEAN of hope, OF happines
and satisfaction. but at the same time ther
! was queer glance which spoke of anxiou
and nervous apprehension. 1t was if h
!, had premonition that this was to be hi
last great masterpiece, and that he mus
work on without rest while it was day. TO
soon the night would come when no on
could work.
e when the rarest high work Of his geniu
u was comprehension the last fnlsnln
touches had been made-he laid down hi
moulding pin never to lift it again.. Hi
life's greatest work was done.
He laid down to rest-the rest from whic
$ no one awakens.
But his work will live, and that you Al
may greet the benign face and grand fgur
OF Fjeldes hero, Ole Bull l now, in tn
name of the Ole Bull Monument association
request the young lady to whom this homo
has been granted, to let the vel. which ha
hidden Ole Bull from our view fall, tina