Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-11-25
Madison, Nov. %

Dr. Fridtjof Nansen came to Mad
ism Monday and brought a portion
of the north pole weather with him
which. however, got Loose while he
delivered his lecture and is still en-
ioving its liberty. DR.. hansen is al
most as hard to find as the north pole
itself for when President Adams and
profs Olson and Bull went to the
Northwestern depot to meet him at
AS o'clock they failed to find him.
The great explorer had slipped into
Town a short while before on the St.
Paul road ana had gone at once to the
Park hotel
The lecture was a magnificent sue
cess. About 1000 persons were
gathered in the gymnasium, very
large proportion of whom were Nor
wegians and each one of whom felt
thrill Of pride in the occasion and
appropriated to himself a portion Of
tLe reflected halo of his illustrious
Cnuntryman. On the front seats sat
Gov Scyhe.d and the ether state Of
and members of the university faculty,
nearly all accompanied by their wives.
A strange fascination appeared to have
seized the audience in advance 1t
seemed to feel the mysterious presence
OF that resolute spirit whose tale of
daring ana final achievement stands
unmatched in the annals of success.
People did not come to hear him talk
science though he invested that sub
jet with a rare charm. 1t was to see
the hero who has more degrees trail
ing after his name than any other man
living; who had stepped where foot Of
man never trCn before; who almost
alone had dared the uttermost perils
of the ice kings realm; who had
ieaped from ice flee to ice foe with two
aud half miles Of ocean under him.
and who with a daring almost insane
had made brilliant dash for the pole
trusting entirely on his own resources
90 ind his way back on foot.
HIS success as an explorer "a. hardly
boz greater than that as lecturer
FOR TWO hours the audience sat almost
hfe4thless listening to his romantic
tale OF suffering ana endeavor. Nan
sen Is tail, athletic and supple. Hts
PLATFORM appearance is modest but very
PetSlng. AS he smiles he might be
taken for an oyergrown boy. A nearer
hSp ction of him, however, shows
besides his marvellous physique cold
hess at times that bespeaks great
strength, an indomitable will and
desperate recklessness, qualities that
made possible the success of his great
Undertaking. His voice is pleasing
ana " good range He speaks with
I1felgn accent which is noticeable
Az arSt but which is entirely lost sight
" when he has entered upon his thrill
ing narration, The wierd beauties
~ me frost world alternated in inter
'S. with the most hair-raising adj
ventures. For nearly half an hour he
expended the fertility Of his resource
.h' powers Of description in attempt
ing to do justice to the glory of the
aurora and the polar night He Is the
FHt OF the silent borea world as we'll
~ The scientific explorer. He led his
bearers over dream bridges OF light
'asue as a foreboding" from one
Paenomenon Of color etherealized
It'd another and it seemed TO come
.'l.y from his heart when he said he
~'l'etlmes longed for their beauties
again
oE Nansen entered from the rear
''at. ay accompanied by President
't7hs wave Of applause went mp
ne appeared and his wild. rowing
"E4 frightened as the university yell
gwen twice His appearance in
.'-Ans dress contrasted strongly
.h the stereopticon pictures Of his
N''c suit and he seemed the less en-
.t'sassed in the latter President
>'AlAN IN introducing him said: "The
-.'at hour has arrived. The viking
p Mere Norway welcomed home her
" Tor what he achieved. The state
Wisconsin welcomes him with more
.. usual enthusiasm because It has
AIh rs borders larger body Of his
.'hH'Tymen than any other state
.ae union. Many of us have fol-
90 ms story from the moment
~a tiny hand at the window
MIN q pathetic goodby until
years later he came back to the
n Norway and the whole civil
world
praised him for his scientific re-