Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18
NanSen and His Wife.


gar:an or other languages, scientific men
would have the excuse of not being able
to read the work; SO 1 wrote it in English.
Manson and His Wife.
lone time I said something about skat-
ing. and Nansen exclaimed. I haven't
skated for seventeen years l remarked
that it about time he took it up again.
Well he said. 4 am proud of my skating.
but never get time for it any more. When
| was sixteen years old l devoted much
time to the art. / defeated the champion
of Norway in long-distance contest 1
used to he quite fond of figure skating.
and was my wife. She is of the
finest skaters in Norway.
In the cid days it was a fashionable
sport. and the place for skating was not
Skarpsno, as II is row, but in Christiania
harhor. opposite the ancient fortress
Akershus Festning. About > o'clock in
the afternoon the Dastime began, and all
the young fellows and girls used to be out
there. Nansen maintains that the Nor
weSidn skates are the best in the world
for both figure skating and lorg distance.
! | didn't see how they We're adapted to fig
ure skating. The kind | used he said,
had scarcely any curve on the blade. They
were fiat as they rested on the ground, but
very wide i'll the center, ta.erng toward
the point and heel. When you get that
blade the ice and get over on the side
you have a curve The skate gives the
curve "hen you lean over. and some very
| Ski Jumping.
| 'Nansen and his brot Their were born and
| lived at Frozen their fathers country
place. in the outskirts of Christiania. There
| was little kill ,here where they made
| their first attempt at ski running. Snow
| shoeing in those Gays was almost entirely
| confined TO the peasants. The two brothers
| took it up as a sport and began to get
rather proficient and tried going down
! hills They found they could them for
going down, as well as for making eXcur-
| sions through tho mountains. They dis
covered. at the suggestion of an expert
| from the rural districts that they could
| jump on them. The peasants generally had
never jumped with Them nor made much
progress. The boys induced other fellows
| to take it up. In that way it became a
| sport In Christiania, and the Nansens did
all they coul1 to make it popular. Now the
| snow-shoe meeting in February is the great
ski meeting of the world.
There Is 4 very steep mountainside at
Holemkollen, with sheer descent of about
10 degrees. Half way down there is wall
| built 10, and the snow curves out to the
edge Of the wall The snow-shoers (ski-
| lobher) come down the hill at full speed
| and when they strike this curve they shoot
30 feet in the air The long jump record is
| 40 feet When they again regain the
| ground there is no sudden jolt. but they
| continue in nearly the same direction down
| the hillside. Both feet come down about
| Hat and the knees bent in order to
| land easily. l believe Nansen formed the
| first club of snow shoers in Norway and
| he was very prominent in this club The
| celebration of February 16 is a popular
| lete. Tie king always attends.
| Fents of the Ski-Hobner.
| Not only are the snow shoes wonderful
for jumping. but the skilled riders 20
| through the woods, among the trees wind
| ing paths, and even over the rocks You
| would think they
their brains as they go down a wild slope
In jumping down you imag CINE you are 60
| ing to sink a foot In snow, but the long
| ski hold the weight and you glide on /
| remember once coming suddenly upon a
| precipice. For moment l was frightened.
| but managed to throw myself down. and
| l swept around to side before / got
I to the edge. The beginner can seldom tell
| how he Will land; he may land with his
feet in the air. head first in the snow.
| These skiers become very expert They
| can climb fences with the ski on The
ski should be the length of the height of
| a man with his hands extended to full
! length and are generally made of ash or
| ice on his ski where dogs broke through
| the surface.
Visit to Nansen's Home,
''Nansen Is building a new house, near
| the one where he now lives, in the suburb
OF Christiania. 1t is a part Of the large
estate which belonged to his grandfather
1t is on hill near the Fjord and the place
! Is only twenty minutes from Christiania.
| He lives very simply. His dwelling is a
| log house Of the special Norwegian TYNE
made of small logs carefully Joined to-
| gether. These houses are not finished LII
| inside with lining for two years after
| building. in order to allow the logs to set
| tie permanently. 1t is surrounded by a
| palisade of rough pine. There are always
| two or three dogs barking around. From
the front door OF the house you enter into
! small hall. covered with rugs, leading
| directly into the drawing room. Here is
| Il grand piano, used especially by Madame
| Nanseu. In one corner is a bust Of Nan.
| sen, by Leasing Of Berlin. There are also