Evening journal., 1897-08-02
IN PARKWAY FINLAND.
Wilmingtonian Writes From
the Land of the Midnight Sun.
LIFE AND HABITS OF FINEs
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ARE IN
VETERATE SMOKERS AND COZ
FEE DRINKERS, AND WORK FOR
ABOUT 40 CENTS A DAY.


FEE DRINKERS, AND WORK FOR
ABOUT 40 CENTS A DAY.
Joseph B. Godfrey formerly of this
city, ana in the employ of the Pusey
and Jones Company, is now in Finland.
He writes in the following interesting
strain from his far-away home to a
friend here:
'lmatra, Finland, July s, 1897.
1T was in the early part of last Octo-
Der that l landed in this country after
having about all the pleasure that is to
be had in the various changes of the
weather. During last Winter for three
months we had only four hours OF day
light, which would be from a. m. to
p. m. We had snow for more than five
consecutive months. and IL was between
four and five feet deep on the level. The
coolest day was 2S degrees below zero
Fahrenheit. During the Winter months
the sun did not rise over six degrees
high, and there were forty-nine days
that we did not see the sun. While
there were some beautiful moonlight
nights, before it was time for the sun to
rise, it would be quite cloudy again.
"At the present time there are
twenty-fOur hours of daylight. The sun
sets at $50 D. m. and rises again at 1.30
a. m, and 1t is light enough the whole
night through to read or write or do
anything. The hottest day during this
Summer has not been over 70 degrees.
Fahrenheit / am more sunburned than
l was after spending three Winter
months on the Island of Cuba. The Sc
cret of this is that the sun does not rise
very high, not over so degrees, which
gives it such a slant that it catches one
under the brim of his hat all day long,
and instead of rising in the east, as 1t
does with us at home, 1t rises nearer
the north, and makes about three-quar-
ters or seventh-eighth of the circle of
the horizon. When the sun is setting
it does not drop, like it does at home,
but slides along for long time.
A WORD ABOUT THE PEOPLE
"The people Of this strange land, as
has been told, are exceedingly polite
and strictly honest. But the laborine
class is indeed very poor The Finnish
people are excessive coffee drinkers anc
cigarette smokers. 1t is absolutely i'm
possible for woman or man to ride
/ from five to three hundred miles on &
railroad train without being compelled
to endure the horrible smell of papel
cigar If you are a smoker you are IL
it" but if you are not, you must endure
the unpleasantness just the same. Thil
is not the only place at which you vii
receive the benefit OF the smoking
habit In all the principal hotels ant
restaurants it is the same. Perhaps i
is fortunate for many women that the.
/ cmoixo ac we'll as the men
II want to say a word about the sure
footed Finnish ponies. | have not seei
a wagon, carriage or anything ol
wheels that has a brake of amy kind
Finland is very hilly, and the harness
used in this country is by one-hal
lighter than that used in America TO
the same purpose Consequently. whel
a pony gets to the top of a hill it know
nothing about stopping until it reache
the bottom, and they do certainly run
at break-neck speed. They very sci
dom stumble, to say nothing Of falling
Referring again to the question OF la
Dor, | would say that work is begun a
a. m. At $50 a. m. there is breakfas
until 9 n. m, dinner from / p. m. TO
d. m. Then work is resumed until
D. m. Many men work for two Finnis
marks per day, which are equal {
about 80 cents in United States cur
lrency There are many women VIII
| work hard for one mark per day, an
they seem to be happy with their lo
The truth is, as you we'll know, tina
such race is really not living wit
pleasure. but simply existing Thei
food is very, very coarse, being princI
pally sour milk. smoked fish and porl
| and bran bread and whatever Vegt
, tables they raise for themselves. Yo
will see by the tone Of my letter that
: am not wanting to become Finn, bl
Z these are facts just the same