The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-29
SUMMIT TO SWEDE HOLLOW
EXTREMES OF SOCIAL LIFE
IN ST. PAUL

A Trip Through the Swedish Ham,
let in Search of a Maid-The Con-
tentment and Thrift of the squnt-
ter SettIement-Their Primitive
Forms of Architecture - War
News In the Hollow.
Do YOU know the legend of Swede
hollow? You have read or heard of
the red mans legends that lend 70
nance and poetry to the hooks and
brooks, the rock and rivers of Mime
sota's scenic land. The pioneer will
Point out to the newcomer st. Anthony
falls. whose morning floss flutters in a
myriad-colored spray about the mystic
forms OF Anpetusapa and her child, and
he will tell how, to the red man, the
purling murmur of the waters is but
the plant of the Indians faithful but
unavailing love. If not this legend,
then that of the broken-hearted bride
of Crow Wing, or the tragic death of
Wenonah. But who takes the visitor
down into that quaint miniature Of
primitive Sweden and lets him read for
himself a legend stranger than the
red mans because legend of fact. To
read the story takes not superior in
sight, brilliant imagination or poetic
temperament. but a sympathy for the
cheerful struggle of a simple old-coun-
try folk. Perhaps no one has ever gone
out of the city over the St Paul & Du-
luth road who has not cast at least an
Indifferent glance along the half-mile
hollow of clustering "homelets," but
how many people in st. Paul have
gone there to make the acquaintance
and catch the spirit of the dwellers in
Swede hollow? The men and women
down there don't miss you, but you
miss pretty scene of contentment,
homely romance and wholesome thrift
LOOKING FOR A GIRL.
1t was the evil of uncleanly servant
girls that led a house mother of ST.
Anthony hill to pay a visit to Swede
hollow, where she had heard of girls
who wanted to work. With firm be-
lief that she could not get clean maid
from dirty home, Nine Blank set out
last week with a companion to gain
an entrance into the homes of the
squatter settlement before she engag-
ed service from that quarter Neither
conductor nor motorman had ever
heard of such place, but a passenger
advised the Searchers to leave the La
AoyClbe anu INOHuO car at BRADLEY
street and cross the tracks to the hol-
low from there.
va, dis is Swete hollow" said a
hatiess, kindly-faced woman, in an
Swer to question addressed to her at
the head of the rickety stairs that led
down to the groove.
va, L lif down dere; dat red house
with dem blankets outside, dat's my
mousse, she continued, pointing to a
structure which would have made a
comfortable storm vestibule for an
ordinary house.
isn't it very hot down there in the
summer timer? queried one of the Wis
itors
oh, no, no! 1t is very cool, and
healthy, too. Dat little creek-make 1t
nice. Sometime l feel so bad when T
go up on de hill to work and when I
come back and drink de water in our
creek, den l am all right, and my man
drinks so too" and with an air of pride
the simple toiler invited the ladies down
into the hamlet.
I'VE house clean today" said the
woman apologetically.
But everybody seems to be doing
that in your little village Just now"
remarked Madame Blank as coming
down into the miniature valley she per-
ce1ved the whole cluster of houses to
be well nigh hidden from view BY
blankets and rag carpets.
va" replied the woman with a fun
ny little shrug Of her round shoulders,
"one hangs out her bedding and den
everybody do it too. Our houses are so
little we must clean tree four times q
year."
A LITTLE GARDEN.
At this our impromptu guide left to
attend to her work and the maid-hunt-
ers found themselves at the edge Of a
saucy, scampering little stream not
large enough to be dignified by the
name of creek. 1t was but a few
minutes before. at the doors and win
doWs of the huts, curious faces appear
ed and many eyes rested on the
strangers with something of frank
question in them. The first evidence
or honest pride in the home was q
lutte vegetable garden not more than
ten by fifteen feet and guarded by an
lnprovised fence Of old sheet iron, sticks
and stones-such as usually form them
selves into unsightly rubbish heaps on
the premises of mure pretentious
homes. Here disadvantage had been
conquered, turned into advantage and
made comedy ornament to the wee
house beside it.
DO you know of a girl who wants
TO work out?' queried Nine Blank of
the woman at the door, but in answer.
there was only an embarrassed shake
or the head. A little urchin in blue
overalls and mud over them relieved
the awkwardness Of the situation.
shes Swete. She can't speak
English, but I'll show you where" he
said. and started across a single-board
bridge that spanned the creek. Stand
ing on this one Is impelled to look along
the hollow, walled on one side by a
= grass-grown, tree-dotted bluff, with the
little peopled coves climbing half wav
UP the incline; some of them are COW
cred by the spreading branches of one
tree, from which they seem to hang
ike oVergrown acorns. The stream
runs right through the center of the
groove, and enc would imagine ina +
the houses on either side would face
the miniature river-but not so. Also
lutte independence and individuality
mark the arrangement of the Swedish
namiet. one house may turn it's back
On Inc water and face the bluff, there
by having ITS back door not six feet
away from the next house. that looks
toward The stream. Then there ara
others whose directions would m,zz1e
the skilled eye Of a surveyor. and vst
there is an economy of space and orip
inaiity of design which irresistiblv fas
tens ones attention upon the necessity
of this ingenuity. Herein lies the Iep-
end of Swede hollow. These peonie
years ago left the old country and
came to this land where thew had
heard of broad plains and fertile val
leys, and where they had hoped therf
would be more room for them thar
there was in their native land Those