Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-09-19
QUEER Folk, THOSE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE SHORES
or THE FJoRDs OF NORWAY.
Queer Customs Of These People Who
Never Bow or OFFER ThUtr Hands
When Calling At q Neighbours

Never Bow or Offer ThOfr Hands
When Calling Al q Neighbours
House.
Inhabitants OF fhe shores OF the
fiords and the valleys of the coast range
of Norway are the most taciturn of
people. A peasant calling at neigh
hor's house neither bows nor offers his
hand. He does not even take or his
cap. He simply says Good day." or
uses the customary Norwegian greet
ing. Thanks for the last" Nor is the
host distracted from whatever he is
doing by the entrance Of visitor. He
merely looks up and responds, Sod
bless you or mo thanks needed" but
his words and accent leave the visitor
in no uncertainty as To whether he is
welcome or not
When q farmer is about to take a
journey he packs his wagon, bitches up
his horse and gives his wife minute or
ders concerning the work to be done
during his absence, but il never enters
his head to mark the parting with a
..Goodby" or a pressure of the hand
There is the same absence of greeting
or any signs of satisfaction on his re-
turn He first cares for the horse and
then, surrounded by his children, who
always expect little presents upon
these occasions. he unpacks the pur
chases he has made in the city. He
does not kiss his wife nor greet her in
any way. and she, on her part does
not allow her momentary occupation To
be disturbed at all by his coming.
Old Eilert Sundt who. some forty
years ago, made laborious investiga-
ton of Norwegian customs, said to
peasant: 1T seems to me that your
wife ought to leave her work and give
you her hand and How are your
when you come home
The peasant could not restrain his
mirtl. He said: why, all the farm
hands would laugh at u.s."
did you ever hear of a farmer say
ing Good day TO his wife when he
came home?" Sundt asked.
YES" the peasant answered. There
was man In the parish good many
years ago who had that singular hab-
it,"
Love-talk and affectionate demon
STATIONS of every kind are avoided
studiously, even between parents and
children The children receive the best
possible care. 1t may be mentioned, in
cidentally, that each child has its own
little chest containing among other
things one shirt for each pear of his
life. But parents never pet children
who have left the cradle. The custom
airy Good morning, mamma" and
Good night. mamma" almost univer-
sal elsewhere, are unknown in Norway.
Even when the grown son or daugh-
ter leave the paternal roof to seek oc-
cupation elsewhere no handclasp Is ex-
pected. When the daughter leaves as
a bride she does offer her hand to her
parents, but In token, not of farewell.
but for gratitude for benefits received
In the home.
Courtship Is carried on by means of
an intermediary. usually an elderly
man. This agent calls. ON the girls
parents and after expressing his desire
to borrow pillow or buy calf and
beating about the bush gradually he
works up the real object of his visit
Ii he finds that the sutton Is acceptable
he leaves, promising to call again soon,
Meanwhile the news is impaired to the
girl. who. as a rule, is of the same
mind as her parents. as sentimental
considerations count for little with her
Months may elapse before the sutton
makes his formal offer. Next the par
ents have further parley with the aged
deputy of Hymen in regard to dowry.
wedding expenses and other details,
and then the betrothal takes place.
AS for the wedding itself it may he
remarked that it is usually as brilliant
and snowy as possible. A peculiar
cumstance is that the bride leaves her
home and Is conducted by her father to
the bridegrooms house a week before
the wedding day. On that day she sits
like a statue among her female rela-
tives and friends Her .long and usu-
ally golden hair is hanging down her
back. Her bosom is covered with gold
and silver pins and brooches adorned
with dangling disks. Around her waist
Is wound n long and magnificent girdle
made of gilded plates of silver bearing
the prettiest designs of the German
Renaissance masterpiece of old
Norwegian gold smiths work-and on
her head is the old fashioned, tall,
pointed crown, usually made of glided
silver or copper. The wedding festivi-
ties do not differ greatly from those of
other countries. There are musicians
i'm plenty. a lavish spread" and the
guests often number 300.