The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-22
QUEER FOLK, THOSE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE SHORES
OF THE FJoRDs OF NORWAY.

queer customs of These People Who
never Bow or Offer Their Hands
"hen Calling At . Neighbor's
House.
inhabitants Of the shores Of the
uords and the valleys of the coast ranpe
OF Norway are the most taciturn Of
people. A peasant calling at a neigh
nors house neither bows nor offers bis
n nanu' he does not even take of his
~ap. ne simply says Good day." or
USE; uses 1he customary Norwegian greet
hg Ihanks for the last" Nor is the
iiost distracted from whatever he ia
uolng py the entrance of a visitor. He
tsserely LOOKS up and responds, God
oiess you" or NO thanks needed" but
ms words and accent leave the visitor
IN no uncertainty as to whether he is
welcome or not.
When a farmer is about to take a
Journey he packs his wagon, bitches uu
nus horse and gives his wife minute or
GERS concerning the work to be done
curing his absence, but it never enters
nls mead TO mark the parting with
GoodDy" or pressure Of the hand.
Inere 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 a hborious investiga-
tlon 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
mirth. 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 a good many
years ago who had that singular hab-
it."
demon.
STATIONS Of every kind are avoided
studiously, even between parents and
children. The children receive the hest
possible care. 1t may be mentioned. in
c1dentally, 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 &C.
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 a pillow or buy a calf and
! beating about the bush gradually ne
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 1t may be
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 bridegroom's house 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 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 oldfashiOned, 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
in plenty, a lavish spread" and the
: guests often number 300.