Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-10-17
CONCORD OF SWEDEN.
Mora, battle-ground of National Lib
erty, Visited by William E.
Curtis.

MORO, Sweden, Aug. 2S.-(William
E. Curtis in Chicago Record-Herald)
The little village OF Mora is cele-
brated in Scandinavian history as the
Lexington or Concord OF the reyolu-
tion for Swedish independence in the
earlier part of the sixteenth century.
Gustavus Eriksson Vassa, native of
TINS region and son of a local magis-
trate, is called the father of his coun-
try. He was educated in Denmark,
and was committed to prison by
Christian H.. known as Christian the
1yrant, for imprudent speech. He
managed to escape. however, and ar
irving at home learned that eighty
two of the most prominent. honorable
and influential men of Sweden, no.
bles, clergymen and burghers, among
them his own father, had been put to
death IN the public square at Stock
holm in Il most treacherous manner.
having gathered in compliance with q
request for conference with the
king. The massacre is known in
history as Stockholm's blood bath
Bursting with fury, Indignation and
pallloLloiu, ouSldNuS DGu 10 lJtlttdG-
liza. his native country. and, walking
disguised from village to village, en-
deavored to rouse the neighbors and
friends of his father to avenge his
death by overthrowing the tyrant.
But no one would would believe his
story or enlist under his banner and
the Danish authorities. hearing of his
movements, set price upon his head
and sent company of soldiers after
him. AT one time he was so near
capture that he was compelled to con
ceal himself in a load of hay, and
was wounded by the spears that the
soldiers thrust into the load, suspect
ing that he was there. But he man
aged to escape and made his way 10
the house of Ar ndt Person, a friend
of his father. who lived near the town
of Borlange, upon promontory eX-
tending into the lake of Siljan. He
there asked for shelter. and related
his experience and his plans.
Person went to the Danes and of
fered to betray Vassa into their hands
if he were paid the reward His
wife, Barbro Stiggsdotter, having dis
covered her husbands treachery
awakened Vassa in the night and low
cred him from his window by tying
sheets together. Closely pursued.
Vassa fed through, the forest until
nearly exhausted when he sought ref
uge in the log cabin OF Tom Mats
Larsen, peasant in the Villages of
utmedland. Margt, Larsen's wife,
who was engaged in brewing her ale
for Christmas, hurried him into the
cellar and placed her ale vat over the
trap door. while the soldiers We're on
search of the house. There Nassa
was concealed for seven days, until
his pursuers departed.
Unable to arouse his fellow country
men, he started for Norway, where he
hoped for better success. In the
meantime the people of Dalecarlia
learned the particulars of the blood
bath at Stockholm, and held mass
meeting which sent two men on snow
shoes after Vassa and called him
back. He made an address to the
people on the bank of Lake Siljan,
where has been erected the monu-
ment | described the other day, and
there organized the movement of
which he was chosen leader, and
which resulted in overthrowing
Christian H., driving the Danes from
Sweden and founding the Vassa dy-