Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-09-26
BIRTHPLACE OF LIND.
Light on the Early Life Of the "swed-

dish Nightingale" in Stockholm.
STOCKHOLM, Aug. 5.--William f
Curtis In Chicago Record-Herald.- -
According to the records and tradi
tions of Stockholm Jenny Lind was
born In two places aud had neither
father nor mother. but she Is buried
In Westminster Abbey. The Official
record OF her birth in the parish
books states that her parentage is
unknown. but the woman who brought
her up to the church to be baptized
and who was believed to be her moth.
er was the widow of an army captain
named Lindborg. She afterward
married government clerk named
Lind. whose name was given to the
Swedish Nightingale when he for.
mally adopted her few weeks later.
Her reputed father was wealthy
brewer named Sshmidt, one of the
most prominent and richest business
men In Stockholm at that day. His
brewery is still running, and is owned
by his descendants. Jenny Lind was
baptized as Johanna Lindborg. and the
nickname by which she became IA
nous was given her in her childhood
There are people still living in the
city of Stockholm who knew her in.
timately, although the greater part of
her life was spent in London. Among
others is Prof. Gunter, former in
structor in the royal conservatory of
music. who retired on pension few
years ago, to whom she was at one
time engaged to he married. She
lifted him to marry Otto Goldsmith.
her accompanist upon her American
tour under the management of p. r.
Barnum. Mr.. Goldsmith is still liv-
ing in London. Their son is cap
tain in the British army and their
daughter Is married to a prominent
business man in London.
When she was ten years old she
was apprenticed to the singing master
of the royal opera in Stockholm with
a number of other girls of her age
who had fine voices. and at the age of
is made her debut In the opera Aga
ta" in the Royal Opera house, which
was torn down to make room for the
new one that stands opposite the pal
ace today. 1t is an institution of
which the people of Stockholm are
very proud
Swedish Customs.
At all the old-fashioned inns and
restaurants in Sweden it is customary
to charge less for women than for men
on the theory that they do not eat so
much. This amuses people. but it is
not so absurd as the practice of charg.
ing half-rates for children in our own
country. Anybody who has ever had
anything to do with boys or girls of
the healthy variety know that they
usually eat twice as much as the aver
age grown person. and yet at many
hotels they are taken at half-price.
At some hotels in Sweden man
and wife are charged as one and one
half persons If they occupy the same
room. A husband and wife may trav-
el as one and one-half persons by rail
way, and also by the post routes, fur
nishing their own carriage. On local
trains on most of the railroads there
is no first-class accommodation
only second and third class. This
is said to be a political measure ad-
opted by the demagogues in parlia-
ment to emphasize the theory of equal
ity among the people On all through
trains. however. there Is at least one
irst-class carraige. The railway sys-
TEN of Sweden covers nearly six thou
sand miles. About half the roads are
owned by the government; the re-
mainder by private corporations. The
cars are comfortable and well kept
and upon one of the roads there is a
dining car.
The dining stations are managed In
a peculiar manner. Twenty minutes
is allowed for breakfast, lunch or din
ner. and as soon as the train stops the
passengers rush into the dining-roOm
where the food is spread out upon a
long table. Everybody helps himself
and the scene reminds one of the
supper-room at a fashionable evening
reception at home. There will be
several platters of hot meats, fish.
stews. omelets, potatoes and yege-
tables, and startling array of sau-
sages of different Kinds. preserved fish.
and Ave or six varieties of cheese.
The hungry passenger ssizes plate.
plunges into the mob. grabs whatever
No can reach. and then carries his
provision to a table over in The corner.
where lie can sit down and leYoif 1t.
Pretty soon girl comes along and
asks h m what he wants to drlnk--tea,
cJilce or beer. and all kinds OF wine,
but nothing stronger. After he mas
'inished the first iDstallmest he can
help himself to another. il he desires
TO do so and ther, is time remaining.
Yhe,e Is no limit. and some people
Gun eat a great deal in tweaty min.
utes. AS you pass out Of the res'aur.
dni ou are intercepted near the door
by woman, to whom you pay foi
wEat yon have eaien. The charge is
generally ! krona or rs cents. for
breakfast. 2 kroner for dinner. and 3
lrouer for supper-tea. coffee beer
and vine extra
When the train is crowded The rush
for the lunch counter Is very eyc,t
ing. and will remind yon of bargain