The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-01

can mower or reaper or threshing ma
chine, but the greater part of the work
upon the small farms is done by women,
and they use heavy, awkward, home
made tools. On account of the necessity
of practicing economy, the low price of
labor and their isolated situation, farm
hands in Norway are expected to do any,
thing that is necessary about the place,
and-rhe Norwegian farmer is a JACKPOT
all-trades. He grinds his own rye and
barley, shoes his own horse, makes his
own hoes and rakes, whites out the
handles during the long winter evenings,
and Is usually able to replace or repair
both household and outdoor utensils. In
this respect the country is a hundred
years behind the age.
1t is common, too, for shoemakers, tai
lors, cabinetmakers, chimney sweapers.
tinkers and other mechanics to travel
like Methodist ministers on the frontier.
These itinerants have regular circuit
and carry stocks of goods as Well as re-
pair tools on their backs. They go from
house to house. and. being expected once
in so often, work is kept for them. If a
pair of boots needs mending they are
laid aside until the shoemaker comes; II
there Is anything the matter with the
clock, If the tinWare in the kitchen leaks,
if any of the china is broken or any
other article of household use cannot be
mended by the folks at home, 1t is laid to
one side until the peddler comes around.
He is a journeyman in fact as well as In
theory, and receives his board and lodg-
ing at whatever house he happens to be
at bedtime or when the dinner bell rings.
Notwithstanding the emigration from
Norway, the farms in this part of the
country and in fact throughout the In
terror of the kingdom have been in
creasing in value, although husbandry
has been depressed by low prices, high
wages, high taxes and other causes Of
complaint. This is not true in any other
part of Europe. The total valuation OF
real estate throughout the entire king
dom of Norway is probably between 16
and 20 per cent greater than it was
twenty-five years ago.
For this reason new farms are being
opened all the time on the slopes of
the mountains which have been stripped
Of timber. When q Norwegian farmer
takes up a. new piece of land, ne cuts
down the timber, roots up the stumrs
and then digs UP the stones and stacks
them in piles at different intervals, not
only to hold down the farm and keep
it from blowing away during the windy
winters, but in order to give him a
chance to plough and cultivate the soil.
The stones are also used for fences.
They have the thickest and the high
SSl SIOtlS 1OHSCS you ever Sd" 4AiElO 10
really no necessity for them, but it is
a good way. to get rid of the stones. In
almost every field at certain intervals
are piles of stone which have been gath
cred up to escape the plow, and the
patient farmer has to keep digging them
out and raking them off all the rest of.
mis- life. That is also the most unsatis-
factory job that can be given to small
boys. They would rather do anything
than. pick UP stones. but fate has de-
creed that those who have the honor of
being born and bred in the land Of the
vikings shall begin their careers in that
way. / used to know very rich man
who was born down in the eastern part
of Maine, and ran away from home be-
cause his father made him pick up stones
from the different fields of the farm and
place them in piles along the roadside.
He said that he considered it the most
humiliating occupation a human being
could engage in His soul rebelled
against it, and for that reason he packed
his few belongings in a pillow case one
night, went to New York upon a lumber
barge as a stowaway and became
millionaire. His fate should be a warn
ing to all the small boys in Norway. =,