The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-06-28
EapIand in &,mter
Journey Well Beyond the Arctic Cir
Gle,

~ APLAND in winter!'' ar
% u gued my friends when I
proposed the trip, why
R don't you strike out for the
north pole and done with
t"' But their sympathy was wasted, for
a visit to the arctic zone in winter is now
very easy and comfortable journey for
those VINO DO not mind long hours Of rail-
way travel and spice of adventure
My work was finished in Stockholm and
a very cordial welcome I had found in
the churches for the principles and prac-
1lces or the Christian Endeavor societies.
MY next appointments were in Norway
and, instead of going by the usual route
that runs more or less due west from
Stockholm to Christiana, I resolved to
take the great northern loop by way Of
Trondjeim and besides that to take a de-
tour of four days which would land me
at Geiiivace, fifty miles beyond the arctic
circle. Besides duty conceded with in
clination, for there are Christian Endea-
Vor societies in some of these arctic
towns, and good prospect of MANY
more. Straight north with a few mini
portant reflections the railway runs from
SWeden's beautiful capital on the Baltic
to kiruna, an unfrozen arctic port in
Norway, in the land of the midnight SIM
and the midday moon.
1t Is possible to get through to the Arc
TIC ocean on construction trains even now,
with very few miles of sledge travel.
and by next September the road will be
completed and accepted by the Swedish
government that is building it.
IT was bright, crisp evening in the
middle of February that I started from
stockholm, such day as is so common in
the late winter in this charming land. II
is not warm enough to melt or cold
enough to Jingle, but the perfection of
bright, sparkling winter weather. For
days at time the thermometer will req
lister perhaps degrees below the freez-
ing point in the morning and 10 below at
noon, and then drop to 10 or Is or 20 be-
low at night again. It is weather to be
depended upon; no blowing hot or blow
ing colo; no sloppy, slushy days ana ~
ter nights; no winds that search your
Joints and marrow, but steady going, hon
est, reliable winter weather.
AS I said, I left Stockholm in the even
ing for this forty-f7e- hour journey due
north, which was to take me well beyond
the arctic circle. The compartment to the
corridor car which was to be my home for
the next two days and nights was a cosy
little room fitted up with all the necessi-
ties which an old traveller needs, and
even some OF the luXuries which he could
dispense with.
Upholstered from the floor to the CELL
Ing with soft-fgured plush in which blues:
ana browns predominant (none of your,
staring reds), lighted with two gas lets
which I could screen at my pleasure with;
olue silk curtain that just fits the;
globe; warmed, at my discretion, by pull
ing a handle one way or the other to:
turn on the heat from the engine or shut
II OH; with plenty of soft cushions and
lOur racks over my head for my belong
'ngs, and little table for my books and,
writing papers, who couldn't be happy:
IN such little house of his own on!
wheels?
just Like Home.
My limited knowledge Of Swedish even
enabled me to read at least one Of the
notices in my comp lrtment in blue letters
on white enamel, which ran:
Spottning Pa Golfret Ar Forbidden"
Surmising that "golfret'' meant carpet,
und, exercising very little Yankee wit
&c translate the other words, recognized
them as reproductions of a similar wise
PROMOTION which of late years is becon,-
ing common in our cars at home.
Outslde my compartment, along the
x-:"- 4ehgth Ct the car, ran a corridor
ss:s,:'::-.g access 10 windows On the other
side, through which l could see by means
OF the glass doors that shut one in, when
wished TO be exclusive.
Inc compartment was meant for two
people, but travel being light at this time
OF year, l was tolerably certain of hay-
ing it all to myself throughout the long
journey.
Ana vet this roomy luxury was only I,
seto1d-class carriage. and for it I had
10 pay out 81 cr.'wns, or less than $3.50
TOR "A distance Of nearly $50 miles,
Inc sleeping car accommodations, for
THIS was a sleeping as we'll as a day
coach, cost SO cents more each night.
! 1" hoG 70 ;rI,
OF sheets and pillow cases and blankets
l must pay yet 81 cents more
however 1t must be said, that I had q
com binatiCn ticket which brought ma
1ack through Norway to Stockholm again.
and which reduced by at least one
e1shth the cost of each section of the
Journey. It must be further said that in
other parts CT Sweden the cost is proper
ucnately more-the rates to the far north
being put low doubtless to encourage
tcaVel. These very low rates can be af-
!orded since the government depends for
It's revenue net on the passenger traffic,
pvt on the freight Of iron ore from the
gr!t: ir? 12- mountains IN Ct Gellivare. &c.,.
The advocates Of goVtfhment control Of
our cWn railways would get much en-
enlargement should thew examine the
Swedish system. This system is not only
TIE largest of any country in the world
III proportion to the population, but 1t
lays good dividends, is almost absolutely
safe for life and limb Of passengers and
employees, and the trains have the re-
markable habit of being quite invariably
en- time. For two weeks have travelled
s!..-cct continuously on the Swedish gov
t-.-....t .ci.TTays, and scarcely has the
!--l;z; ccE-c to q single station minute
behind time. BY, consulting my Watcn
and the time table I could always tell
where was before I saw the name OF the
Etat:on.
Two hours after leaving Stockholm the
train passed through the famous univer-
city town Of Upsala, with its great cathe-
dral. its university of 1870 students and
It's library of 2JO,U:W volumes.
Bat we are bound for Lapland, and fo1
the present cannot be beguiled by even
such academic attractions.
Early the next morning the train stops
ut Brooke tor breakfast, some 800 miles
north of Stccknol n, and the daylight dc.
Fights Of arctic travel begin. But first
coed breakfast fortif1es us for the pleas.
u-es OF the day. and a very substantial
breakfast it is. Nc cup of coffee and dr.,
rcll satisfies your sturdy Goth in thu
morning. as such provisions do his Latir
ne1ghbors in the south. "You must have
a good stark (strong) breakfast" said q
Swedish friend to me, ''since you have Sc
much to do and he carried out his in.
SIIactioIiS IN practice.
Substantial Menu
My FELLOW passengers sauntered into tn,
breakfast room at Bracke and first at
tackled with vigor the bread and butte,
table," which was spread with bewii
deIlng variety of cold meats, picked fish
cheese and bread and butter; then, whel
their appetltes were we'll whetted, the.
settled down to the more substantial han
and Cggs. heefsteak, fish and coffee, TO
all of which they paid about As cent