The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-06-28

.-~'1e III. a v'nn cran ol vlnuvrs, ana
occasional f1eck Of SCOT seems only to
enhance the prevailing Wilderness.
How the "DeautffuI' Is.
Moreover. the snow has that peculiar
crystalline character occasionally seen in
America, which gives every field the APP
pearance. as the sun shines on it, of be-
ing strewn with countless diamonds. I
have walked over the diamond floors of
Kimberley and thrust my hand into the
,pulsator, where the diamonds and gravel
and garnets were being washed, and
have seen the assorted gems spread out
on the counters, but I never saw in South
Africa anything half SO fascinating as
these snow diamonds of Sweden.
Another. charm, of this. winter clinate,is
It's perfect stiffness. Perhaps it some
times blows in Northern Sweden, but
there is seldom a gale and I saw nothing
that could be called breeze in the course
of nearly a week. Morning after morn
ing the smoke rose from the chimneys
either to the north or south or east or
west. For weeks at a time the same
snowfalls clothe the pine trees. and is not
shaken off by the passing breeze.
For hours every morning the boar frost
rests on every twig and twiglet, on every
tree and telegraph wire, and is not DIS
turbed by the lightest zephyr. This absc-
lutte frosty calm is one of the peculiar
charms Of this Swedish winter and makes
1t possible to endure a degree Of cold
without suffering, which in a windy coun-
Try would be unbearable.
cng o S 6sS%eeh h2 tx Hfn an d
Gell1vare the scenery, part from the
snow charms. IS neither magnificent nor
| impressive. There is much of quiet love-
illness and in summer the abundant green
cry, the dashing brooks and the many
lakes add their own charm and make up
for the loss OF the snow.
Still there are many imposing and
memorable views in this Journey If
should say that between Langsele and
Hasjo the scenery was unusually fine,
these names would not mean much to
most of my readers. Here, half way be-
tween Stockholm and the arctic circle, the
view Widens out, lovely valleys with
wide rushing streams that even in winter.
unfettered, go leaping to the sea, and
high hills all of the white mountains"
of course. stretching to the horizon.
But whether it is the near beauty of
the white trees and hedge rows or the
distant beauty of the white hills the eye
never gets tired of this exquisite sparkling
purity.
If you look at the map of Sweden in
which the rivers and lakes are traced in
pale blue as IN the railway map which &C
companies the indispensable travellers
guide the whole of Sweden looks like
delicate, well-bred hand, covered with
blue veins. White blood seems to run in
these veins at this time of year to be
sure, but you can see where the lakes
lie, nestled among the hills, and every
now and then a stream breaks it's white
letters and comes leaping and gurgling
down the hills, as though laughing at the
attempts of the frost to bind or check it.
The day passes none too slowly, and
about o'clock the sun, which has been
circling few yards above the horizon,
drops below it again, and for two hours
leaves behind him remembrance in the
twilight, which is so slow in passing in
these northern latitudes.
Wear Fur Coats.
My fellow passengers and the country
people at the stations afford Interesting
studies when the scenery, because Of it's
constant loneliness, grows monotonous.
Every man in the car has a. heavy fur
overcoat, which he hangs up in the cor
ridor while in the car and religously puts
on whec. he ste pa ut.Why he wears it
Go not understand, for though I am clad
in the same garments. without and with
in, that are fitted to a New England WIN
ter, am quite warm enough. But I sup
pose 1 have struck mild spell.' and
doubtless there are many days when a
fur coat is none too warm, Every man,
too, puts on his ''goloshes,' though he
steps out of the car but for moment, !
and though the snow is dry and hard. The |
railway stations blaze with the ADVERTISE
ments Of "goloshes." which, naturally,
ere large article of industry and cost
about the same as our rubbers and
''arctics'' in America.
The neat stations usually built Of hewn
logs, are disfgured with many ADVERTISE
ments.
The peasants at the stations always
form the most interesting groups. Here
comes a woman shutting along the
oiphf
long, SO that her wooden snow shoes if
stood on end are nearly three feet taller
than she is herself. Here is little rosy
faced girl standing upon peculiar Swed-
ish sled. With one foot planted on the
runner of her skeleton sled she propels
herself, haif-running, half-coasting, at a |
rapid gait On the middle of the light
runners are two uprights some four feet
high, and in front of the uprights little
seat, on which is strapped her baby
sister. f1axen haired and ruddy checked
like herself.
= Here comes a man driving a long
Swedish sledge, in which one can bury
himself in the hay and robes and stretch
out and go to sleep.
The Panorama Passes.
Thus the constant panorama comes and
goes, and is never tiresome. At many of
the stations you can get good cup of
tea or coffee if you choose for 25 ore G
cents), and three or four times a day
you can, if you wish, get a square meal,
and always good one, for about half
a dollar.
About noon of the second day from
Stockholm, if you Ike sharp lookout,
you will see by the re adside white sign
beard, and on the board in black letters
the word 'polcirkcln,' and yol. know that
you have crossed the imaginary line that
divides the temperate from the arctic
zone. Soon after the train pulls up at a
station that bears the same name, POL
cirkeln,' and stops long enough for you
to pace up and down few times on arctic
60. 800. or. rather at this time of year, on
srcAc sh6W and perhaps t2 buy picture
postal card Of the station, for the pic
ture postal card craze has gone far be-
yond the arctic circle. -
But the arctic zons bears a striking re-
semblance to the north temperate. The
trees grow smaller and more stunted as
you go north, vegetation becomes almost
| impossible except for potatoes and a few
hardy cereals, but the snow landscape is
! just as beautiful, the air as "tonicky''
| and bracing, the sun as bright and the
frosty trees as brilliant and sparkling.
! The wonder is, judging from our own
continent, that any one can live or any
tree grow in this region. This latitude
is abreast Of Central Greenland. Draw
a lire across the Atlantic and it would
go north of iceland altogether, which
| does not touch the arctic circle. Extend
| it and it would strike Northen Hudson