Evening journal., 1902-09-26
GUESTS WHO WAIT
ON THEMSELVES
Inns Of Norway Plain and
Wholesome and With
Ont FriIIS

At intervals Of eight or ten miles
along the public highway, usually In
connection with the skyds stations, are
inns where the traveller win invariably
find the comforts If not the luxurles
OF life-plenty of food and shelter, bed
and board. There is no upholstered |
furniture or velvet carpets or eggshell
china, but always neat lace curtains at
every window, sometimes in the win
dows Of the stables.
A luxurious American will have to |
deny himself much that he is accus- |
toned to at home and will encounter
experiences and customs that are new
and novel to him. But If he is reason |
able In his requirements and behaves
himself like a gentleman he VIII al
ways meet with hospitable although
homely welcome. The Norwegian ho-
Tel keepers measure our appetites by
their own and give you so much to eat,
particularly at the noon dinner, that
you are stupid and sleepy all the rest
OF the day and snooze In your carriage
when you ought to be admiring the
scenery.
There Is no style about the hotels.
and the service is poor. Tho household
work is all done by the landlord and
his wife and daughters. There are no
electric bells, and II you want any
thing you usually have TO hunt for 1t
and help yourself. 1t is the custom Of
the country for the travellers to make
themselves at home, and you are some
times compelled to look after your own
luggage or it Is liable to be left. But
you will recover it again after time.
The people are honest, considerate and
unselhsh, but unpretentlous In their
hospitality. There are no locks on their
doors, for rome is needed. Burglars
and thieves IRE absolutely unknown.
The bedrooms are barren of orna-
ments and easy chairs that we are ac-
customed to at home. There are no
carpets and no rugs on the floor. All
the appurtenances are plain and sub
stantial without any effort at show
and very little idea of convenience.
The beds are good, but usually the only
cover is a comfortable seven or eight
inches thick and as heavy and un-
wieldy as a feather bed. You can't
tuck 1t In at the bottom or at the sides,
ana 1t Is always sliding off to the floor.
1t is too much covering for an ordinary
sleeper and when the nights are warm,
as they often are, you are compelled to
choose between a chill and suffOcation.
The pillows are another nuisance.
There are usually a bolster of feathers
! about the size Of barrel and a little
bit Of 4 by pillow an inch or two
thick, with pretty trimmings upon it.
I. The big pillow Is too big, and the 1T
A., tie one is two small, and you solve the
dilemma by rolling up your oyercoat
. into 4 bali and using that instead.
! There is plenty Of fresh, heavy, home
made linen-large, square towels that
have been woven under the same root
/, during the long winter days.
= The breakfast IS abundant and often
. terrifying. You are ut first confronted
!. with five or six different kinds of
J; cheese, an equal variety Of cold meats,
= timed fish, smoked herring and salm-
on, cold boiled ham, three or Pour kinds
Of cold sausage. strips Of dried rein
y deer meat and half a dozen different
! Jams and preserved fruits. You arc
~ expected to partake freely Of that SORT
OF provender and usually do so until
You learn by experience that dried fish
boiled eggs, veal outlets and other hoi
- food will soon follow if you are pa
tient. The coffee is usually good. and
? there is always an abundance Of rich
!, thick cream. There Is no warm bread
but five or six kinds of cold bread bak
!. ed from wheat, rye and oat -four be
sides the national "hatbrod." which NJ
/, Norwegian table Is ever without.
= The dinner Is a formidable AFFAIR aft
= er the fashion Of the ordinary Eu
ropean table d'hote, with soup, fish
roast, salad, preserves and pudding
- while for supper you get the same as
- sortment Of cheese, cold meats, fish
- sausage and preserves that you hav'
had for breakfast and two or three no
- dishes. Fish IS the stan Of life ant
r. salmon the malnstay. 1t is served Il
some form at every meal, fried &
.. breakfast and supper and boiled 70
- dinner, with strips of cold smokel
To- salmon Of a deep rich color on the sid
at all meals.
The lakes and rivers are well stocke
with salmon trout, which are caugh
m in nets and kept alive In tanks unit
he they are needed. You enjoy them tn
,s first five or six meals, but after 20
m have had them seventeen or eightee
III times in succession they begin to los
he their relish. Beer is the ordinary beN
,r. erage Everybody drinks 1t. Glare
ed and Rhine wine can be had at the lal
rs ger hotels, but never any whisky
,s- brandy or other strong liquors. Loci
he option prevails throughout Norwa!
d. ana in the country districts the sale {
~ w