Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-07-23
GIRL WAS THEIR VALET.
Natives of0celand Is a Surprise
to Most Visitors.

Travellers in Iceland see much that
gives them cause for wonder, so
strange it, is in comparison to that
with which they have become familiar
in other countries. 1t is the custom
there for the eldest daughter, or in her
absence the wife, to disrobe and put
under the furs the visitors who tarry
the night, be they strangers or neigh
bors. DR.. William Lee Howard, who
spent some time in that frozen region
OF the north, relates the following ex-
perience of himself and correspond
ent whom he designates as ''Dick," says
the Chicago Chronicle.
after sitting in the little room that
comprised the parlor, bedroom, kitch-
en-, nursery and gynecaeum, and is the
main part of the hut, we made signs
that we wanted to go to sleep.
The hosts eldest daughter led us
through the small, narrow passages
into dark room, about five feet by six,
the only other room in the hut besides
the one we had first entered, and evil
IDENTIFY intended for storeroom
through the long winter. In height
it compared favorably with the rest of
the room; to stand up meant either
destruction to the roof or your head;
the only light admitted came through
small piece of translucent sealskin
IN the side of the wall, and so cleverly
fastened as to keep out the cold. The
only attempt at civilization was fau-
teuil ingeniously made out of whale
nd
piled up in one corner, upon which ]
saw, with great misgivings, our fair
concierge deposit a bowl of skier and
bottle of schnapps, and / knew that
Icelandic hospitality would not suffer
such breach of etiquette as to have
any of either left in the morning.
"As the maidRn tarried, Dick. as "a
sort of initiative hint. began to remove
his top boots, which operation, in spite
of his approximations, the maiden in
sisted on doing, and not being accus-
toned to that style of pedal covering
gave her some trouble and us a good
deal of sport. Then off came his stock
ings; then she made him stand erect
as possible in the prescribed limits and
Invested him of his REFER.
eat this point of the proceedings
had fit of laughing. and it occurred
to Dick that he would like to have
some of the laugh on his side So he
made signs for her to go in sections.
and to begin with me; she understood
t and began her duties as hostess
to me.
Having read that this process of
being put to bed was custom still ex-
tant, while some writer's who had only
been to Reykjavik claimed that it was
obsolete, 1 was fully determined to
solve the question myself. and so hero
ically resigned myself to her will,
knowing that whatever was done
would be in the same unconcerAed and
| innocent manner in which hostess of
our country would show guest to his
apartment.
81 also had curiosity to see how she
would get on with all the little in
| tricacies that were involved in the
habiliments of a traveller. She sue
ceeded very we'll until she came to my
jersey, which was very tight-fitting
one. She had tried almost every con
ceivable way when it dawned upon her
that it came off with my trousers, upon
which she began, but Dick. getting in
state of uproarious laughter, she
changed her base of operations and
finally surrendered to him, who very
soon had me peeled"
SKIN FOR sKIN-GRAFTING.