The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-22

iron and provided good lock. Then
he called his children and asked them to
promise not to open the box under any
circumstances unless the family should
be in sore straits, but to take the best
care of it always.
The children promised and the box re-
manned unopened for six or seven gen
erations. No one decided any help and
no one gave in to mere curiosity to
know what the old grandfather had
time wore on the family died out and
a few years ago there was still living
only one direct descendant of the old
chestmaker. He broke the traditions
Of the family and married beneath his
station, taking servant girl for his
wife. Some few years thereafter he
ried. Thus the strong box passed en-
tirely out of the direct line.
The Chest Opened.
The new owner sold the homestead
but kept the box. For some time he
respected the old Injunction and it re-
ago his curiosity got the best of him
and he turned the key. The box was
tools for hanndicraft. Evidently the old
grandfather desired to give his children
lesson on the value Of work, it's saving
grace. But if he had done no more it
might have proved a cruel joke. AS
grasped the box by the handles to carry
it out and chop it up. Then one end
piece slipped out of his hand-it was
fitted in neat groove, the box being
somewhat narrower near the bottom.
And near the bottom a4n was a, secret
for it was filled with silver coins.
There were $50 pieces of Danish silver,
each 200 years or more old, in it's day a
small fortune. r. -.
The strong box was not destroyed,
and now:it can be seen with most of its
coins still there and protected with q
glass cover and otherwise carefully
Treasured in the remarkable collection
called the Landvig collection, up in the
public park. This silver money is the
best proof of the truth Of the story, T
was told. No one had been compelled
to fall back on this unknown treasure.
The. old man had taught his children
The Landvig Collections.
And all this brings to mind another
| closely connected with this chest.
| About score of years ago or more, a
young man, q dentist, left his native
Norway for Germany. But ill-health
compelled him to return. He settled
T here in Liliehammer, a small place of
5000 people, and set resolutely to work
to build up his health and clear off his
received specialization for inventions
Ali Of this would hardly be worth
mentioning if it were not for hobby he
| cultivated at spare times. This hobby
grew and he cultivated it the more with
| a Of foe nd n1,.r
Landvig was q lover of antiquities and
started a. modest collection almost as
soon as he began to practice. It grew
and he bought entire old houses and in
the course of time his private garden
was filled. Even Baedeker mentioned
too much for. private enterprise and
represented fair sized fortune.
| Then a local society was formed to
take it off his hands. The city council
granted the use of a park on the hill:
side. Adjacent land was bought and
removed to its new and more worthy To-
ago. But it did not n5 stop growing. Dr.
Landvig was elected CONSERVATION, a po
sition he has filed it is needless to say
without salary. More buildings were
bought and Gr9e;-erected, and more objects
there are eleven buildings, including q
small doll house or play house, which Is
not officially reckoned with the others
Seven of these are grouped around 9
charming small lake. Four others form
Gently the society has acquired another
treasure-an entire "gaard' or estab
lishment, consisting of score or more
of structures, which will soon be re-
erected in another part of the park.
Opened to the Public.
This summer the collection was
ing and festivities, with visitors galore
from Norway and Sweden, and numer
GUS tourists from foreign lands.
The. group, Of seven consists Of {
charming little fisheries chapel, built il
l549, before the reformation, and with
thru the belfry in the roof. Near it i!
the earliest type. of Norwegian farm
house-no floors, no windows, no chin
I ney. A fireplace in the center and
hole in the roof to let the smoke out
This hole was covered with an oiled skin
to let in the light when the smoke hat
disappeared, and it was necessary tt
= weather. There are also two small open
ings thru which the inhabitants coulc
shoot the invader. This building il
about as old as the chapel. I shoult
perhaps state, that all the buildings ar
Of logs.
Nearby is parsonage, so-called cap
tain s house, another farmhouse with s
, fireplace in the corner, but no chimney
and a supply house for food and clothes
: The group of four houses consists Of
one residence for winter use, with small
windows and low ceilings. One fol
summer, a splendid structure, with {
second story at one end for the young
lady. Of the house. And one building
for banquets. This last is exceedingly
, interesting. At one end Of the very
: large room is a long table Of planks
five inches thick, and benches secured
to the wall. Above this is CALLER,
, right under the roof timbers. Here thu
:, guests were slowed away for the night
packed like behring's in a frkin. In
corner is a fireplace, but the food wa
prepared in another building. The enc
of the building opposite the table wa
: cut off partly by a low wall or screen
Hitler the women retired for chatting
!, when the men had begun the drinking
: after the eating was finished.
!. A Drinking Bench.
By the way, Herr Landvig called m,
attention to a bench against the wall
It had a reversible back, like seat il
one Of our railway coaches. Now, whel
. man got SO drunk he could sit u
! no longer, he would lie down on thi
j. bench. Then a servant or some goot
neighbour; not quite so far gone woul,
], raise thes back, and there the poor fel
: low, could snuglY sleep off his DRUM