Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-07-26

7
world, and within itself to have to de
bate the same great labor questions,
the same problems of social and poiit-
ical economy that vex taat outside
world. An increasingly industrial life
has built rich baronial mansions on
Swedish estates. It has made Sweden
figure 1t has given Sweden the
cosmic feeling.
Here is another, aid the widest, ma
tional difference. Across the mountains
the Norwegians live more nearly the
life they have lived since the Sagas.
Industry has not SO strongly seize
upon them. Christiania several years
ago led the simple life of village. 1t
then was composed OF some 100, 900
reople-60, 900 of whom, by the way,
we're Olsons It's life was the easy
going life of = town in Saxony. In
1904 Stockholm had 10000 telephones
n use--more than those in New York
itsef, more than London had, more
an Paris, and nearly as many as Ber-
lin. The telephone jangles all day long
On the walls of almost every farm
house in Sweden. This is partly
cheapncss; it is mostly that the Swed-
ISL turn of mini inclines 20 the more
,apid lie that goes wi / the telephone.
Across the liyide-welI. here are in
stances Tn in the Lotto len fisheries
not Ions ago a traveller was present at
a Sunday service in the church attend
ca bv some 5000 fisher folk who had
congregated there for the seasons
.atch. Every man Of them came with
lbs hymnbook The preacher got up
and in a simple solemn way men
toned the fact that next year, when
/ thev came to that place to fish again
many Of them wouli not come along
/ they were going some place else. This
meant set &ous business, he said. II
meant that they were going to give an
account Of themselves. 1t was time
/ to begin hating wrong and thinking Of
God There was nothing sensational
/ in what he said. but men cried. They
/ had looked about over the congrega-
riou and missed old friends. They had
looked into faces that had smiled
meaning things into their own. They
came cut Of the church silent and
thinking. And the traveller said it
was as impressive as anything he
could imagine.
That was typical Of the Norwegians.
They are the sort Of people who are
sincere in their epitaphs. Even in
moments OF the most violent anger
they dc not curse. They ara simple
forward in their lovemaking. The
;cung man does his counting in the
II presence u the whole family. and in
competition with dozen Of his eager
ami otprising fellows The stranger
within their gates is courteously treat
cd while stranger. II he visits the
region again and again. he is taken
in with affection Every Saturday
ul5ht the population takes unanim-
Gus bath The climate demands that
this shall be done In Russian fashion.
There is a special house proviied-a
large square space A fire is built,
stones are heated RED hot. water is
dashed upon them. and in the fiery
steam the people hop about and scrape
0Hc another and perspire, while out
lie he snow crackles in air that is
forty below zero. On mis- first appear
auce in the place the stranger is left
TO take nI5 5a5h unaccumraAied. in
proud seclusion. Pae'. he has been
taken iato the hearts Of the people,
he battles with then. Ell famnle. OH
ami young. of both sexes, resort to the
tathhouse in a simple and dtgpified
matter-oT-fact way. render each otEel
indispensable assistance in dashing
water over unreachable areas Of back,
and then run nome en- masse through
he bracing zero air. Caesar was as
tcnished at the like among the Ger
rans Of his time. The Norwegian life
Of ours Is as rugged and As straight
out of the heart of unspoiled nature.
/ Across the line the Swedish char
acter has in it something of the Greek.
The people are more vivacious. They
love music They patronize the opera,
Their schools are thorough and the
l
and Christianity from their first years.
/ But by tuition and by nature they ac-
quire a dash OF craft. Stockholm is
fond Of gossip. II h4s a society graft.
ed on the court-but that is of a piece
with society anywhere else Life above
4 certain level the whole world over
becomes much the same. But among
the middle classes. the prosperous
bourgeois. there is a curious. a quaint
love of display. The merchant. the
doctor. dimes at six. He then takes
his family to a lecture. a concert, or Ia
some club or gar, n Then he has his
supper at ten. and always at a restaur
ant. Here he loves to extend himself
Everybody Is doing the same He is
known to an the town. He Is aware
that all his private concerns are the
everyday talk OF all his acquaintauces
They know his income the state of his
business his mode If life et home
Nevertheless ha must throw himself
II he IS entertaining friends there is
10 len-.h me- viii not go in the lavish,
ne~s IF his hospitality-not so much
0tht hc may give pleasure 20 his guest
h0i that hr may be seen in the act OF
. giving +. He will pinch at home for
months 20 rocoup himself for such a
burst of extravagance-and thinks
.votbinR Of II, for all his confr- res in.
variahly do The same.
In Norway the same spirit Of hospi