The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-07-26
SIDELIGHTS ON NORWAY
CUSTOMS OF THE NATION SEPA-
RATED FROM NORWAY.
Most OF the People Are Poor but High
Spirited, Devoted to Their
Home and Country.

|
Norway, the nation that has just
kicked out of the Sw% sh traces, is a
land of simple country folk-Of farm
ers and graziers and fishermen, says
correspondent of the Pittsburg Dis
patch. If all the towns were put to-
gether they would hardly make in pop
ulation a Greater Pittsburg. Yet scarce
| ly per cent of the soil of the long
struggling country is good farming
land. One-third Of the kingdom lies
within the arctic circle.
Consequently most of the people are
poor. With but few rich nelghbors tc
overawe them they are independent
and high spirited, devoted to their
homes and to their country. A short
time ago the ruling language was Dan
ish; now they are restoring to common
and literary use their ancient Morse
tongue,
Naturally enough, Norway is a para
disc for the new woman" The fair
sex is invading almost every manly
province where intellect rather than
brute strength Is the passport So they
have woman lawyers, doctors, dentists,
! pharmacists, teachers, translators, mas
sage artists and dear knows what else.
If anything, more attention is paid to
the education Of the girls than to the
training Of the boys. If you should go
n nd q hnYYGnnOQi6
would be likely to find that her educa-
ton and culture are superior to yours.
Morse girls revel in the national sport
of ski running A couple of lasses
think nothing of striking out across the
country on snowshoes for jaunt of
some hundreds of miles. This pastime
is the making Of the physical woman
hood of the Morse What they lack in
dress and style-for their waists are
never cramped-they more than make
up in overlooking health and spirits.
The most characteristic Of the In
habitants Of this winter land are the
dwellers along the banks of the fiords,
those long, narrow, rocky arms of the
North sea that make the map of the
country appear so ragged. These fish
er folk are among the most undemon-
strative people on earth. They seem
to be strangers to domestic love or to
any other warm affection. No baby Is
petted after it leaves the cradle. When
the young man or woman leaves the
paternal roof to seek his own fortune
or to get married there are no tears, no
parting kiss or handshake, not even a
goodby. One would think the youth
was merely going out to do the milk
ing. Should the young man return for
visit after an absence of months or
years he would be greeted with no
more fervor than If he had got back
| from the milking.
Ebert Smith, who some fifty years
ago investigated Norwegian customs,
said to a peasant:
1T seems to me your wife ought to
leave her work and give you her hand
and a How are your when you come
home"
The peasant could not restrain his
mirth as he said:
why, all the farm hands would
laugh at u.s."
did you ever hear of a farmer say
ing Good day to his wife when he
came homer
Yes, there was q man In the parish
good many years ago who had that
singular habit"
Friends and acquaintances among
the fiords hardly greet each other as
they pass, but this is not the case in
Christiania, the capital. There the
man doffs his hat and heartily swings
it at passing acquaintance, men or
women; the lass drops a pretty little
courtesy, after the manner Of our
Observation-Disclosures. One traveller has
written:
1t is a little alarming at first to see your
amiable lieutenant of the night before in
the park next day suddenly draw himself
up as one ossifed rid his face of all eX-
preston except that of rigidity, raise one
hand palm outward with an automatic
Jerk to his cap or helmet and remain a
moment, which seems an era to your
dazzled faculties, thus transtixed. How
ever, the attack over, his face resumes q
human expression, ana ne approaches yOu
with a beaming smile. You realize that
| the phenomenon just witnessed was mere
| ~ a military salute. But if while you
walk with this warlike friend you chance
! to meet a general, then, indeed, you shall
see something. You shall understand that
time is needed in a country where such
/ obeisances are to be performed.
Norwegians are very sociable-men
with men and women with women.
The sexes do not mingle in festal gath
erings-stag parties and hen parties
are the rule. The sexes meet, how
ever, in that distinctively Morse recre-
alton. the daily winter promenade In
the storthing parliament park, the
music for which is furnished by a gov
eminent band.