The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-31

end of the Napoleonic wars Sweden ana
Norway were Joined together, which
they had not been for three centuries
and Denmark became one of the little
but prosperous nations of the world. (
suppose It is about one-flfth as large
as the state OF Kansas and has lot
of poor soil, but it supplies England
with fresh country butter and eggs,
raises a good grade of cattle and has
a seaport which does a lot of business
with the countries Of northern Eur
o0e.
There is a great difference between
the Danes and the Germans. They look,
eat, drink and talk in different IAN
Euages. The Scandinavian blonde begins
in Denmark and in spite of the faet
that the two countries are only divided
by an artificial line, the sturdy, blue
eyed Dane does not look any more ike
a German than he does like French
man. He doesn't eat so often. he drinks
stronger liquor, and he has a reserved,
somewhat cold manner of greeting. like
the English. The Danish language IS
first cousin to the Swedish and looks
when written like it might be related
to the English. But the Danish Ian
guage as spoken resembles nothing that
l can think of unless it be the filing OF
saw The money of Denmark (and
Sweden and Norway use the same cur
rency) also goes off on a tack by itself.
The unit of value is the kroner, worth
about 81 American cents, and it Is d.
vided into 100 oere. The close and eco
nomicaI ways of the Dane may be in
ferred from the fact that the zone
oere," worth q quarter of cent. IS
coin used in business and is asked or
taken as regularly as Kansan uses a
nickel The Danes have the reputation
of being honest and close. They want
every oere that IS coming to them. For
more than a century they have been
market gardeners. traders and carriers
for nothern Europe. Up to about so
r44t a
passing through ore sound, the strait
which divides Denmark from Sweden
and through which all vessels for north
ern Germany. Russia and Sweden had
to pass. They finally sold this right
for about 20 million dollars to the
northern nations who Clipped in to get
relief from the tax few years ago
Germany constructed q canal at Kiel,
in the lower German end of the PENN
sula and boats no longer have to go
around. but they generally do unless in
a hurry as the canal charges are con-
siderable.
The farms Of Denmark are small and
the products are mostly vegetables and
hay Every COW is battered and laria-
ted curried and combed, and looked af-
ter like a member of the family. The
barns and houses are substantially
built, for the weather gets cold in the
winter time. The country has the ap-
pearance of thrift and the Danes look
able to take care Of themselves.
The capital city, Copenhagen, is the
big end of the country, having about
half the population, more than 500, 600
people It is not only the seat of the
government but it is the trading point
for nearly all Of Denmark. During
the last century it has grown greatly
and does not have much of the ap-
pearance of age or the peculiarities Of
medieval architecture. A few good
fires have helped some and monarch
or two has exercised absolute power,
so that there are many wide streets
and all buildings are handsome and
! we'll constructed of stone. The royal
| family of Denmark has the reputation
| of furnishing more brides to other
\ royal families than any other in
/ Europe Queen Alexandra. of Eng
! One brother is king of Greece.
The fact is that Denmark is
so small and so respectable that any
country which needs king or a bride
4 for a king cannot do better than by
/ going to Denmark for the deal, as no
one will get mad and they are sure of
a careful, economical, industrious
I Dane. a great Improvement for the
ordinary European court The mar
rage of the royal folks in Europe Is
still conducted on political lines. with
the hope that the bride and groom will
learn to like each other All of these
weddings are arranged by the kings
and cabinets of the several countries
/ with the some discriminating Judg-
ment that the king of Denmark uses
/ in increasing the standards of his
cows. A European king has a good
lob in some respects but there are
drawbacks and this marrying business
Is one of them. Left to himself every
body knows that a king would pick out
/ wife who was either pretty or bright
The supply of pretty and bright girls
/ is exhausted in royal families so the
king who wants wife has to take
/ what is best for him. just as a little
boy has to take medicine. An ordi-
nary American girl would make a SEN
sation for beauty and brilliancy in
any court in Europe, judging from the
| pictures of the royal ladies and the
/ accounts OF their lives. The stock is
running low. And therefore the court
! of Denmark which has bred a lot OF
good, plain and honest aprincesses has
had the top of the market for several
years.
The greatest thing in Copenhagen is
| not the harbor. nor the royal palace. nor
even the porcelain factory, which is
next, but the Thorvaldsen museum.
This is a collection Of the works. OF
copies Of the works. OF the greatest
sculptor the world has ever known.
There is a clearness. of design and q
simplicity of execution which make his
work to my mind better than of the
masters of Rome or the teachers OF
Greece. ThOrvaldsen was born in
4 Copenhagen and after the usual trou-
s bles Of a young artist. received an APP
roiutrr1prf from f1.- ara DENY IN a r1ace