The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-01


reluctantly but voluntarily accepted by
Norway, it was a good deal like tying
two cats together over a clothes line.
There was bound to be trouble. The
NorWegianS had an independent gov
eminent but they thought the Swedish
king played Swedish favorites and they
We're always on the lookout for at
tempts OF Sweden to fudge on NorWay's
rights. A year ago the feeling came
to head and by unanimous vote the
congress of Norway decided to cut loose
from Sweden and allegiance to King
Oscar. Under old conditions this would
have been ground for a war. The SWed-
ish people would have backed their
king to a finish. But he was old and
sensible He realized that it Is no long
er possible to conquer an unwilling peo-
pie. So Oscar decided to let the Nor
wegians go their way in peace and the
union was dissolved. The peninsula,
which IS 1,10O miles in length and var
les in width from $50 to 4S5 miles, is
divided equally between the two king
doms, with Russia tapping over in the
Lapland end at the north.
It is strange how very important
things sometimes appear which al other
times are matter of-cOurse. I always
remember my first visit to Niagara
Falls as the place 1 had the best sand
witch I ever met, for I had been a good
many hours without eating. My first
impression of Sweden was received on
no dinner, a good square meal. It was
the first time I had seer. any real bread
and butter since I left home for in
Germany they gave US hard French
rolls without butter I was introduced
to two kinds of Swedish bread" one
a composition which tasted like shred
ded wheat biscuit and looked like a cold
waffle the other black and a little sour.
But along with these breads they
brought the real thing. the butter and
h. -f77I -r+tt1
Sweden forthwith. It is beautiful
country this time of year with its green
fields and black forests rising quickly
from the water and the high hills with
the pretty houses reaching up to the
blue sky. There is a. castle at Helsing-
borg once q fortress which defended
the country from the hostile Danes now
a big picturesque tower with gardens
and promenades.se After the square meal
we went I'D the hill to the castle and
listened to a Swedish band. The Swedes
are a musical people and the band play
ed so well I decided not to climb to the
top of the tower. After one has had
good meal and listens to good music he
doesn't care If castle is 800 years old
and if he can see Denmark by mounting
200 steps Helsingborg is right across
the sound from Helsingor. Hamlet's cas-
tie and a good modern gun could shoot
from one to the other This is mill
tarv post and I picked UP q few items
about the Swedish army. Every young
Swede when he becomes p years of age
must enter the army-no substitutes al
! lowed. He serves eight months the first
year and for three years afterward he
| comes back for a months drill each
year. After that he is a reserve, subject
| to call in case of war until he is As.
| These are the facts as I dug them out
of a Swede who could talk English.
| don't know enough Swede yet to go If
when it rains and I am afraid I can't
/ T,7fT mill learn enough 10 eat
4 [ always do that.
They are the best looking soldiers in
/ Europe. Swedes are fine looking, stall
wart, sturdy men and with the hand
some uniforms they are very impressive.
I Climate and conditions have made the
/ Swedes an earnest. thoughtful people
They work hard, they are religious, they
have long nights in the winter time for
study, they seem slow at frst but they
| are mighty sure. The same characters
4 tics which have made the Swedes in
| America such valuable additions to our
people make them at home Industrious
and preserving, God-fearing ana rella
BILE.
There is only one church in Sweden
the Swedish Lutheran. The church
has oversight of education and Is sus-
/ tanned by the government. Nine
tenths of the people of Sweden belong
to the church. and what is more 10
the point. most of them attend There
have been other denominations, and
the Swedenborgians get their start
here. but the Swedes are not given to
chasing after new faiths and the nom
/ conforrnists are very few. Every
Swede of today believes in the relig-
ion for which Gustavus Adolphus died
and in whose behalf he led his little
Swedish army victorious through a
score or more of battles.
NY first impression in this garrison
town with it's castle, its soldiers, its
flags and its band is that the Swedes
are very loyal to King Oscar They
are just now rejoicing over the ar
rival of a new baby in the royal fam
ily and the picture is everywhere of
Oscar and, as the inscription reads.
Oscars sons sons SON. That means
the son of the crown prince has a
baby and the dynasty is good for four
generations=the present king, his son
the crown prince. the crown princes
eldest son. and this baby son of the
crown princes SON Thus If three
strike out there. viii be a batter left
And the people seem happy over. the
fact.
Living is cheap in Sweden, though
am told it is getting higher. It has tc
be cheap, for wages are low. I priced
a few things around a store and didn
: see much difference from our prices
Ion the kind of stuff we use Blu