The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12
ANOr At HOME" IN SWEDEN.
Curious Custom Of Hanging h Ke'
Outside the Door.

The Curious Custom Of Hanging the Key
Outside the DsoF.
When the swedes 90 calling they lock up
and then hang the door key on the bell or
the door knob or some other conspicuous
place. When they 60 visiting for a few
weeks bolts and bars arc aid into place n
then out goes the key. IL the house 10 smut
upH for an entire SEASON or q fun year the
gayly swinging door key says Not at home
to passerpby.
There is no kicking your heels on the door
mat In Sweden while the bell or knocker
awakes the echoes in an empty house,
Agents. pedlers, friends and relatives all
know this message Of the door key and
seeing Il out, pass by.
Az can be readily imagined. writes q COR
respondent Of the Los Angeles Times. this
strange custom has been put to good use In
many instances when visitors were not
wanted. Instead Of telling the maid TO In
form visitors that Mira. Jones' h not at homo.
the mlstreas says 10 Jennie: Hang out the
door key at 3 o'clock this afternoon and
bring II In ct 8 O'clock / don't wish to Gee
any one for a few houFs.'
About the frst Of the month. in certain
districts. door keys swing to the breezea In
great numbers, and collectors, knowing the
custom and also Its misuBes. scratch their
heads in perplexity at this not at home
signal.
Many amusing stories are told OF creditor1
sitting down TO await the return OF their
man while the debtor eat on the other side
OF the locked door and ohuckled. There
nave been instances when q collector has
taken the key, unlocked the door and en-
tered the house TO be met by the owner. who
calmly laughed over his ruse. Again q
creditor has entered the house In which he
D the owner to be hiding only to
fna it vacant and TO be caught by the irate
master, arrested and made TO pay q hne.
while the debtor got an extension OF time on
his bill.
These illeeiumste uses OF this very old
custom of not only leaving the latch string
out, but also putting the door key at the dis
posal Of all who pass are not discovered at
In the minority, for Sweden is preeminently
an honest land. In and about Stockholm
there 10 very little need OF policemen
or strong boxes, for every man, however
| low down In the social scale. ReeInS TO have
due respect for anot9eTs propsrsy. ,,,;o,.
| or the foreigners who have not been brought
up in this strange custom OF leaving the
door key out, may lock up with bolts from
| the inside and use another door for exit
| when they leave home for an extended
Wait, the old residents actually leave their
homes ct the disposal Of any who may
Friends who call and end the key out
| feel at perfect liberty to unlock the door.
enter and rest before passing on. soan-
| gers seldom misuse tho confidence.
The custom started ages ago, when it
was the usual thing foc holy mem or priests
| totravel through Swedish villages, stopping
to leave their blessing on the households
| Of the neiRhborhood. These visits were
| looked forward to with eagerness by the
pious Swedcs, and 1t was considered an not
OF grossest ~discourtesy to bar the door,
for whatever reason, against O holy man.
Consequently II q family left home the key
was always put out against the arrival
and should the holy man stop at q vacant
house he entered, refreshed himsef. left
his blessing in the form Of q candle or a
| bottle Of holy water or q bit Of consecrated
green and passed.
Thus the custom originated. and al
though these quaint villages have become
towns, and travelling priests have passed
away and the influx OF other nations has
modernised Sweden and brought the evil
Of theft with IL, the door keys etil hang
out a. evidence OF truBt n open doored
| hospitality.
Hthief seldom takes down one Of the keys
and enters, for there 10 the uncertainty
about the absence Of the residents spoken
Of to hold him back, and the knowledge
that an exposed door key may merely mean
that the owner has stepped across to the
store and will return In minute makes
tampering with property risky.