Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-08-28
BURIED IN NORWEGIAN wILps.
Greg, Famous Composer, Picks Scene of
Life's Labor as Final Resting Place

While we were in Bergen we were in
vited out TO luncheon with Nine, Grieg.
Their home lies out in the country, about
half hours ride from Bergen and on
the banks of a big lake. We were re-
ceived by Mime. Grieg at the station, and
after walk of twenty minutes we came
TO their charming villa.
As we came to the big gate leading
through the garden we were shown a big
tree where Grieg always had sign in
four languages, reading, Mr.. Edward
Grieg Is not at home to any one before 4
| p. M. You know lie was a sick man.
and he was so bothered by tourists thar
he found it necessary to protect himself
that way. Mime. Grieg received us in
the big living room, which loving friends
had fairly filled with blooming plants for
her Srst lonely homecoming, the day be-
| fore. Naturally she was very sad, but
as we Were all friends who had known
and loved Grieg it was her sad pleasure
to see us and TO talk of him She showed
us every little detail of the ROOM
After our coffee we all, with the ex-
ception of Nine. Grieg, went to visit the
| little house where Grieg did most OF
| his composing. We had TO descend steps
and winding walks until at the end of
the big garden on the edge of the lake
we came to a plain little house consist
| ing of one room, the holy of holes. .
dow, in front of which stood plain
| deal table with a small armchair and a
| footstool. On the table were his pens
and pencils, pot of glue, blotter, paper
weight-eyerything that he used The
whole room had the air of being left
only for a short while and of waiting
| for his return. On each side of the
window was a place for a set of shelves,
] where he kept his scores. BY the door
was another set of shelves, where were
| all his manuscripts. / asked if it were
| not dangerous to leave his original
| works so unprotected. | was told that
the Norwegian folk are so honest that
no one would think of taking them.
| As an example of Grieg's humor we
were shown a slip of paper on his desk
on which he had written the following;
! 10 any one who may enter here:
| Please take anything that may please
| your fancy, but kindly leave me my
manuscripts, which are of interest to
no one but myself" He always left that
slip there when he went away. The rest
/ of the furniture of the room consisted
of sofa. two chairs and little old
cracked upright piano that he said was
good enough to compose on
From there we went across the gar
| den, past the house, where we saw Nine.
! Grieg's face smiling sadly at US out Of
the window down to the other side of The
| feet high lying about % feet from the
! ground we saw stone slab cemented
solidly in the cliff with the inscription
Edward Grieg." There, looking out
| over the beautiful lake in the midst of
pine trees, with only nature for his com
panions, the rough, rugged Norwegian
| nature that gave him his birth and whose
beauties he made known to the world
in his music-there he wished TO lie, and
/ there he lies.
Below us, on the edge of the water,
We're two workmen shoveling broken
stone into the water by the landing
place. We were told that Grieg wished
to be alone there, and that was be-
| ing done to prevent boats from landing.
| The slab is about ) feet square. Be
meath it we hung the wreath with the
American colors which we took with US.
After half hour or more with Nine.
Grieg we walked TO the station and
took the train to town. AS we rolled out
Of the station we saw that lonely little
j black figure waving a farewell from the
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