Willmar tribune., 1908-10-14
NORWAY.

They were dressed as bridal couple.
Mrs. BjOrnson wore a bridal veil and
a myrtle wreath of gold given to her
by her children, and her husband car.
ried a gold flower in a buttonhole.
Many persons travelled great distances
to the celebration. Among the many
valuable gifts was highly ornament.
ed silver bowl from the king and
queen. Gifts were also received from
former Premier Nicholson, Prof. Nam
sen and Mrs. Grieg. There was a
flood of kilograms, the kings Of Nor
way and of Wurtemberg being among
those who wired their congratulations.
BjErnson made an address, dwelling
at length upon the services of his wife
as helpmate thru life Many songs
were sung, and short addresses were
made by several noted persons. In
the evening the young people of the
Aulestad neighborhood paid their re-
spects to the poet by torch-light pro-
cession, which was highly gratifying
to the aged couple.
An interesting volume of documents
and information on the life of the late
poet, Jonas Lie, has just appeared.
Perhaps the most remarkable portion
OF the book is some information on
a political correspondence carried on
between King Oscar, the last union
king, and Prof. l.. Dietrickson, the lat
ter acting as mediator between the
king and the popular Norwegian au-
thor. In the early eighties the rela-
tion between Norway and Sweden was
strained almost to the danger point.
The scholarly and we'll Informed king
realized that the works of the poets
Bjornson and Ibsen had a tendency to
strengthen the movement of Norwe-
gian independence. Jonas Lie was
looked upon by all parties as a man
of peace, and King Oscar conceived
the idea that he might induce Jonas
Lie to come out openly in support of
the union and the position taken by
the king in the controversy between
him and the Norwegians. AS it would
not look we'll for king to ask Jonas
Lie, his subject and plain, untitled
man Of the people, for favor of this
kind, Prof. Dietrickson was induced
by the king to serve as go-between.
The correspondence shows that the
kings endeavors we're fiat failure.
The peaceful poet would not defend
the king, and in 1884 the Norwegian
storting compelled the king to give up
position which he had held for
years. On April rs, 1884, the king
wrote a letter to Prof. Dietrickson
which throws light on the subject and
also on the feelings of the humiliated
king at that political juncture. The
king says in part: "When the orange
is cut thru, I find neither pure Juice,
clear, homogeneous fruit-substances,
nor sound kernel. But this is not
to be wondered at in these times;
and that he (referring to Jonas Lie)
having avoided an answer to my real
question, directs poorly concealed re.
proaches against me and those at
home who did not sufficiently laud him
to the skies, must be forgiven one of
those unconscious sacrificial sheep Of
oCAA-ouAANACANy G1uO 0ClluCAACdtlOA AA
which the poor. misled, naughty Nor
way is so rich-.a curse to the whole
and to each one of us individually.
shall answer him no more. Let him
sail his own sea. Some time he may
find a haven of salvation. Maybe
(most likely) not, but God will dispose
of that matter, not we. But if you
want to answer it does not seem diff
cult to me to unveil his unreliability
and sophistry." The close of the let
ter refers again t5 the sad condition
Of Norway, and the king prays God
to help dear old Norway" In con-
clusion it must be said that the whole
correspondence is a credit to the man.
liness, frankness and sincerity of both
Jonas Lie and King Oscar, and Prof
Dietrickson argues that this fact JUS
tiies the publication of the CORE
spondence after the death Of the au-
,thors.
A bauta (granite monument) was
unveiled at Berby, near Fredrikshald,
Sept IL, the one hundredth anniver-
sary of a battle fought at that place.
The monument is a rough granite
column about 20 feet high. The in
scriptions tell what regiments fought
in the battle, which resulted in
victory for the Norwegians against
the Swedes.
There never was a time when
preachers of all kinds found it so
easy to gather audiences in Kristi-
ania as during the recent smallpox
scare.
The steamer Commonwealth col.
lided with and sank the Norwegian
freight steamer Volund in dense fog
of Race Rock, at the eastern entrance
to Long Island. The Wounds officers,
the captains wife and crew, were res.
cued and cared for on the Common
wealth. The bow of the Fall River
liner was smashed above the water
line in the collision, but the damages
were not considered serious. The
crew Of the Volund were rescued by
volunteer crew Of naval men from
Newport, who were passepgers On the