The daily Alaskan., 1912-09-17
JUST LIKE GHOSTS
The Norwegian vardogrs and
 Their Curious Warnings.
IA STUDY IN PSYCHIC FORGE.
Voices and Sounds and Visions That Foretell te Those Properly Atsunsd to the Phenomenon the Speedy Com inc of Relssives or Friends.

In Norway. or at least h certain parts of 1t. there Is well known phenomenon. Instances of which are of frequent occurrence. known locally by various names, but in the east of the country commonly called vardogr. By this term is understood certain prop erty. attaching itself to particular per. sons. by which their arrival at a par ticular place. most frequently their own home. is announced beforehand by distinctive sounds, such as are usually or naturally made by the per son In question.
 It Is only a limited number of per sons to whom this property Is attach cd who have q vardogr." as the phrase Is. and the premonitory sounds are not always heard nor by all per sons. Very often it Is only members of the family or near relatives who no tee them al all Much more rarely the person Is seen instead of being heard some time before his or her ar rival IL Is to De particularly noted that the Idea of the vardogr Is not one which Is confined to the uneducated classes. It Is equally recognized and its reality admitted by persons of edu cation and culture.
 The following interesting account was given by Miss D. q schoolteacher in the town of Drammep;
 Tt Is nothing unusual to 6nd people in Norway who have a vsrdogr-that is to say. that one can hear or see them before they really come in person. Such cases are found in nearly every family. but In some more frequently than In others. In the cases of my father and eldest brother 1t happens SO often that we do not think it In the least remarkable I remember one par. ticular instance which l sball relate
 We expected my father home from long voyage and got word that he had arrived at a little harbor h the firth. but at the same time there came message sayiug that unfortunately he could not get home for several days. as the ice prevented him from com inc up We were very much disap- pointed. because we were just then about to have a family gathering When we had assembled in the even inr we talked about how delightful it would have been If father could have come. My mother then took a book and read aloud. while we children worked. when we all heard the kitchen door open and fathers well known sten come in. He put down a box which he was carrying. and we beard him speak to the servant, who sat in side room.
 ",Oh. there Is papar shouted three or four of Us together and rushed out to the kitchen to be the first to vel come him. But there was no one there. We ran In to the servant but she had heard nothing. We thought that perhaps he had gone out again, but uo-there was no one. So distinct ly had we all beard him. however. that my youngest sister. who was rather nervous. burst into tears, thinking It must be a warning that something had happened to him. It was the hrst time she had heard his vardogr, but my mother, wbo was well accustomed to it. said very calmly;
 ~'Go to bed. children. IL was only papa's vardogr. and now we know TOT certain that he will be home for to- morrow
 "snre enough. an hour aftcrward We had him safely home. Now, since ne has got older. and especially since ne gave ap going to sea. we hear hin much more seldom. But ID his youth his mother heard hlm constantly and sometimes even heard him knock en her window and call her by name. Sometimes it woke her by night, and she would rise and % to open the door. but there was no one there the l first time. An hour later he would actually come. That happened psrtic- ularly when he was expected home from sea"
 Another lady, Miss R.. gave the fol lowing account. which shows that the varaogr does not merely announce what might naturally be expected, but conveys impressions of facts quite un' known to the person hearing it:
 'Tt was In the year 1901. I was staying in Chris,ianla with my uncle and aunt, who had no children of their own. Uncle and aunt went away for two days aud intended to come home between n and I2 in the evening. The servant girl had gone hor1e thnt night. so was alone in the house. Il was just about to undress when heard them come. I heard tho sound of the street door. heard them come upstairs and open the hall door and talk to each other. It seemed to me that uncle carried something heavy, and I heard them talk about being careful, l wondered what they could have brought home with them l ex' pected to hear them open the room door and go in. but suddenly all was quiet
 About ten minutes after l heard 4 exactly the same noises This time they really came, and they brought little cousin with them. She vas fast asiecp. and they had to be careful no' T A. --.,-o har Neyt morning | foif