Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-09-18
NORWAY'S RUGGED PEAKS
CLARENCE NELSON AND FAITH
Err CLIMB THEM
The Young Man Writes of Their Ex-
periences, Customs of People and
Other Notes of Interest
SKAMMEsTEIN. VALDREs, NORWAY.
Cn..An..ka. dOIn

TO request of = Few of you there, [
write briefly about the distant and
rather oddNOrway and send you through
our assistant, the CENSOR. Since my
father and | arrived here in late spring
we have been very much interested in
our surroundings; nevertheless cannot
expect to make this letter worth while
to those who have had their turn of
travelling.
Many people who tour in Norway are
enthusiastic at first glance of its rug
ged coast, but later find that they need
their enthusiasm for use inland. True
indeed, there are attractive places up
on the coast, as for instance, Christian
ia which deserves its fame as a fine
city, or Bergen with back ground of
lofty mountains and facing a beautiful,
large harbor almost full of laboring
vessels, or perhaps the peaceful, green
islands and the numerous mastery
mountains standing to defy the billow-
ing water which rolls in from the deep.
However, even more attractive and va
ried land features exist in the interior,
more oddities in the customs of the
people both in and out of doors and
more things to occupy ones time, max
ing in all more attractive and desir-
able place.
Norway is mountains, valleys and
water almost exclusively, to the better
as tourist country therefore, and all
features are just as nature would have
them, so that one looks upon the real
and not upon the notifications of man.
It seems to me there is nothing more
attractive and inspiring than view Of
some of the interior from a mountain
top at about sunset. Early in July we
climbed to point in the midst of a
rather wild region just before sunset,
and although the chilling mountain
breeze seemed to penetrate US deeply
it could not chill our admiration. Be-
hind US, as we faced the sun, chains of
peaceful, lofty mountains stretched
away in various directions into regions
unknown to us. Between them were
deep, Swallowed valleys livened by
streams, or small plains dotted here
ard there by CLASSY little lakes, all in
dull haze as we looked with the rays
of light. A quoting and peaceful scene
But against the sunset was a grander
view, Clothed with the beautiful rays
of the fading sun were numerous high
rugged peaks, all white, majestic and
inspiring with their spotless clothing
of snow. Winter itself seemed very
near as as the snow rsdiated its far
feltch and defied the suns attempt
to remove il. In long, narrow, deep
valley beautiful placid lake found its
bed at the feet of the mountains, as it
we're, and stretched away from US for
miles, finally from our sight. Barely
few little Temporary homes could we
see here aud there against the noun
tains seekiug shelter from the keen
north winds, a scene too grand 70 de-
scribe.
About month later those same peaks
were uncovered, but numerous were
the beds of glistening snow among
them. The upper mountains were then
a silvery grey as the sun shone upon
the greyness, the lower mountains a
mixture of brown and green, while the
lake lay there in all It's Beauty basking
in the sun As one looks Upon yonde-
peaks a desire comes to be there, and
again. Finally feeling that in life
the highest upon earth is not high
enough for man,
The habits of the people are 8 differ
ent from those Of our country. Most
of the farms are small and steep. hold
ing people 10 slow and tedious pro-
cess of farming, between lunches which
number from six to ten per day. The
farmers homes, houses themselves,
are usually small inconvenient and neg
lected, for those who should manage
household affairs must ofttimes labor
in the field nearly all day, do the chores
morning and evening and spend the re-
naming time in the house. Customs
are so strange, so peculil and some
times so provoking, and although in
hotels the dining rooms are to some ex-
tent like those Of our own hotels, one
needs only to learn of the kitchen life
to find that the general customs pre-
vail. There is ample chance to see
peassntry, peasantry food and homes,
but there is also a general good-heart-
edness not found everywhere which att
taches one to the majority of people.
Various things may be done in way
of amusing ones SELF. Very nice 60
pass time is mountain climbing, for
when weather is good there is no other
place 80 pleasant as upon the mountains
and no other place so good as a view
point. Or perhaps rowing to ones full
desire upon the calm peaceful water of
which Norway has so many, clear and
fresh Or drawing from their homes
in the lakes and streams those real life
like, pretty little things, the trout, so
tempting upon the table also. Or in
season, taking part in the big bird
hunt or perhaps scouting around to see,
or obtain if possible, some of Norway's
large deer, foxes, rabbits, etc. Or, not
insignificant is the study Of
nature itself.
AS closing words | might add for
those much interested, that the hay
crop in most parts is considered good
this season, but the grain crop fair, for
drought prevailed over some of the
land in mid-season and would have
ruined the grain in Gudbrandsdal, Roms-
dal and Lserdal had not irrigation been
done. In the above valleys grain har-
vest was about a month early. In
Valdres much rain has fallen through
put the summer, which has been favor
able to crops, but unfavorable to hay
ng which remains only partly done.
/ desire to say q word about your pa
per. We find, and have found since
we arrived here, that the CENSOR has
been our nearest friend. We visit it
1t any or all times. Without it we
would have felt much at loss.
Sincerely,
c. A. NELSON.