Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-06-24
In LAND OF MIDNIGHT sun
WRITE OF THEIR VOYAGE TO
THE OLD COUNTRY
Rev. and Mrs. Finstad-In the Land
of Their Fathers-Worship With
Royalty in the Church Where
They Were Confirmed

EIDSvoLD, NORWAY, June 2, 1914.
DEAR MUNSoN: Upon your request
will try to write a few words about
our journey. We left home April %.
After visiting friends one day each in
Soldiers Grove and Gays Mills, we took
the train directly to Chicago. There
we remained at the Deaconess Home
for three days. We had very pleas
SAINT time in Chicago. The deaconess
and doctor took us out in an automo-
bile to see the great metropolis of the
middle west. To write about what we
saw along the boulevards, in theparks,
large stores, art galleries and museums
would take too much time and space.
/ just wish to mention that in Fields
museum we saw among other interest
ing things, q tombstone six thousand
years old found in Egypt. The stone
was six feet long, width four feet and
four feet high and hewed out of cold
granite stone. The finger rings and
bracelets which the ladies wore IN the
days of the Pharaoh's were very much
like those worn by the American wo-
men today. There were very little diff
ference between the bathtubs of the
time of Pompeii and those used in VII
roqua today.
In Chicago we met some friends from
the Pacific coast who drove their own
tourist car across the continent. Up
on their request we joined with them
to New York. A man from the White
Star Line accompanied us as far as
Niagara. We stopped at the falls and
took in its grandeur.
May /, at 10 a. m, a beautiful morn
ing, we left America on the United
States Mail Ship, Philadelphia. | felt
somewhat lonesome To- see the coast of
our dear America vanish little Dy little.
The harbors of New York are the finest
| ever saw. Passing out of the ha'bo.
we had the Statue of Liberty on our
right and the highest building in the
world on the left, The latter is $50 feet
high.
We had pleasant voyage across the
ocean with very little sea. Still quite
few people were seasick, and among
them was my wife, and for seasick peo-
pie the ocean has no attraction. The
eighth of May we saw land. The Edi-
son light house, which is the strongest
light house in the world stands in the
open ocean upon rock which is always
covered with water. The lighthouse
mas blown down several times but it
has as repeatedly been rebuilt. Behind
the lighthouse lies the Lizard Island,
and at its shore many brave seamen
have found their graves. Between five
and six in the afternoon we entered the
small harbor Of Plymouth, where few
passengers left as and mail was taken
ashore. Then we crossed the British
channel and harbored at Sherbourne,
France. From there we went up the
channel and anchored t Southamp-
ton, England, where we landed. Here
is poor and much of an artificial har-
Dor. South ampton is city of about
200, 900 inhabitsnt being located about
IS miles from London. From South
ampton to London the passengers had
special train for US. AS strangers it
was impossible for us to tell where one
city ended and the other began, as the
whole distance seemed one string of
small towns. 1t was our intention to
stay in London few days, but as we
could not get boat later on in time
for the celebration Of the Declaration
of Independence of Norway. we had to
leave London the same day for Hull.
The country from London to Hull SEEM
ed as one continuous park, not any
waste land or rubbish was seen along
the whole way. No wonder that the
Englishman is proud of his country.
We Americans have much to learn of
the Europeans as to building of roads
and the clearing of rubbish along its
sides. After "a hours of unpleasant
journey across the North Sea we saw
the lighthouses of Norway. The first
stopping place was Kristiansand, and
Monday forenoon in the most beautiful
weather we sailed into Kristiania ford.
Its harbor is very long and the scenery
is rather rough but grand. We spent
the first four days at the capital city
in seeing the sights and visiting rela-
tives.
May 18th the exhibition was opened opened
by the King and the government. Nor
way is very kind and considerable to its
Norwegians. There were only some
mobiles from this and other countries
that were invited to take part in the
preopening of the exhibition, but we,
as Americans, were admitted. The
10Th we left for Eidsvold, where we
now stay. Here the Declaration of In
dependence was written in the year
1914, which severed Norway from Den
mark, after having been united for
400 years. In the afternoon the King,
Queen, Crown Prince and others came
here in automobiles from the capital
city. Sunday morning, the 18th, the
cabinet from Kristiania, which togeth-
er with US who were admitted, attend
ed the thanksgiving service in the large
stone church here, some parts of which
were built as early as the eleventh CEN
fury. After being absent twenty-one
years it was with varied feelings en-
tered this church again, where was
baptized and confirmed, and outside its
walls is the place where my fOrefathers
have been laid 10 rest for centuries.
Norway is rapidly changing from an
agricultural to manufacturing coun-
try. The farmers have electric lights
and water works in their buildings.
Hearty greetings to all from
REV. AND MRS. M. FNSTAD.
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