The Washington times., 1914-11-01
JEAN EIOT@
LETTER

loween, when the witches frolic,
IL there are various and sundry
parties on the tapis, but the
streets will be quiet as the grave, and
somehow il strikes me as rather a
shame. Halloween is such a charming
festival, it seems too bad we can't bring
10 its celebration more Of the spirit OF
arrival, which renders holiday making
50 attractive in European countries.
Methinks in our desire to uphold law
and order We keep down the naturally
buoyant spirits of the children until we
all forget how to play. Let US break
loose once in a while, say I, let US wear
silly clothes and do silly things; yes
even If few windows are broken in
consequence, let us keep alive the holi-
day spirit, to the end that as a nation
we may learn to play, and as a city to
stage a frolic that is neither dull nor
dissipated.
I remember in Stockholm at the time
OF the Olympic games-I seem to be con-
stantly, referring to that time, but for
give il, for ! did see and hear SO many
interesting things-the city gave an en-
tertainment for the members Of the
various teams that fingers in my mind
as q particularly memorable occasion.
There must have been some three or
iour thousand guests who gathered that
evening at the Skansen, the famous open
air museum, in the Djurgarten, which
corresponds to our Rock Creek Park,
people of all nationalities and of the
most diverse interests, tastes and classes,
yet i wager that each and every one
spent delightful evening and carried
away the pleasantest recollections.
To begin with, the Skansen is a fasci-
mating place, a bit of rocky wooded
park overlooking the wonderful harbor
Of Stockholm, and containing a small
zoo devoted exclusively to Scandinavian
animals; and a most interesting collec-
ton of Scandinavian dwellings, repre-
senting every sort Of house which the
Morse peoples have occupied from the
time they dwelt in caves until the pres
cnt, from a Laplander's hut to the fine
old-time mansion of the wealthy farmer,
which last, complete in every detail from
the bee hives in the garden to the goat
nibbling the thatch upon the roof, /
felt ! needs must put in my pocket and
take home. Some of these houses are
reproductions of famous originals, many
are the originals themselves, brought
from all over Sweden and dropped down
in this charming setting. while several
contain the most interesting collections
of fine old furniture.
But to return TO our muttons, We
gathered at the Skansen gate one
evening at dusk, that beautiful lumi-
nous dusk, which fingers for hours in
that northern latitude, in groups rep
resenting the different competing ma
lions, and were escorted through the
museJfm by numbers of students from
the universities. who acted as
cicerones and explained to us, each in
our several languages, the various
charming things we saw. There were
exhibitions of folk dancing, given by
real peasants from the various prov
inces in their national costumes,
dances full of swing and verve. Later
a splendid chorus of mems voices, four
or five hundred strong, made the night
ring while we listened, grouped on the
hillside above.
BY this time dark had come, to the
extent that darkness ever comes at
Stockholm in summer, the moon hung
Ike a great silver ball over the har-
bor, and great torches Of pitch had been
lighted throughout the woods. Our
guides, such attractive, bright-faced
boys they were. led us then to a great
stretch OF level ground, from which a
sfieer cliff fell away these many feet
10 the water, deep indigo blue. and
dotted with lights, below us. There were
spread tables with piles of sandwiches,
cakes, and the like, and great pitchers
of beer.
Three thousand strong and over we
ate and drank, while bands at either
end played the various national airs
and all of us Joined in the choruses
with a will. Seldom have / seen a
lovelier sight and the very garden party
given by the King of Sweden for the
high officials of the Olympic games was
no more gracefully nor successfully
managed. And yet this was a gather
ing Of representatives from many
classes and many nations. they were
limited beer. Think what such a revel
might have been in these United States!
We are a-Sgreat country, and have my
share OF patriotism, but We are new,
and they do these things better abroad
All of which is a DEPRESSION. but !
80 like the thought of humanity play
ing together en- masse, and Halloween
seems such a playful season ! feel
that I should like 10 start something"
They do tell me that in Pittsburgh the