The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-02-03

ing and skating. From the top of the
mountain their skis or sleds took them
sever to ten miles down a gradual
slope and the physical benefits of the
sport were splendid; evidenced by the
strength, vigor and complexion of
those engaged in the sport. The low
hanging clouds hung over the peaks,
which appeared in many places above
the clouds. There was a heavy fall of
hard snow on the ground, the air was
crisp and snappy, the men magnifi-
cent and the women beautiful. / do
not believe that | have ever seer such
an array of vigorous people; and mem
berS OF our party were anxious to Sc
cure photographs of the m in
their costumes, which, though they in
Guided coats and trousers, were in no
way suggestive of anything not at all
proper in the way of dress. | had my
last chat with Henry Ford at Holmen-
kollen just as we We're going into lunch
and | experienced a feeling of deep
concern because he gave every evil
dence of having failed as a result of
his sickness on board ship. 1t was his
last appearance in public and when he
sailed no n needed to tell me but
what he had acted for the best. | ask
ed him if he did not think the country
,-nr.v .,,ktI,r 40 ,I,t - ,,l.t1.. NH.
igan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and
his reply was that the climate and ply
steal conditions of the country were
similar TO those north of Detroit. How
ever, this statement is not entirely cor
rect, since there are real mountains in
this portion of Norway.
A Norwegian Home
One day We were fortunate enough
to be invited, along with Judge and
Mrs. Lindsay and a few others, to the
home of Mr., Loken, one of the fore
most attorneys of Norway. AS Mr..
Loken happened to be attorney general
he could not show any official recogni-
ton to the Ford Peace Expedition, but
he arranged to extend about as hearty
an unofficial half day to a few of us as
| shall expect to spend in all Scandi-
navia. Incidentally ! might inject into
my story at this time that Mr.. and
Mrs. Loken became delegates of the
Ford Peace Expedition from Norway.
1t was a bitter cold afternoon when we
were driven to the home Of these good
people, and We found their outer hall
cold, the same as everything else ap-
pears to be in the outer rooms in Nor
way. The rooms, too. were not heated
as much as we would have them in the
United States, but the Norwegians do
not regard it necessary to maintain a
temperature Of more than so degrees.
In this home We met several of the
representative people of the kingdom.
The furniture was rich, but the paint
ings and the decorations were largely
made up of family relics and memen-
toNob ooiilC W "tIt huIItIcuS Ol
years old. There were beautiful paint
ings of grandparents and great grand
parents, of picturesque scenes and
landscapes where members of the fam
lily had been born or which had been
the habitations Of ancestors. But the
floor was of fine hardwood, beautifully
polished, covered with rich rugs and a
concert grand piano stood in the cen
ter of the room This room must have
beeen 20 by 80 feet in size, and for
pure comfort and congeniality as a gen
eral living room ! have never seer any
in the sense known to Americans, but
there vas a wealth of plain luxury that
it would be hard to surpass. The din
ner was simple and without ceremony,
except that our host sat in the middle
of the table and rather joculariy desig-
mated me as Chairman" since | was
seated at the head Of the board. I did
not discover whether this was a dis
tinction or an accident. AS is the case
in all Scandinavia, fish was one of the
principal courses, and may | digressI at
this point to say that one of the les
cons which the tourist on the contin-
ent learns, is the value of fish as food
During the course of the meal our
host proposed a toast to America, it's
president and rulers, and wished sue
cess D the Ford Peace Expedition.
THE Chairman" responded in like
manner in complimentary terms to the
Norwegians and their rulers. Thus
the meal passed, and we adjourned
again to the wonderful sitting room
where our host casually seated himself
at the piano and favored us with the
most delicious music and native Nor.
wegian songs, that could possibly de-
light the ear. Meanwhile Mrs. Loken
and the others were %evidencing a lively
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