The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-07-14
FINLAND'S SUNLIGHT
QUICKLY DISAPPEARS
HELSINGFORS OLD SOL AR
RIVES LATE AND LEAVES
EARLY IN WINTER.

A snow covered CITY, IluIleu ny
white cloak and shivering under
lowering gray sky-such is Helslng-
TORS on almost any January day,
writes Frank P. s. Galssey in the Ma
tjonal Geographic Magazine
city OF darkness and broodlng
twilight where the sun rises hesltat-
inplv at 9 O'Clock and then follows a
ouick course. always near the horizon,
until it sinks rapidly again in md
afternoon. as if eager to be on It's way
TO more hospitable land.
With the few daylight hours usually
veiled bv heavy clouds, electric lights
burn overtime in Offices and homes.
Finland in winter does not present
a smiling face to the casual traveller,
and although its capital is located on
the southern shore OF the country Its
residents pass a long and dreary pc
Rod from December until April, in
surroundings popularized IN fiction un-
der the all-incusive and descriptive
caption of ''the frozen north.
Sleeping in Daytime.
The CITY seems to be sleeping, even
during the busiest hours OF the day.
Early in January the wide harbor IS
frozen over and the last vessel OF the
season scurries out in the trail OF an
ice-breaker, fretful of delays and anX-
ious once more for the open sea, safe
from the danger of spending several
inactive months in the tightly locked
embrace of an icy gull.
The streets OF the city itself are
hut sparselv populated and that only
bv a hurrying few intent on reaching
= warm home where fur coats and
CAPS NAV be laid aside and chilled
hands NAV be thawed out before a
CHEEKY wood fire in benehcent I'm
nish tile stove.
Picturesque Note in Finland.
Even the broad Esplanade is almost
empty, and the only sound to echo
through the sharp air is the bright
tinkle of the bells on a droshky as it
glides smoothly and rapidly over the
snow, or the deep cultural warning
affected by the driver as his horse
makes a sharp turn at some corner.
The droshkies themselves, reminls-
cent of Russia, still strike the most
picturesque note in the life OF Helsing-
fors.
This old method OF transportation
by sleigh has successfully battled
against the competition OF the taxi
cab, and every American who visits
Finland wishes he could take back to
the states Just one such vehicle, with
its sturdy horse, high-curved collar,
and stout befurred driver, and place
the combination at the corner OF For
ty-second street and Broadway some
wintry morning.
Although the Helsingfors winter is
milder than one might imagine from
it's situation as the northernmost cap
ital in the world, the city nevertheless
has an abundant share OF snow partic-
ularly during the first three months OF
the year, when there is hardly day
without a further fall of white fakes.
A World on Skis.
Helsingfors in winter is for the most
part silent and subdued, white and
ghost-like, austere and forbidding; yet
it has its moments OF relaxation.
On Sun d US, particularly, one
emerges from his home to find a
world on skis. Man has abandoned the
stiff and formal walk to glide, general
" grimly intent on progress, over the
snow-coated ice of the harbors to the
islands that fringe the city in every
direction.
Occasionally in large parties, but
more often in couples or alone, every
one is skiing Girls in famboyant
sports costumes, men in sweaters and
knickerbockers- push along.
You may follow one crowd to a hill,
where you can witness marvellous and
hair-raising jumps, and equally thrill
ing falls, as some unhappy individual
turns over and over and, if he does
not conclude his journey by forcible
contact with tree or rock, finally APP
pears upright again on the two wood
en- runners.
Probably he will repeat the expert
ment until he meets with success; Tor
skiing is a serious sport, not to be
taken frivolously; but always demand
ing full measute OF devotion from its
disciple. What baseball is to America
skiing is to Finland