The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-07-04

log hut is the village bathhouse. A
furnace Of stones is heated and wa
ter poured over the red-hot surface.
Into this steam steps family
men, women, children, visiting rela-
tives and neighbors. The bathers
switch each other with birch twigs to
induce more perspiration and gleeful-
each other when the heat becomes too
intense. All of this is nothing of an
orgy-but as prosaic as our daily bath.
The rural Norwegian would see moth
ing immoral nor funny in an Ameri-
can hotel which inadvertently adver-
tised 1000 rooms, and BATH
In a Vermont village each family
once had its horse and buggy, a We
hicle now supplanted by the automo-
bile. In a Norway hamlet a boat is
the principal family conveyance in
summer. There fishing takes the
place of farming and the houses are
strung around bend of ford in
stead of along rambling main street.
Grazing herds of goats is the prin-
cipal land industry of Norway's hilly
north country and these flocks give
rise to the picturesque goat-girl. The
mountain pastures usually are far re-
moved from the villages and each
spring sees the young farm women
driving their herds up the mountain
paths to some lofty but sheltered val
ley among the glistening, snow-capped
peaks. There they remain all summer
long, camping in wooden huts, visited
occasionally by their men folk to car
~ away the butter and cheese.
Goats Cheese Is a Staple.
Goats cheese, a delicatessen deli
cacy in the United States, is a prin-
cipal article Of Norwegian diet. 1t
has the rich, brown color and some
thing of the flavor of peanut butter.
1t is not eaten on crackers as sup
Elementary course but, sliced and laid
on large cross sections of brown
bread is staple of the meal.
Characteristic of inland Norway is
Lillehammer which lies at the north
ern end Of Mjosen lake, Norway's
largest body of fresh water. The
town is a gateway to the Gudbrands-
dial. In this valley many ancient Gus
toms and costumes of the country are
still in vogue. The town itself lies
on the north and south rail route from
Oslo to Trondhjem, and is visited an
nually by thousands of tourists.
This region differs markedly from
the ford country bordering the At.
lantic coast and the ''land of the mid
night sun" which lies farther to the
north. In spite of its high latitude
Lillehammer enjoys a comparatively
mild climate. resort hotels being open
for visitors the year round.
OF supreme interest to both Nor
wegian and foreigner is an outdoor
museum of ancient arts and crafts at
the nearby village of Maihaugen.
Fifty hand-built farmhouses, mills,
workshops and barns were purchased,
moved to one community, and en-
riched with collections of old Nor
wegian handwork. There are articles
of wood, brass, leather and iron, to-
gether with examples of weaving and
embroidery typical Of the products of
cottage handicrafts carried on by
peasants Of the neighborhood during
long winter evenings. Here are also
spinning wheels, looms and tools used
before the Introduction of factory
goods. During tourist season provision
is made to have artisans actually
working at loom and forge so that
memory of the country's historic peas
ant arts and crafts may not entirely
fade from the earth.
Cottages of the Museum.
The museums quaint silver-hued
cottages of rough worked timbers are
scattered through a forest beside a
quiet lake. They form an ideal set
ting for this last stronghold of time
when the Norwegian farmer carved his
own wooden spoon and bowl and his
wife wove cOverlets from wool clipped
and dyed by her own hands. These
log huts contain carved and painted
! wooden chests of beauty. and rugs and
brassware that are the envy of col
lectors. Some of the handwOrkers i'm
ported to exhibit their skill are said
to be the last of the trade in this part
Of Norway.
Lillehammer itself, while il is the
metropolis of Gudbrandsdal valley
and claims more than 5000 inhabi-
tants, has had only century of cor
porate existence. However, the near.
by city Of Hamar on an arm of the
same lake dates back to 1852, when
Nicholas Breakspear, an Englishman
who afterwards became Pope Adrian
w. established a diocese there. Ruins
| of cathedral go hack to the same
century. These were the early days
| of Christianity in Norway. DARK
ways of paganism were abandoned by
| the Vikings with reluctance and only
| after much bloodshed. II is said thai
| seafaring men for some time wor
SHIPPED the Christian God on land and
Thor at sea. since the latter was con
! sidered safer in that element.