Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-06
Morgenstiernes, Back in D. C.,
Reflect Zest of Outdoors
Wife of Minister of
Norway Describes
Summer Stuy
By JESSIE FAINT EVANS.


and deep inland fords, which. de-
spite the fact it is kingdom, is one
of the most outstanding examples
of democratic government in, the
world today. are the Minister from
Norway and his charming, Cana
dian-born wife, Nine. Munthe de
Morgenstierne.
Both have that tanned look of
shining mental alertness and ply
steal residence which comes from
long hours spent in the open, free
from the surge of urban cOmpleXi-
ties.
In the library of the Legation on
Massachusetts avenue at Thirty
fourth street. the conversation wove
back and forth from the personal
to the broader scope Of their coun-
try's remarkable leadership in edu-
cational, civil pension, health insur-
ance and public health service SUI
pervision problems.
Facing me. was all Illuminated
globe of the modern universe on
stand below self-sketched portrait
etching of Nanseu, world-famous
Norwegian explorer, statesman and
humanitarian.
Friend Of Explorer.
Upon the library's walls are other
signed etchings by Nansen, modern
voyager to the worlds outposts, who
was also the intimate friend and
lifelong associate of the Minister.
one shows the Fran. Nansen's his
toric vessel. amid a cleaning waste
OF Arctic ice foes. with a solitary
Polar bear in the foreground. An
other pictures Nansen, DR.. Jacob
Worm Muller. the Norwegian his
torian, and the present Minister in
the intimacy of little Norwegian
mountain hut. relaxing with their
pipes before an open fire after a
days arduous skiing.
In their homeland the Fridtjof
Nansen Fund now gives economic
support to scientific research in this
daring explorer discoveyer men,
DRY, and his widow keeps in touch
with his former associates and the
movement in general.
"A shining example Of a career
diplomat, the Minister has main
tanned his almost boyish slenderness
from the days back in 1910. when
ne was attache and later secretary
mere III Washington from the coun-
Try that he now represents as Min
lister. Equally at home on skis or
IN a discussion having to do with
exploration Or scientific subjects as
Well as with those concerning the
diplomatic. educational or economic
welfare OF his kingdom, the Min
lister OF Norway is simple and direct
IN manner. Not only is he excep-
tlonally modest with regard to him
self, but this he carries to a marked
degree in regard to the attachments
OF his own nation in all world COM
parsons. OF him prominent
washington businessman saws. He
mas an amazing capacity for friend
snip among people in all stations in
life, who sense that if he later met
them in the presence of his SOW
ereign he would never go high hat
on them"
Marriage Real Romance.
The Minister'S marriage in 1925
was real romance, as we'll as a
case OF love at first sight with a
lovely young Canadian, Miss Mar
lorle Alder, who was attending col
lege. Through her Norwegian
brotiier-in-hw they met at a VIM
ter cernival in Winnipeg, where
the present Minister from Norway
had gone after being in Minneapolis
as an official representative of his
country at American Norwegian
Centennial. Today, still girlishly
sweet in manner, yet with the
gracious poise and dignity BETTING
the chatelaine of the Morse Legation
in Washington, Nine. Morgenstierne
Is as enthusiastic over her husband
land and as we'll acquainted with its
history and modern trends as if it
were the country of her birth. She
has learned to speak and read Nor
Wegian.
Two daughters constitute their
family, Marjorie, named for her
mother, and Solveig, who bears the
TYPICAL Morse name of the heroine
OF Ibsen's Peer Gynt." A little log
playhouse, similar to a Norwegian
mountain hut. in the rear of the Le-
cation grounds speaks volumes for
Inc SlmnllnifU
with which their parents are rearing
them.
ours was a wonderful summer
IN the homeland Nine. Morgen-
Stlerne enthusiastically declared,
First We were for time in friends
typical Norwegian home near Oslo,
with its characteristic furnishings,
It's red shutters and matched roof
abloom with profusion of poppies,
bluebells, gentians, saxifrage and
daisies that were glowing riot of
color and loneliness against the
blue, cloudless skies of the long
summer days when it would still
be light at II o'clock at night.
Then, she continued, "there were
the magic fast-t1ying weeks in the
Minister'S own place in the noun
talns near Galaa. The highest
mountains in all Norway surround
the little plateau upon which it is
perched. Here our family lived a
very simple, wholesome life without
benefit of electricity or other modern
conVeniences. We went for daily
sWims in a nearby lake and grad
ually worked up to five or six hour
walks before the summer was over.
So exhilarating were they we were
not in the least tired upon finishing
them, often having the feeling that
we should Immediately like to start
forth all over again."
Schools Among the Best.
In this northernmost country of
Europe, where civilized people live
nearer the North Pole than in any
other, their school system is one of