Show land of many waters Is the poetic designation of their beloved country most cher dished by the peo pie of finland mountain hangea and forest stretches bold and verdant are interspersed with valley waterway wat erwa s and fragrant meadow lands in summer time the foam and spray of rushing hang spark ling dewdrops a on the golden pine needles whilst the va porous mists of the marsh aads wave fairy rainbows among the russet fruit of the bronzy hazels the greenest of green moss and the most tender gray spread softest carpets for the feet as with the hand are plucked the sweetest wild flowers ahe thousand lakes of finland placid in the sun aaa but whipped to fury by autumn storms re clustena clu stera of precious gems cast by beneal cent deities upon the bosom ot nature the eye delights in the serenity of tho panorama till the ear catches the impressive thunder of the cata facts and waterfall A river lakeland lake land trip Is an experience at once novel and thrilling light boats too frail they look push off boldly into the rapids manned by youn bows tn red fla flaa 1 arf s i felt hata and leather boots far up the thigh singing snatches of plain five folklore as their craft clear rock and boul der daringly the long wooden paddle thrown out behind and the supple oara dash showers ot crystal water over the traveler groups of white women and barelegged bare legged children toss cheery welcome all along the course whilst the crafty boatmen take vigorous pulls at the tous cigarettes winter brings about a marvelous transforms trans forma alon true the rude storms expend their fury upon the rock bound coast but the deadly balz zard tears away natures beauty spots when the lady of the snows has spread her glitter ing mantle far and wide peace white and last ing reigns everywhere ice crystals depend rora every bough and cave and frost diamonds on the ground above all and every thing the great horizon Is flashed with the daz aling athern lights giving promise of life and constancy spring which saw vegetation leap like maple out of the melting snows Is swiftly followed bv brief and brilliant summer and autumn comes on apace ready eo it beems to be devoured the greedy frost king seed time and harvest bold each other by the hand to resist the grip of ice forest work chases and the short day of winter over old and young assemble in the homestead s long common room and together weave and spin and read and smoke and dance and sing certainly by sledge and ski and skate distances are covered and happy school children glide hither and thither sometimes scurrying home for apar of wolves the finns came originally from the altai mountains they took possession of alie land of many waters away in the seventh century the language spoken by the country people haa a similar origin it Is an unique tongue soft and sonorous not unlike modern italian the people of the eastern province touching upon rus sla exhibit the mongolian type thick lips high cheek bones and narrow eyes the inhabitants of the western province are mostly of swedish origin and speak the swedish language the word finn means wizard among their many superstitions Is the tradition that a trin ity of spirits presides over their destiny ukko the spirit of the air tapo the spirit of the forest and aate the spirit of the hakea the 1 11 ll ak b f ts t S mountain ash is sacred ita ashes after burning are carefully preserved for when sprinkled ou the ground they descry luck or the reverse in wooing land tenure and land service in finland present many interesting features the more salient points are actual survivals of federal times the class of peasant which may bo called la rf farmers consists of men who receive no wages they occupy bulisa longing to aha landowner which they aie required to keep in repair the land make grants of seed and other necessaries and of certain lans which the laborer farmers cultivate tor their own benefit they have tree access to the forest tor fuel and for lumber tor repairs in return they are obliged to work for the landowner land owner with their own families and horses on holdings where there is clay the laborer farmers are allowed to make bricks and to earn what they can by sales paying so much per cent on their gains to their landowner many laborer farmers are quite well off and whilst they retain their status as peasants their bons eons and daughters are sent to excellent schools and enter government and commercial employ ments this class of men must not however be confounded with the free peasantry the lat ter although generally poorer have superior civil rights and form an estate of the realm with direct representation in the finnish parliament finland was first occupied by the Hus in alexander I 1 granted the inhabitants autonomy under their ancient laws and alons recent events have greatly curtailed fin nish liberties but like the patriots the finns abide and sing land of a thousand lakes here faith and life are ours past wrongs inspire our powers for us the future wakes like other folk the finns rejoice in festivals religious and profane christinas la the great est of them all ever so long before the eva of the nativity the stores are crowded with people choosing klapps gifts for family and friends in each town and village the snow covered market place becomes a pine forest full of tapes for every home keeps christmas thus if they do not rejoice in beef and plum pudding they have their seasonable dishes all tho lut fask dried cod soaked in brine and boiled to a jelly with it they eat a sort of pease pud ding smoked roast pork follows and hen comes a rice pudding full of almonds the more at monds you get the more happy months you wilt hate plum tart served with paste and clotted cream form the dessert on christinas eve each bouse and cottage ex hielta a burning candle in every window the peasants dwellings are littered with clean baraw and the cattle in belr stalls have extra supplies of food A popular observance Is to ar range inverted saucers around the festive board one for each guest under which are placed objects bearing significant meanings each per son in turn raises a saucer may be it has covered a piece of red ribbon that presages a wound or bome bodily injury or a coin riches or a key for a girl the token of her direction within a twelve month of some household tor a boy the entrance on a commercial career or a piece of fuel which bortells for tells death or a ring for matrimony and so forth the christmas buck visits every home in finland he Is an old man with long white hair and beard and heavily clad in fur he drives his team of reindeer over mountains and frozen lakes and enters unannounced each doorway he makes a circuit of the family and inquires whether the children have been good or bad before leaving he throws down klapps tor all at twelfth night the star boys make their appearance they are five young men in fancy dress three represent the three holy kings ot the epiphany one Is king herod and the last a goat with hoofs and horns they enact a legendary play which has for la finale the death of herod whilst the goat Is thrust outside the door wherever they go they collect arana for poor people who have no christmas cheer after the gay etlea of christmas two months elapse during which one is able to restore one a digestive organs and then comes lent A distinctive tive lenten diet Is balnes and caviar tha former the large thick pancakes which are eaten wiy butter sour cream and fruit juice at mid a fresh water fish Is much esteemed lake it Is called it la caught in nets sunk through holes in the ice of rivers and lakes it Is boiled in milk on easter eve everybody eats hard boiled eggs the first of may Is an ancient festival of gen oral observance especially by students and youths they meet in the parks of hel sing fors abo capital and ft country market places and there sing old folk songs to the spirit of spring then abey drink deeply of sweet mead and consume vast quantities of rich puff paste tarts and then they dance and hirt with buxom maidens to their hearts con tent midsummer day is of universal observance in finland birch trees are planted at all the bouse doors and twigs of birch are stuck all over every room the sun sets in the eve at eleven clock and rises in the day at two during those three brief hours the young people kin die big fires all are bent on dancing around and above the blazing embers they call the alrea kokko love s flame rye harvest Is a very important season on the first day the laborer farmers with their wives and families fo at the mansion ot the landowner they are divided into squads one man two women and three children to rich Is assigned a certain area wherein the man cuts the crop the women shoat and the children glean they work from tour in tha morning until echt at night with intervals for breakfast and dinner these meals together with the supper at the end of toll are bial in benr sense they are provided gratis by the landowner and are eaten at long tables placed in front of the mansion whereat the land owner and his family serve after supper all join in singing the plaintive national song kale wala and then a happy time Is passed with games and dances the rye crop which provides the finns with their staff of life does not dry in ordinary sea sons in the fields it Is consequently carried to the rias or barns and laid on racks and rafters fires are kindled in each corner and the smoke the crop imparting a much loved and peculiar flavor the country peoples diet con fists chiefly of kumma tal a sort 0 porridge made of rye this Is carried when well set in birch bark knapsacks it Is also baked hard and hung in great round thin cakes with holpa in the center from the ceilings of the houses their favorite beverage Is coffee which they brew to perfection corn rye brandy Is a liquor much esteemed by all classes and sometimes indulged in to excess the greatest refreshment of the finns Is the bath every homestead has a bath house it Is their unfailing remedy in sickness it bihli and brandy tall they say then comes death in the bath houses are stone ovens wherein wood fires are kindled and every orifice Is closed after the fire has burnt itself out buckets of water or shovel fuls of snow are dashed upon thu embers and red hot stones dense clouds of steam arise and into them the bathers 1 the whole body Is switched with birch rods and then follow thorough massage and rubbing down with boap As the bather quits the bath house so of cold water or snow are administered sometimes a header into deep snow Is preferred then for a while to cool they all sit on benches in the open air and then they resume their clothes during harvest time such baths in corn mon are taken every evening after work Is done in winter the saturday night tub suffices few spectacles can be more weird and astounding for the traveler than bhea driving to night quarters he suddenly comes upon the fruy at bath gt |