Show OUR STOCKHOLM LETTER STOCKHOLM march 5 1894 no tourist to sweden ought to neglect to visit the mountain district these mountain mountavil regions are situated intal in the western part oi of northern sweden or as most of this country is commonly entitled lapland the characters which differentiate this country from the other mountain regions of europe are the numberless lakes and streams the flora and the inhabitants the alps of southern europe are in general almost destitute of water dun during i the summer months not so lapland laplan ny picturesque mountain lakes rushing torrents mighty waterfalls meet the eye on all sides and greatly contribute to diversify the scenery peculiar to the mountain flora of la lapland land is the prominent place occupied tl by y the birch the birch region extends much higher than the pine forests the light green foliage and white trunks give the Tand landscape an ad unexpected idyllic charm this beauty is still further heightened hight ened by the varied hues of the flowers springing up in rich luxuriance among the snowdrifts snow drifts to live their brief summer life in the beams lavished by a sun that does not set for several weeks not least remarkable however is the singular population of the country the nomad lapps with their great herds of reindeer rein deir their bright colored dress their strange language and appearance and their tent like dwellings this people lend the swedish mountain district an interest in teres unique of its kind A visit to a lapp encampment either in summer or winter is almost invariably rewarded with sights novel to european eyes one may watch the milking of the reindeer the wild cattle are captured with the lasso and often enough lapp and reindeer roll over and over on the grass in desperate conflict until at last the animal gives in is tethered to a tree and handed over to the milkmaid on another occasion we may see a herd of reindeer perhaps a thousand in number turned out to pasture the dappled herd rushes in mad career up the mountain side and the branching horns toss like the waves of an angry sea beneath the light green foliage of the birches in winter the adventurous sportsman nuy may make the somewhat risky experiment of driving out with a reindeer in the traces the passenger takes his beat beatin in the singular boat shaped the reindeer is harnessed to the vehicle and off they go at a headlong pace the snowflakes whirling in clouds under the reindeers rein deers hoofs to avoid an upset and to guide the reindeer in the right direction no little skill is necessary the La are also masters in the use of snowshoes snow shoes skies at a wolf hunt they can follow the quarry with such unflagging speed that it finally drops from exhaustion the swedish post osto ost o office ce which as early as 1636 w was made ade a government department ann annually ally transmits more than thirty million letters and parcels the post offices number more than 2000 sweden has more thab miles of telegraph lines those of the railways not being included the length of wires being altogether about miles the telegraph has not reached a very high state of development in sweden tle the number of telegrams not being fully two millions a year for close upon five million inhabitants but so much more progress has the telephone made this novel means ot of communication has been eagerly embraced by sweden to an extent which relatively speaking far surpasses that of any other country in europe Eur pe ppe the total length of the connections is about and the number of 0 apparatuses an ous amount ot of goes on especially in stockholm where there are more than apparatuses in use for a population of even in the united states the birth place of the telephone there is not round found a companion picture to 0 this fact stockholm is is the greatest telephone city and sw sweden en the e greatest telephone country in the world in all large communities in sweden swimming baths of different sizes exist generally spacious and well equipped mostly at the expense of the communes where workmen children attending schools and the poor may obtain a refreshing bath either at greatly reduced rates or entirely gratis the art of swimming is encouraged by competitions usually in connection with the conferring of the so called master of nation degree the city of stockholm has erected magnificent baths with numerous large and small floating swimming baths where to dips are annually enjoyed of those being taken by scholars who at the same time receive instruction in tx imitation tation so that each child can obtain about forty baths gratis the poor pay but ii cent for each bath taken at this establishment the right of manufacture of whisky ja toi 7 JAL in sweden has been gradually restricted by the enacting ot new laws at the same time that the tax has been raised and the right to sell has been limited and separated from other branches of trade the change in country places was immediately for the better but in the cities a new condition of things was first brought about by the so called gothenburg gothenberg Got henburg system employed first in gothenburg gothenberg Got henburg but afterwards into 93 per cent of the tows of sweden and also into many country villages the object of the gothenburg gothenberg Got henburg system is to make the sale of intoxicating drinks independent of profits to the seller to diminish the abuse of such drinks and to increase the difficulty of obtaining them the latter is accomplished by setting the price high limiting the times ot sale and by degrees decreasing the number of selling places influenced by the change in the public opinion and an energetic temperance propaganda the object of which is to ensure total abstinence legislation on the subject is becoming by degrees still more restrictive and is perhaps one of the most results of the temper ance struggle a result in the accomplishment lish ment of which it must be acknowledged that the swedish women both in private and as members of the large temperance unions have been most actively engaged the most considerable donation ever given by a swedish woman is that which was bequeathed by mrs wilhelmina hielta widow of lars hielta a well known politician besides crows given for the establishing of a professorship in national economy at the university of stockholm she lett left crowns to a fund for an institution called in memoriam of lars hielta which has to work for the progress of humanity by y promoting and advancing such scientific inventions and discoveries social improvements and liberal reforms as are to benefit mankind generally and the people of sweden especially |