Show r 74 1 I ON fP I Y 1 5 o 5 TY OF F NORWAY RVAY LAND OF GrEEN VALLEYS AND FROWNING RAVINES Correspondent Correspond nt Describes the Villages of the Country as Closely Resembling Resembling Resembling bling Those of Ne New England Quaint England Quaint Customs That Have Long Endured I Special Correspondence Norway is chiefly r remarkable mark ble lii in the minds of most Americans as the land whence ships sail northward to see seethe seethe seethe the sun shine at midnight across cross across the Arctic ocean but it is beloved by those who really know the country because it is an unspoiled region of Europe in days when the wild recesses of the Alps Alp's are become bywords In Inthe inthe inthe the tourists tourist's mouth It is a land land landof of green valleys and frowning ravines of p picturesque hamlets hamlets hamlets ham ham- ham ham- lets and quaint customs custom's and it is a close second j Jo Switzerland In the majestic majestic ma ma- jestic beauty of Its snow its snow mountains The chief Industry of the Norwegians Norwegians Norwegians gians is fishing Bergen the principal port port port-of of the west coast has one of the most colored brightly-colored harbors in the world The town nestles on a three tongued piece of land and In this triple haven lie He boats green and blue and brown from the clumsy fishing smacks with rich red sails and the tho dragon prow of the old vikings to I graceful yachts put in on a cruise and i built on the latest Glasgow lines Goats are important property in Norway y In summer they scale the steep cliffs to graze on the moss and scant herbage of the mountain tops and wherever a rocky shelf gives foothold foothold foothold foot foot- hold tiny huts are built called sae ae- ae where goatherds live to care for for- forthe the animals and to turn their thick milk into brown cheese Food is sent up to them from the villages below all summer long and when autumn comes they pack up the cheeses and descend once more to the valley followed by the goats The Norwegian ponies are a famous breed for strength and endurance They are sard to trace their lineage from the Tartar steeds who came with the barbarian hordes Into Scandinavia via centuries ago and who could carry their wild masters all day without food or rest The ponies are small and stocky and very fat because they are fed chiefly on hay They are cream cream colored colored with a black stripe In Inthe inthe inthe the middle of mane and tail The mane is s chopped Into tinto a thick brush but the tail fan and forelocks forelock are uncut and they wear no blinders Railways are Lew few ew and of recent date and the chief mode of traveling is by means means of posting A few landaus have be been n introduced for the sake of fastidious fastidious fastidious fas fas- travelers but the real conveyance conveyance con con- of the country is the stolk or small wheeled two-wheeled cart It has a seat In front which holds two persons personas s under which the luggage Ip p ved Bergen is stowed Behind is a perch for the I postboy who drives between the travE travelers travelers' trav trav- E elers' elers ers ers' shoulders with cords for reins The pony is attached to the ends of the shafts by the slightest possible harness and away he goes tugging up hill and dashing down dale at a arata arate arate rate rata which promises destruction but nevertheless accidents are rare A Norwegian village bears a sti striking striking ik ing resemblance to a New England one especially as it is usually commanded commanded com com- by a white church with a pointed steeple The houses are all wooden even in tn t the e cities and on this this' r t. t i account fire a Norwegians Norwegian's gia greatest f st dread for again and again who whole e towns towns have been nearly swept away There are knotted ropes at every bedroom bedroom bed bed- room window and warnings in fo four r languages are posted in all hotel cor cor- The very poor live in log huts The roof is made of strips of bir birch h bark barl held down with a sort of 1 clay Moss colle collects ts and the winds drop seeds upon it so that after one season it is cover covered d with a thick growth of soft gr grass ss mingled with wild ladies ladies' delight delight de de- light and nd often a small tree grows up straight from the green green leaves Inside is usually but one room though occasionally there are two A large table with wooden benches serves for dining and the beds are built into cupboards and have doors door which con conceal eal them in the daytime Where there are many children the beds are in a a. double tier Houses of ot of the better sort are are roofed with slate and built upon the straight lines common to New England Only hotels rise above two stories in height The windows swing outward The thresholds are raised above the floor as as' as asan an aid in keeping out the winter cold The room walls are painted and if done in hi the old Norwegian style the colors are very bright blue predominating predominating predominating and proverbs and and wise saws are blazoned in graceful scrolls above the doors and fireplaces The furniture furniture furni furni- ture is brightly colored also and clothing is kept in large wooden chests painted with a background of red or white adorned with brilliant flowers The dragons dragon's head Is carved every every- Fantoft Kirke where where on on the gables the furniture the f vegetable dishes the portals of the It is believed to represent represent represent sent n dem demon spirit demon spirit who yet will defend defend defend de de- fend he the house against other spirits more wicked than himself The religion of the country is Lutheran Lutheran Luth Luth- eran jut but Sunday is not observed with Purit urit n s strictness for the settlements are are mall Small and far apart so that the har barf worked hart w t-w worked pastor must travel miles fr n m one to another and even In summer sum- sum m mir mer or service i Is only held once in three v Weeks Sunday begins on Saturday night so that Sunday evening is a time for pleasure and wherever a a squeaky musical instrument can be found the peasants will dance together in inthe inthe inthe the street The men dance together as well as with the women grasping each others other's shoulders and whirling round lound and round like dizzy human tops A wedding is a festivity for foJ the people people peo peo- pie for miles around It is celebrated celebrated ed at the nearest village church and the guests row in enormously long longboats longboats longboats boats across the fjord wearing gay- gay colored dresses The bride oride and bridegroom bridegroom bride bride- groom bring to the ceremony the silver silver sil sil- ver spoons which were presented to them when they were christened these are then linked together by bya a silver chain and are hung up in the new home to be an heirloom for com tom Coming coming ing gen generations rations It is at church that the national costume is best seen In the north noth I Ithe the women wear short dark gowns i with fringed handkerchiefs tied becomingly be be- over their curly fair hair black ones for the matrons and white for the maidens In the south the old Norwegian dress is often worn worn It of a short dark petticoat with witha a stripe ol of i i bright colors a full white b blouse ouse and anda I a red bodi bodice e heavily embroidered II V wh while on oD on Sundays Sundays s a a quantity of or silver silver pins and chains hains are added v Th The head dress head dress varies according to the occasion and the wearers wearer's social condl condition on The girls wear jaunty red rell redcaps redcaps caps the married women a coif colf made of many folds of starched white linen plaited over a wooden frame and a A q rl bride wears a high metal crown curiously curiously curi- curi chased and set with Jewels In the winter everybody Is wrapped In furs who can get them The winter is a powerful factor In Norwegian life for not only must the cold be reckoned reckoned reckoned reck reck- with but also the darkness It casts its shadow upon the sunniest summer day for at intervals along the side of the posting roads lie wooden tied to a snowplow telling a silent story of the struggle which but buta a little while ago was ended and nd which a few weeks will surely bring again They are a simple kindly people and hospitable in the true sense Nature Nature Na Na- ture treats them far more grudgingly than others of her children and they have constantly to wrestle for her blessing but nevertheless they are ready at a minutes minute's notice to give the best that they have to the passing passing- stranger and according to their ability ability ability abil abil- I ity to speed him on his way |