The Land of the Long Night | Page 9

made through the chimney.
It was a very strange sight indeed! and I said to myself, "Surely I am in
'Snow Land.'"
CHAPTER III
HALT AT A FARMHOUSE.--MADE WELCOME.--A
STRANGE-LOOKING INTERIOR.--QUEER BEDS.--SNOWED
IN.--EXIT THROUGH THE CHIMNEY.--CLEARING PATHS.--I
RESUME MY JOURNEY.--REACH HAPARANDA.
Soon after we stopped at one of these farms. A trench about fifteen feet
deep had been made, leading to the door of the dwelling-house. Here
lived friends of my driver. I alighted and walked through the narrow
trench and opened the storm door. In the little hall hung long coats
lined with woolly sheepskin; on the floor were wooden shoes, shovels,
axes, etc. A ladder stood upright against the wall.
I opened the other door. As I entered I found myself in a large room. I
saluted the farmer and family. They all looked at me with astonishment,
for I was not one of the neighbors, and who could I be!
The farmer said: "What are you doing, stranger, on the highroad with
snow so deep, and when travelling is suspended, snow-ploughs
abandoned, horses belonging to them gone to the nearest farms? You
cannot go further until the snow packs itself with its own weight, and
the snow-ploughs and rollers are able to work on the road. Did you
come here on skees?"
"No, I drove," I replied.
"Where is your horse?"
"At the gate," I answered.

"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I am going north as far as the extremity of Northern Europe. I want to
be in that land during the time of 'The Long Night,' when no sun is to
be seen for weeks; but I am afraid I cannot travel further for a few days
on account of the deep snow, and I shall have to wait; and as we cannot
go further and reach the post station, I come to ask you if you can give
shelter to a stranger far from his country."
"You are welcome," he replied; and his wife added, "We are poor
people, we have a humble home, for our farm is small, but you will
have the best we have."
"I thank you ever so much," I replied.
The farmer put more wood on the fire, the sticks being placed upright,
in which manner they throw out much more heat, and a sudden blaze
filled the room with a bright glow.
I like these farmers' fireplaces. They are always built of masonry in one
of the corners of the room. The platform is about one foot above the
floor and generally four or five feet square, with a crane to hang kettles
or cooking pots on; and when only the embers remain a trap in the
chimney is closed, to prevent the heat from getting out.
The wife put the coffee kettle over the fire, and one of the daughters
kept herself busy with the coffee mill.
In the mean time my driver came in and was welcomed, and they asked
him about me. When they heard I was from America they shouted,
"From America!" and when they had recovered from their astonishment,
the husband said, "I have a brother in America." The wife said, "I have
a sister and two nieces in America," and tears came into her eyes. They
did also into mine; there was at once a bond of union between us. To
them the United States was so far away, and I was so far from home.
They often thought of their folks and friends who had emigrated to our
land.

The family was composed of three daughters and two sons. The girls
had fair hair and large blue eyes, and were strong enough to be
victorious in a wrestling contest with big boys.
The sons helped their father on the farm. The names of the girls were:
Engla Matilda, Serlotta Maria, and Kajsa Maria; the mother Lovisa
Kristina; the father Carl; the sons were Nils and Erik.
The big room was strange-looking. In one corner was the large open
fireplace. A large hand loom, with an unfinished piece of thick coarse
woollen stuff or cloth which was being woven, was in another corner.
Near by were three spinning-wheels; upon one was flax and on the two
others wool. On the walls were shelves for plates, saucers, glasses,
mugs, dishes, etc.
The ceiling was about eight or nine feet in height. There was an
opening in it which was accessible by a ladder. I wanted very much to
know what there was above. Along the walls were several wooden
benches like sofas, upon which the people sat. A large wooden table
with wooden benches and two or three wooden chairs completed the
furniture. There was a trap-door in the middle of the floor, leading into
the cellar; and as this never froze, the potatoes and