Some Swedish Traits - [Sir Robert Baden-Powell does not often
write for the Press now, but we are privileged to publish these very shrewd and- characteristic remarks on Sweden, which show the Chief Scout as observant as ever.—ED. Spectator.] QWEDEN is, to my mind, one of the most delightful Ni of countries to visit. I have been there several "times, but on the last occasion I took a closer look than Usual into the country and the people outside the cities by going into some out-of-the-way townships and into the backwoods of Jamtland.
Here townships are few, Lapps are to be seen, bears and wolves are not unknown, and incidentally there is excellent fishing to be had. But, also incidentally, I found that the characteristics of the people in the rural districts differed little from those in the more civilized centres. There was everywhere the same cleanliness and orderliness, the same cheery politeness and readiness to serve, the same kindness to animals and children, and the same sane and simple enjoyment of life.
The sense of cleanliness and order strikes one from the _ first. The Swedish steamships are particularly clean, the railway stations are invariably smart and trim, never dingy. They have neat lawns and flower-beds with never a weed or a scrap of paper, or a cigarette end, and it, is just the same with the streets and the houses and cottages : no rubbish heaps or garbage to be seen. Chicken-runs are not, as elsewhere, mere assortments of old - boxes; coal-scuttles and.- sacking. Allotments are neatly kept, and even the tool-sheds are neat little model houses, with white paint and curtained windows. Thieves be it noted, do not break in and steal in this country !
Every woman seems to be a gardener and every man a carpenter. Every town we visited had its _park with grass_ lawns, sand-heaps for the children, paths raked, - and swept, nesting boxes for the birds, seats and tables for the picnickers and open-air restaurants with music everywhere.
The summer climate is much the same as ours, and the people there certainly make the best of it and revel in the out-of-doors. On Sundays the whole population _ „ , seem to.be out in the parks and gardens in family parties, bringing their food with them. In the country inns, on =board the ferry steamers, at station buffets, ete., the table service was always spotlessly clean. Then, too, there is such a nice kindly spirit among the people. We did not -know a word of Swedish nor they of English. They did their best to understand what we were driving at, and When they failed- to -grasp it they reared with latighter " at their own stupidity instead of being annoyed at ours. Taxi-drivers (and the taxis are nice-long touring-carS) expect nothing more than their regular fare—even from ignorant foreigners—and they take Off their caps on receiving it. I offered tips to "various men, to one for heavy work with horse and-cart, and_handling our baggage from hand to cart and from cart to steamer. He looked surprised, wrung my hand in gratitude, and took off his hat. A boatman: who . had taken me out two dayL' salmon-fishing only took my. tip after declining it and - having - it -absolutely- thrust upon hiin. ThiS attitude made one feel that these were self-respecting men in a - really democratic land—that they were one's equals and not parasites or beggars kow-towing for tips.
It was good to see manly individuality still existing among the men, and, indeed, the women had their individuality too, for comparatively few of the girls and they were very good-looking as a rule—had cropped their hair because others did—and I never saw one Swede who powdered or painted.
The Swedes are nature lovers. Their kindness to animals was very. obvious. The horses are all of one pattern, sleek dun cobs with kindly eye, powerful and intelligent, workers and demonstratively fond of human society ; and as even the birds come calmly and cheekily to share one's food one realizes they are in the habit of doing so. A great hulking woodman who acted as my guide when fishing stopped to show me some tiny flowers which were his particular favourites and gave me, their Swedish . and also their Latin name. In many places we noticed that when ropes were made fast to trees a. piece of sacking or wad of soft grass was invariably put up to protect the bark from being rubbed-. -Wliett kindness is extended to trees it runs pretty powerfully in other lines. Then the people seem content with sane enjoyment. I suppose there must be more motor- boats per head of the population than in any other country, and everybody can swim. Children are taught it in the sehools, and their brown-tanned skins speak to continued practice of it. They are a strong, fine, healthy people and remarkably happy. They seem generally 'content with the quiet enjoyment of home surroundings. .There is no feverish rush in masses to pleasure resorts, por does one hear that shrill hysterical laughter which emanates from charabancs touring our villages at home.
Yes--as I have said, Sweden is a. delightful place to spend a holiday, and I am sure it is a .happy country in which to live, among its clean, hardworking, kindly -and
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