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108 THROUGH NORWAY WITII A KNAPSACK.
together on the floor round the centre fire during the long
darkness of their bitter winter-time; and how the Lapp
girl, who was married to a Frenchman and lived for
many years among the gaieties of Paris, returned to the
snows of the fjeld again when her husband died and
left her alone in the dreary solitude of a crowded city.
It reminded me of a story I heard some time since
from a celebrated Edinburgh publisher, who had
purchased a large estate, and was much shocked at the
manner in which some of the people upon it were living.
He found the family of a very intelligent working man
all living, sleeping, and feeding together in one
apartment, without regard to age or sex; he remonstrated,
and did more: he built an extra room to their cottage,
and furnished it comfortably as a sleeping apartment.
Three months afterwards he paid them another visit,
and was surprised to find that the new room had not
been occupied, and on asking why, was answered that
it was " mair cheery-like to be a’thegitlier."
If a philanthropist were to erect improved dwellings
for the Laplanders, with more spacious apartments,
separated for the sexes, with ventilating shafts, and
mahogany chairs and tables, the little people would
doubtless desert the commodious, well-ventilated,
mahogany-furnished dwelling, and erect one of their accustomed
hovels, where they would find it " mair cheery-like" to
pig together on the floor in their accustomed huddle of
warm domestic dirtiness.
There were several children about, who were much
better-looking than their parents; they appeared more
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