THS.--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