and children,
and intended to remain in Europe several years, which we also did.

At Hessleholm we were met by relatives and friends who conducted us to
the old city of Christianstad, where we were to make our home. The early
part of the beautiful northern summer we spent in visiting friends and
kinsmen. Entertainments, excursions and festivities of all kinds
alternated continually. The kindness and hospitality of the people knew
no bounds, and no matter how defective some of the old institutions of
Sweden may be they are in my opinion more than counterbalanced by the
many beautiful and noble traits of character of the people, which we
observed everywhere, and which are faithfully stored up in our hearts
and minds, so that we always find a great delight in looking back to
those days.

Having spent a large portion of the summer in this manner, I started in
the month of August on a tour to the northern part of the country,
visiting Stockholm, Upsala, Gefle, Hudiksvall, and several other places.
This was my first opportunity to see the beautiful scenery of northern
Sweden, the fine, quiet bays, the magnificent lakes, the pleasant
valleys, the green hills, the mountains dark with pine forests, all of
which contribute to make the scenery of Norrland so varied and
attractive.

In the fall I returned to southern Sweden, and had an opportunity to
witness the field maneuvers of the largest portion of the Swedish army,
and also to meet the popular king Charles XV. The maneuvers were very
fine, but, in my opinion, the troops could not have endured a long
campaign, with its exhaustive marches and hardships. The soldiers
complained loudly of fatigue, and quite a number of them were taken sick
after the march of only fourteen to eighteen miles, although the weather
was fine, cool, and bracing. Compared with our American army during the
late war, when marches of twice that distance were quite frequent, the
Swedish army was inferior; but these weak points would probably soon be
remedied by practice in actual warfare.

After having seen King Charles I was no longer astonished at his great
popularity among the people. There was something about him which seemed
to electrify and charm everyone who came within the circle of his
personal influence. I saw him again the following winter at the opening
of parliament in Stockholm. With all due respect for old Swedish customs
and manners, I cannot but compare this pageant to a great American