s
though she were too imperial to be followed by anything but
music.

On the Sunday following the congress an excursion was arranged on
beautiful Lake Malaren to the ancient Castle of Gripsholm, where
evening dinner was served. The city council and the State railways
financially assisted the Entertainment Committee. At all of the
Alliance congresses the social entertainments were a marked feature.
The hospitality was boundless and each country had its historic places
and beautiful resorts which differed so much from those of all others
as to give them an indescribable charm and interest. Following is part
of the report of this one by Mrs. Anna Lindemann, secretary of the
Alliance:[224]

The official entertainments were most appropriately opened by the
truly international greeting which Mrs. Holmgren, one of the
founders of the Swedish suffrage movement, addressed to the
guests at the reception in the Grand Hotel Royal. Her words which
gave a hearty welcome to the French and German-speaking guests
and to our Swedish sisters in their several languages; the
beautiful cantata written by Sigrid Leijonhufvud, the music
composed by Alfrida Andree specially for this occasion, and last
but not least the presence of the woman all of us had long known
and loved before we saw her, Selma Lagerloef, made us feel at home
in Sweden at once. This feeling deepened as time went on and
Wednesday evening at Skansen a new note was added. All we saw of
Swedish nature and Swedish life in that beautiful open air
museum, the national dances, the characteristic art of Sven
Scholander and his daughter Lisa, gave us a deeper understanding
of the people whose guests we were and showed us some of the
roots from which it draws its strength. Another aspect also, the
refined culture of modern Sweden, was the dominant note of the
dinner at Hasselbacken with the heartfelt speech of the venerable
Bishop Scheele of Visby.

On a background of lovely scenery this week will stand out in our
memory as one long summer day with a long, long evening full of
silver light.... During the carriage drive generously provided by
Miss Lotten von Kraemer our hearts were gladdened by the many
expressions of sympathy we met on our way, from the dear old
women, who waved their handkerchiefs and their aprons, down to
small girls