I must probably before I again visit Norway, one of the outstanding memor- les of that delightful country and its hospitable people will be a little girl, nine years of age; and mostly I shall think of her in a background of rocky shores, wind-swept slopes, and late summer flowers rustled by a salt breeze. Perhaps, too, an unpleasant image will arise-of- mad things sweeping across a peaceful countryside in a war- mad world, and of Lille Karin
THE YEARS that p088
re-
Saturday,
LILLE
A
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
KARIN:
Norwegian Interlude
How Tidings of War Disturbed the Peace of the Countryside.
nights,
coastal
was
By VINCENT JARRETT
September 6, 1941.
Truly is it the feeling of all, big and smail, that they are having a Gledelly Jull
Then one fine morning, when we lay basking in the sunshine, amid the wealth of delicately perfumed
SVIA an occasional joy that sea pinks that dotted the slope by never lost its interest, and the our bungalow, we saw Lille Karia running towards us, nt grent risk of driver's quaint jerk of the falling over the sharp rocks.
thumb backwards, to indicate
We had not seen her for three
to waiting passengers that he days, and thought the hurry was duo had reached "bus ful!",
to that prolonged absence. But greater things were the cause of her everlasting delight.
excitement.
A1
We soon became firm friends. Realising the importance of the Seeing my fatigue after even a news, particularly to me, she had short walk, my nine-year-old which she waved at us as she came appropriated that morning's poper, visitor would insist on carrying within hailing distance. the milk can,
if we went to
Never shall I forget that litte fetch our day's supply from a Agure.ally balanced at the neighbouring farm. We could for once the formalities of slope, ns she, forgel- top of the safely commission her to do atdress, called out, Det er krig! purchases in the village, and ap-, (There la wari). preciated her vitality, when, af- We took nearly hait a minute to This story so demoralised my ler scrambling nearly a
mile realise what it meant; and in those traffle with never-fail- companion, that the next time through woodland and across madness of mankind, the news of pengeful surroundings, for from the
We
listened
to the
ble
LIM,
1030. Lille Karin
the
a
the
but may that soon pass! Eleven years previously, my companion and I had wandered about southern Norway in au ideal midsummer, and she then showed me with pleasure the many. by-ways which she had explored from childhood. To the visitor from across the sens, experiencing such things for the first time, and with so de. ing pleasure, and soon the sub- we stood by that letter-box, large boulders, she arrived Germany's Invasion of Poland, and lightful a guide and Interpreter, conscious mind sought for the waiting for a bus, she unblash loaded with potatoes or other at its future implications, absorbed
extracted the current supplies, not the least tired. everything was viewed in rhythm of the chug-chugging ingly
motor engines that propelled day's issue, rend it almost right rosy light: all Norwegians were
FATEFUL DAY My helpmate, a clever housewife, charming people; their dour- the small fishing smacks to the through, and then put it back!
grounds. Otherwise
always had some tasty confection trawling
Two days later, Britain, and then ness seemed almost Scottish,
COMMON HONESTY made out of meagre material on our France, declared war on Germany. and when they allowed one's it was as if habitation had been
small dil stove, and Karin apprese Norwegian liner for Newcastle Froin our seaside bungalow, we saw obtained in one of the most re- personality to melt their
But nobody seemed to think cinted her shure which was put mole corners of the world. that was not "good form" in good manners at an early age, and few hours Inter: it had been recalled aside. Norwegian children are taught pass in the morning, and return a serve, conviction came that they had much in common with the Our small wooden bungalow Norway. It way
common the quaint little bobbing curtsey by a mile from the nearest thing to leave a parcel by the when she wished us god dag was
by wireless. That was fateful folk north o' Tweed. Indeed,
mber 3, when they "took to you" they fishing village, and our visitors roadside. if coming back that even execiled by the grace with
us did it with a dignified courtesy few and far between.
way, in the full expectation of which she always remembered to worst or the paper condeming our the next morn- And here we first came to finding it intact
Say takk that came quite naturally. It
for maten (thank you for ing. The question of our return to on one's re- the meal) to her hostess, who as England, and then to Hongkong, was was no surprise, in early lessons know and appreciate Lille Kar turn: and never, to my know meticulously replied with the con- now a problem. But that, as Kipling in the language, to fud the in. She had been christened lege, was such trust in com- ventional velbekomme,
was wont to say, is another story. similarity to such words as the Karin, but to us she always mon honesty misplaced. Every-
On returning to town My masruline vanity
suffered nutumn, Scottish kirk, brig, bairn and would have the "little" as pre- body lived a natural, almost
we lost touch with our seething f a set-back, however, little friend; but one day, in the reck. One could pass hun- fix, to distinguish her from an eare-free life, and all were the when our little friend decided ni- dreds of people in Oslo whose older relative of the same name. happier for it. The bus con- ways to refer to the woman of that of winter vialt was pald
bungalow, by
by nature of farewell, build and features were du. Her first appearance, one day, duétor of more sophisticated house as Frut, but to me merely ns for soon the trans-Atlantic voyage plicated in Edinburgh.
was with the latest newspaper places was absent, the driver eller-half's manu! It was post was to be undertaken. And Lifie procurable. That it was a day collecting the fares, people pay muented, the distinction of being the for just a day, came out on ski to then to apprecinte, 04 I com- Karin, having heard we were back LAND OF CONTENT
old mattered nothing to us, who ing as they got in or left-it obscure husband of a famous film say goodbye. EVEN BUT
THE had not read any papers for was all the same. No tickets star or prima donna.
While winter snows lay thick on LONGEST of holidays nearly a week. It was to be a were given: the proprietor of
BACK TO SCHOOL
field
and mountainside, the time must come to an end, and duty real holiday away from all out the service trusted all his drí-
came to bid a sud farvel to my took me to the opposite end of side influences. A kind friend vers, and they handed over the Latte Karin chattered throughout
Norwegian hosts. Their hospitable carth. In due
course who offered to install a porta- considerable day's takings with her visits, and we learned all about food had done its work, and con
climate, bracing cold, and healthful chance, by way of severe illness ble wireless set, had probably out any suspicion crossing his her dolls, her school friends, and a and prolonged convalescence, meant well, but we laughingly mind that a single ore was miss had been invited for a cousin's birth-
selskap (party) to which she valescence hud advanced.
Since then a great deal has hap brought us back to Norway two refused. Yet an innate curio- ing.
day. It would not be long before pened. including the invasion of summers ago, for a stay extend- sity got the better of us, and we
into the following devoured, that first news-sheet our district after half an hour's us that if we should spend the win Karin
bus service, reaching holidays were over and schoolwork Norway In April, 1940, by the Ger- ing almost
claimed her again;
but she assured maps, shortly after we left. Lille
was doubtless spring. How strange it seemed from the outside world with the
among the r'un from town, formed the ter in Norway, she would send us thousands of children who crouched to remember towns and places greatest interest. Germany was main link with the countryside, a card and
card and good wishes at Christmas in fear as the Nazi bombers roared and landscapes in a flash: to mobilising more men, Poland Letters could be "posted" with me. To Norwegian children, the overhead, and who hid when the in- feel that they might have been was apprehensive, Britain was the driver, for a small fee, and of rejoicing. But they do not
Yuletide is, sappily, a great festival
tival vading hordes swept Deross the. seen but yesterday! One had anxious, but nobody seemed to he delivered them faithfully: up stockings for Santa Claus to place tons
hang countryside. Now she suffers priva- grown older and less enthusias expect war. Certainly in that wherever a passenger wished to his gifts therein. Their big day is bereavement through
with the others, perhaps
iosy tic, perhaps; inclined to look at section of "Europe's quiet alight or board the vehicle, he Christmas Eve, when, after a special male relatives, for they were of things less romantically, corner the mind refused to obligingly stopped; and dus or pork, and confectionery, they hold
of rice Supper
fowl stark which could never be quislings. Nevertheless, those memories of think of anything but inter after day, with unfailing good hands with members of the family all whom you represent. May the Fare you well, little Karin, and country walks and drives, of national amity and the brother humour, he picked up or de- and dance round the Christmas tree, tidings you so dramatically brought outings in the family motor hood of man.
livered parcels (by the road at the foot of which are placed the us that late summer day become, in boat, trailing a spinner buit for KARIN'S NEWSPAPER side) for no fee at all. To as the parcels are unwrapped, dis- memory, in world restored
gifts. What squeals of delight then, due course, but LLET unpleasant fth going up to five pounds Lille Karin observed our in- Lille Karin, a trip on the bus closing their weight, and other outstanding terest, and, whenever she called recollections of a happy June, after that her parcel included a came back easily, with an assur- newspaper. We decided that her ance that here, for a time at mother had graciously permit- least, would be home. And the ted the no-longer-needed jour- joy on my companion's face, mal, to be brought to us, for al- softened by recent mental suf- ways the issues were a day old. fering to a special comeliness, It was some time later that, when she brought me to seek taking my first walk to the vil- recovery in her native land, was age, I solved the matter. Our itself a tonic that gave strength little friend, meeting me near
Jimbs enfeebled by illness, one of the unlocked wooden let and forgetfulness-of-hospitals ter-boxes that stood by the and anaesthetics.
rondside; cnimly raised the lid,
the
to
And so, back in Norway, land and appropriated "my" daily of peace and promise, of kind- paper, taking care to choose the liness, happiness and content! older of two that lay in the boxi The first night in a strange The explanation was a simple bed is often a restless one. How one. Somebody in the house often do we whose lot it is to along the pathway had gone travel to and from fur coun- away for an indefinite period, tries, turn and toss in the small and apparently forgot to cancel hours, listening to the traffic his paper. If it had not been noises of some big city, and removed the day after deposi- peering every now and again at tory, little Karin decided that it n bedside clock, hoping that was not wanted. Never, how- dawn is at hand. Yet out ever, did she take a new one, in among the Norwegian skerries, case the householder returned during those balmy August and wanted it for himself.
That
Krand
entrancing contents, sanity and to freedom. In the depth of winter, she came out on ski to say goodbye.
the
to
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STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH
“Oh, who will o'er the Downa with
me?
Oh, who will with me ride ?". ***The groom, Sir,**
“The question, Hawkins, was purely thetorical. Use your imagination, man. Suppose that this thomagh- -bred portion of electrical horseflesh should take the bit between hils teeth and vole ? **
"I'm afraid I don't follow you, Sla?" **Ithought you looked a trille baffled. You're wondering why l'enfeeling so remarkably spry this morning. Why -1 appear in rude and vulgar health."
** Oh no, Sir."
"And the question'spring, unbidden to your lips, "Where, oh where, in the hangover hallowed by tradition?** "Nat in the least, Sir”
"Just to satisfy your morbld curiosity, Hawkins, let me tell you that last night I suck to gin and Rose'a Lime Juice."
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“And now. Havcicios you snight. give this brust a' rub down while-f ruake for my tub. And see there's a whackjag big breakfast — something like those hunt breakfasts you sco -on calendars."!
T
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