The Henson Journals

[311]

Monday, September 11th, 1911. Stockholm.

Last night I wrote to Mother, & to Custard, & sent cards to Angel Colenso, Reggie Still, Colin Kennedy, & Wilfrid Hill.

A beautiful morning. In returning from getting shaved by a spectacled Swedish Minerva I noticed a company of artisans looking in at a shop–window. When they had passed on, I saw that the window was full of pictures, professing to illustrate the recent English Railway Strike. One particularly arrested me. It was a symbolical picture. A brawny artisan was depicted striving to arrest the advance of a locomotive. From the smoke proceeded wild scenes of conflict & confusion. Above & apart sat an elderly gentleman in evening dress contemplating the scene with the impassiveness of an Epicurean deity.

We finished packing, & then took the steamer from the quay in front of Gustaf III's statue on the Riddarsholme: & went to Gustaf's Vic in order to lunch with the Kilmarnocks, & spend the afternoon. Lord K. joined us on the steamer, & 'deceived the way' by pointing out the features of the route. The way lies through the most beautiful scenery, &, as the weather was splendid, everything looked its best. We enjoyed our visit thoroughly. After lunch we were joined by Sir Cecil & Lady Spring Rice, & walked in the woods. He is a most interesting companion, discoursing pleasantly on many subjects, and always with knowledge, humour, & intelligence.

[312]

He was in Stockholm during the strike. He said he never more admired the Swedes than when he saw them brace themselves for that conflict. Since the victory of the community it had been observed that the workmen had been much more amenable to reason. He agrees with me in thinking that it had been better if in England we had taken a similar manly course. He says that elk are numerous in the district, &, indeed, hoped that we might come across one in the course of our walk. He showed me a thick tree stump nearly cut in two by the action of the large black wood–pecker, which, he said, he had watched at the work. He asked me my opinion of the Chaplain whom we heard yesterday, & finding it as unfavourable as his own, expatiated on the subject of chaplains. The last had been scandalous through strong drink; the present was intolerable through every fault that was not vicious or criminal! I could give him little hope of anything better, for, clearly, there is no sphere which would be adequate to a vigorous man's energies. He was rather amusing on the visit of the English Bishops on the Reunion Mission, & evidently thinks there is no reality in that movement. The tendency is not towards England in things ecclesiastical any more than in things political or commercial, but towards Germany.

[313]

One curious result of the Strike was an outbreak of delirium tremens among the topers of Stockholm, who being suddenly deprived of their accustomed & indispensable liquor, fell ill, & gave up the ghost! He says that the Swedes are very drunken in spite of the Gothenberg system.

We had a most delightful return journey to Stockholm. The fine sunset was ravishingly beautiful as seen from the lake. On our arrival in the hotel we had but just time to get a rather hasty dinner, pay our reckoning, & set off on the 8.30 p.m. train to Malmö. We took sleepers for which we had to pay on our first class tickets 21k. 40ö. The sleepers are unusually spacious & well–appointed, comparing well with those in England & America.

Tips in the hotel mount up:–

The old woman upstairs	5kr
The porter	5kr
The head waiter	3kr
The hat & coat man	1kr
The waiter who brought the bill	1kr
The bus driver	1kr
The poter who looked after us in station	2kr
	18kr

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