The Argosy — page 148: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Under Northern Skies. 133 The boat started at eight o’clock, and was due at Halmstad—first stage in my journey—about five in the afternoon. A more perfect day never existed. More beautiful than any that had gone before, it was surely too glorious to last. So indeed it proved. For days and weeks after that, perfection as regarded weather became a re- membrance of the past. All day we steamed down the coast of Sweden. If the shores were flat and uninteresting, the very beauty of sky and sunshine, the extreme rarity of the atmosphere, invested them with a charm the more enjoyed that one felt it due to the uncertain elements. Only too often this Cattegat behaves with utter indifference to the comfort and even life of travellers at its mercy. But to-day it was calm as > = = HALMSTAD—PRINCIPAL STREET. it oil had been thrown upon its frequently troubled surface. Every small object on land or sea was reflected as in a mirror. The sun beamed upon the waters in great patches of light; poured down upon the deck as if it would set all ablaze. Scarcely a breath of air stirred, beyond the slight currents of our own motion. Our little boat was called the ‘“* Mermaid,” and, thanks to the calm sea, no mermaid was ever found in kindlier mood. We steamed quietly onwards until towards midday. Then round- ing a point, we turned into the quaint little harbour of Warburg, and there discharged a few passengers and a goodly cargo. It was evidently a small sea-bathing place, pleasant and quiet.. In and about a casino built of wood, cool looking and quite fashionable and worldly, a few visitors lounged and idled, while listening to the strains of a band. Go where you will in Sweden, you will find an orchestra ; good, bad, or indifferent. Apparently the Swedes will have music, WoL, Xl. K COMIC OOO SS (SO)