In England we are apt to look upon Norway and Sweden as almost one
nation, but they are not so in reality. The Norwegians in the old, old
days formed one nation with the Danes, but the Swedes have always been
a separate nation which has never been under the rule of any other
people. And they are very proud of this. So when I got amongst the
Swedes, I found a totally different people, but they were equally kind
and friendly to me, and they had an equally British-looking lot of Boy
Scouts.
A large number of these had collected the day before I was to review
them in Stockholm, and were camped there. So I went and saw them
overnight in camp, and found them round their camp-fires, cooking
their suppers, as jolly as sandboys. If they could do nothing else,
they could, at any rates cook their food very well.
But they could do other things, too, as they proved next day at the
Rally.
This took place on a big open sports ground.
The Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden were there to see them (the
Crown Princess is the daughter of H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, our
President). Their Royal Highnesses are tremendously interested in the
Scouts, and watched all that they did most keenly.
[Illustration: A SWEDISH BOY SCOUT AT THE RALLY.]
I heard many reports of the good work done by Swedish Scouts. Here is
one:
A poorly-paid working man in Gothenburg found himself in great
difficulties recently through his wife and two children being suddenly
taken ill with diphtheria and removed to the hospital. He himself had
to go to his work at the factory all day, but he had one of the
children left on his hands, as well as the home to look after.
He got the wife of one of his neighbours to do this for one day; the
next he came back home during the dinner-hour to see how things were
going on, and he found his home all cleaned and tidied up, and a
strange boy sitting on the floor playing with his child, while another
was still finishing the cleaning-up work.
When he asked who they were, they explained that they were Boy Scouts,
and, having heard that he was wanting help in his home, they had come
to give it.
You can imagine how grateful he was, especially as the Scouts kept on
at the work for over two weeks until the mother had got well and
returned to take charge.
One of those boys was the son of a rich man, while the other, his
comrade, was quite a poor lad.
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