COPENHAGEN
SUMMER bursts suddenly in Copenhagen. First, winter, with its deep
snows, its fogs and frosts and thaws; then a few days of showers
and a few of sunshine, _Blinkeveir_[10] the Danes call this showery
weather; and then, all at once, the bare trees throw out their tender
green foliage and the spring flowers burst into life! The long cold
winter is over. Even then, there sometimes come dense sea-mists which
envelop Denmark's capital, and only vanish with the sun's warm rays. So
Copenhageners have a popular weather saying:
"'Monday's weather till mid-day is the week's weather till Friday,
Friday's weather is Sunday's weather,
Saturday has its own weather."
Saturday's weather fortunately proved ideal, a rare June day.
Copenhagen's beautiful Public Gardens and Parks were all aglow with
fragrant, blossoming spring flowers. Valdemar's school was at last over.
"Now to the woods!" he cried in joy. "And, mother dear, can't we
keep Cousin Karl all summer with us up at our country place on the
_Strandvej_,[11] while Uncle Oscar has to be away in Jutland attending
to that Park of his? But I should like to be there with him when they
have their big American Fourth of July celebration, and see them raise
their great Star Spangled Banner over our beloved flag! Wouldn't you,
Karl? I've heard about the American 'Fourth,' with the Stars and
Stripes waving everywhere, and of the army manoeuvres and big times
they have over there in the States on that historic day! But Denmark's
never had anything like it before, has she, Uncle Thor?"
They were in Fru Ingemann's pretty dining-room having their twelve
o'clock little _frokost_ of tea and _smörrebröd_, this happy little
party of six, for the American relatives had arrived.
Early that morning, Valdemar and his Uncle Thor had hurried to the dock
to meet the steamer, "and, but for Uncle Oscar's waving handkerchief,
and his good memory for faces, we might have missed them entirely,"
explained Valdemar, who was delighted with this first acquaintance with
his new American cousin.
With the first warm spring day, half of Copenhagen whitewashes her
town house windows against the sun's hot rays, and prepares to migrate
farther north, to the famous _Strandvej_, where soft breezes from the
blue Sound play all day over the broad sandy beach, and rustle through
the leaves of the beech-trees in the Deer Park near by. Rich and poor
alike own their own villas, country houses or little cottages, as the
case may be, and these thickly dot the beautiful east Sound Shore all
the way from Copenhagen to Elsinore, for great is the Dane's love of
_at ligger på Landet_.[12]
Like all the rest, through wise and careful planning, Fru Ingemann had
her little country place on the beautiful east Shore, where each summer
Karen and Valdemar took long walks through the glorious beech-woods,
went swimming, boating and bathing, made their own flower-gardens and
dug in the ground to their hearts' content. By the end of each short,
happy summer, they were both as tanned and brown as the baskets of
beech-nuts they gathered and brought back with them for the winter.
"We will have great times, if only Cousin Karl can come up for the
summer with us!" begged little Karen.
"I'll think about it," was the only promise they could get out of Uncle
Oscar for the moment. "I'm sure Karl would like it, but I'm not ready
to decide anything just now."
"If I'm not mistaken, the first thing Karl wants is to see some of
the sights of Copenhagen," said Hr. Svensen, as they were leaving the
breakfast table. "Suppose we all go together and give him a bird's-eye
view of Copenhagen and the Harbor from the top of the Round Tower!
How's that, Karl?"
"Great! Can't we start right away?" said the little American, for Karl
was a typical little Chicago boy, eager-minded and anxious to take in
everything at once.
"And the Thorvaldsen Museum, Uncle Thor? Can't we go back there again
to-day?" urged Valdemar, for the wondrous beauty of Thorvaldsen's
masterpieces still filled all his thoughts. On the way home from the
Museum, the previous day, he had listened to fascinating stories told
him by his godfather, stories about the "Lion of Lucerne," and about
the little peasant boy who loved art, and worked hard, and finally
became one of the world's greatest sculptors. Valdemar couldn't forget
Thorvaldsen's lovely "Guardian Angel," or his wonderful figure of
"Christ," with its bowed head and arms outstretched in benediction, or
the heavenly beauty of his "Angel of the Baptism kneeling at Christ's
feet." Never, thought Valdemar, had he seen anything half so beautiful
in all his life! Then, there were mighty gods and heroes, and graceful
nymphs. "And only think," continued Valdemar, "when Thorvaldsen was
just a little boy eleven years old,--three years less than I am--he
so loved his drawing and modelling that his father, who was a poor
Icelandic ship-builder and carver of figureheads, placed him in school
at the Academy of Arts, where he won prize after prize, not stopping
until he had gained even the great gold medal, together with the
travelling scholarship which took him to Italy to study. There he
worked hard day by day, from early dawn till dark without stopping. No
wonder the great Museum is completely filled with masterpieces from his
hand!"
"Valdemar, my boy, you, too, shall enter as a student at the Academy
next fall, if your work during the summer continues to show the talent
and improvement that will justify my sending you. But that means you
must work hard. I leave next week for my summer studio up at Skagen,
but, until I go, you shall have a lesson each day, if you like, and
more lessons up there all summer long, if you will come, for there
is no little boy in all the world I would rather help than you, my
Valdemar."
"Oh, Uncle Thor!" cried Valdemar, throwing his arms around his
godfather's neck, wild with joy. "I will begin to-morrow. And do you
really mean that I am to study at the Academy?"
"Yes, my little artist," answered Hr. Svensen. "And now let us start
at once and see some of Copenhagen's sights."
"And will Fru Oberstinde not accompany us?" politely inquired Mr.
Hoffman, of his sister-in-law.
Danish wives and widows are given the same titles their husbands bear,
so that Fru Ingemann, who was the widow of a Colonel, or "Oberst," in
the King's army, was often addressed as "Oberstinde," or "Coloneless."
"Not to-day, thank you. Karen and I will wait for you at home," said
Fru Ingemann, smiling as she observed the big book in her child's
hands. "You see what Karen is reading, Hans Christian Andersen's
fascinating '_Billedbog unden Billeder_.'[13] Be sure to be back in
time for dinner," she called as the party set off.
"_God Dag_,"[14] said the tram conductor politely as they entered.
Karl smiled. Then he began to ask questions, for he had never
crossed the ocean before, and never before had he seen any city
like Copenhagen. Chicago certainly had its broad avenues, parks and
boulevards, great skyscrapers and fine buildings; but Chicago had never
dreamed of permitting its one great canal to run right up through the
city streets, among the office buildings and houses, with all its
shipping, launches and water-craft, as the Copenhagen canals all seemed
to do in the friendliest possible fashion.
"Copenhagen must look much more like Amsterdam than like Athens,
father. I can't see why it is called the 'Athens of the North.' I don't
see any Greek-looking buildings here," protested Karl.
"Yes," agreed Karl's father, who had once lived in Denmark long years
ago. "Copenhagen may look much more like Amsterdam, Karl; but, while
you will not see Greek buildings here, nevertheless the title of
'Athens' comes justly, not only because of Copenhagen's charming
position on the borders of the Sound at the entrance to the Baltic,
giving the city a great advantage commercially, and because of its
beautifully wooded environs, but particularly on account of its
splendid libraries, art galleries, museums and great university and
schools, which rank among the best to be found anywhere in Europe.
Before we reach the Round Tower we will doubtless get a view of some of
these."
"_Fa' vel_,"[15] said the tram conductor, bowing pleasantly to them as
they got off at their destination.
Karl laughed outright. "Dear me! In Chicago car conductors are given
prizes for politeness, but I must say, none of them have ever yet
reached the point of saying 'farewell' to you as you leave. I'm glad
they don't. Gee! We'd never get anywhere in Chicago if we stopped for
all that."
"Half of Copenhagen seems to be out on the streets to-day," remarked
Mr. Hoffman, who had not been back to Denmark's beautiful capital
for so long that he had forgotten what a large city it was. "Look, I
believe that must be the New Picture Gallery, isn't it?"
"You are right," replied Hr. Svensen. "Half the charm of Copenhagen
must be traced to her museums and rich art treasures. Shall we give the
boys a peep inside?"
"Oh, yes!" exclaimed both boys at once, for Karl had pleasant memories
of Saturday afternoons he had spent studying all the fine exhibits in
the Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago. They had soon climbed the
broad granite steps, and were walking through the long corridors and
halls filled with great paintings, each bearing the artist's name on
the frame.
"The New Picture Gallery affords a good opportunity for studying Danish
pictorial art, just as the New Glyptothek does for studying Danish
sculpture," said Hr. Svensen, as they were leaving.
"What canal is that?" asked Karl. "It certainly is a pretty one, with
that beautiful promenade and park along one side."
"Yes, that is Holmen's Canal, one of the finest in Copenhagen,"
answered Hr. Svensen. It was full of ships and other water-craft.
"And that marble building which looks like an Etruscan tomb is the
Thorvaldsen Museum, one of the principal attractions of Copenhagen. We
shall have to take another day for that. But, just to please Valdemar,
we will spend a moment inside the church where Thorvaldsen's 'Christ,'
the 'Angel of the Baptism' and 'The Twelve Apostles' are all standing
in the places for which they were designed."
"The Danes have accomplished much more in sculpture than in painting,
haven't they, Uncle Thor?" Valdemar asked.
"Yes, you are quite right, Valdemar. Denmark, as yet, has produced no
painter to compare with Thorvaldsen."
They paused a moment at the _New Raadhus-plads_, with its castellated
roof, and paved semicircle in front, and again, near by, at the New
City Hall.
"What an attractive part of Copenhagen this is," remarked Karl, as
he observed the many broad, fine, well-kept _Pladser_,[16] with
their electric cars gliding noiselessly back and forth with American
celerity. "Copenhagen seems to me a much cleaner, prettier city than
Chicago, father. Don't you think so? But where are its beggars? We've
not yet seen one."
Hr. Svensen was quick to answer that they were not likely to see one.
That Copenhagen, with a population of nearly five hundred thousand,
has a pauper element of less than three per cent. "For the Danes are
naturally a thrifty, industrious people, more than half of whom are
farmers, and many also go to sea in ships," explained Hr. Svensen.
[Illustration: "WHERE JOLLY-LOOKING WOMEN WITH QUAINT HEADDRESSES WERE
SELLING THEIR WARES"]
They took a tram down Stormgade over a bridge to the island of
Slotsholmen, with its famous Fruit and Flower Market, where
jolly-looking women with quaint headdresses were selling their wares;
then over another bridge into _Kongens Nytorv_, the King's New Market.
"Here we are in a different world from that which we just left," said
Hr. Svensen. They had reached a large Square, a great centre of life
and bustle, from which thirteen busy streets radiated. Through the
trees in the centre of this great open space the statue of a king was
seen, and red omnibuses crept slowly along on each side of the tram
line. Here they saw the Royal Theatre, the famous Tivoli Gardens, and
the beautiful old Palace of Charlottenburg, close to an inlet of the
sea, which reached right into the Square with all its shipping, so
that masts and sails and shops and buildings took on the same friendly
aspect that they have in Holland.
"But I don't see any 'skyscrapers,' Uncle Thor, like we have in
Chicago, sometimes twenty stories high! Where are they?" inquired the
little American.
"In a moment or so, Karl, I will show you two 'skyscrapers' that will
amuse you!" said Hr. Svensen. "But, look! here is a lively scene for us
first."
They were passing the Copenhagen fish-market, or _Gammelstrand_, as it
is called, where the fish are sold alive, after having been kept in
large perforated boxes in the canal.
"Now look, Karl! how's that for a skyscraper?"
They were looking at the tall tower of the _Bors_, or Exchange, one
hundred and fifty feet high, with its upper part formed by four great
dragons whose tails were so intertwined and twisted together, high
up in the air, that they gradually tapered to a point, like a spire
against the sky.
Then there was another tower which interested Karl. It was on the
Church of Our Redeemer. Circled by a long spiral stairway of three
hundred and ninety-seven steps of gleaming brass, which wound round and
round and up and up to the very top of the sharp cone, this tower gave
the persevering climber a good panoramic view over Copenhagen.
"But not so good a view as we can get from the top of the Round Tower,"
said Hr. Svensen. "Here we are now."
They were glad to quit the jostling crowds on the streets,--throngs
of busy shoppers, students in cap and gown, sightseers, and, to-day,
bright-coated soldiers at every turn. The soldiers were arriving in
Copenhagen by hundreds every day now, they were told, in order to
be ready, Monday morning, to welcome King Haakon of Norway, who was
expected to arrive by ship.
"Oh, Uncle Thor, will you or Uncle Oscar not bring us down to the city,
Monday, and let us see King Haakon drive past?" cried out both boys at
once.
"Yes, boys," said Mr. Hoffman, "I will be glad to bring you. I leave
for Jutland in the afternoon, Monday, and that will give me my last
chance to see a little more of Copenhagen."
At last they were in the Round Tower, and felt themselves slowly
ascending. Up and up, and round and round and round on an inclined
plane, they went--past curious niches in the wall, containing ancient
monuments covered with Runic inscriptions; past a door leading to the
university library, with its valuable collection of rare Icelandic
manuscripts; slowly, on and on, until finally they reached the very
top with its observatory, once the home of the great astronomer, Tycho
Brahe.
"Peter the Great once drove a coach and four to the top of this very
same tower," volunteered Karl. "I've read all about that at school in
Chicago. What a splendid view of the city we are having. It is all
spires, and red roofs and gables built stairway fashion, isn't it?"
"And how beautiful and sparkling the waters of the harbor look, all
alive with ships, great and small," said Valdemar. "It certainly is a
splendid seaport!"
Far away, the Baltic, blue as the Bay of Naples, shimmered in
the bright sunlight; and close at hand, at the various wharves,
merchantmen, with valuable cargoes from far countries, were loading and
unloading. It was a scene of busy life. The boys counted the flags of
many different nations. No wonder the city had been named Merchant's
Haven, or _Kjöbenhavn_.
"What a good view of the coast of Sweden we get up here," said
Valdemar. "And north of us lies Elsinore, the scene of Hamlet's
tragedy. And, Karl, I'm sure that, on a clearer day, we could see
Rugen, the German island, where, one day long ago, the Kaiser sat on
the top of the cliff four hundred feet high, and watched the famous
sea-fight between the Swedes and the Danes. But I don't like to talk
about Germany. I'm glad that Aage is a soldier. Some day he will help
us get Schleswig back again!" said patriotic little Valdemar. "And,
only think, some of the geography books have even dared to call the
North Sea the German Ocean! Kiel Harbor, now bristling with German
war-ships, once belonged to Denmark, and so did the whole Baltic!"
"Yes, and once the Danes were ruling half of England, Ireland, and
Scotland, and they even gained a foothold in Normandy," said little
Cousin Karl by way of consolation.
"And the Germans once stood in terror of our great Vikings, who lorded
it over the seas in every direction!" added Valdemar, with growing
enthusiasm. "Their graves may be seen on both sides of the North Sea
to-day. And wasn't it here, Uncle Thor, when an unusually severe winter
had bridged the Baltic, that the Swedish king, Karl Gustav, led his
army, horse, foot and guns, over the frozen seas where no one had dared
to cross before, and finally took Copenhagen? But Denmark and Sweden
are at peace now."
"I'm glad that they are," replied Karl, "and that Norway and Denmark
are, too, or we might not see King Haakon next Monday!"
"Come!" said Uncle Thor. "Let us hurry home now, before we are late to
dinner. It is a wonderful old tower, having survived both fires and
bombardments. Once Copenhagen was fortified with a wall and a moat, for
Denmark's capital has passed through many vicissitudes, but in these
peaceful days they both have been turned into parks for the people."
Dinner had been awaiting the hungry sightseers for some time when they
reached home.
When they had all gathered about the dinner table, it was plain that
there was some great secret in the air. Fru Ingemann's face wore a
bright smile, in spite of the late dinner, and little Karen held
herself with an air of supreme importance, her cheeks bright, and her
blue eyes dancing with suppressed excitement.
"Great news, Brother Thorvald!" began Fru Ingemann, handing him a great
white envelope bearing the arms of His Majesty, King Frederik. "When
Karen and I were quietly studying the recipe book, and thinking of
the dinner far more than of kings, the bell rang sharply, and, lo and
behold! there stood the King's royal _Jaeger_[17]--in green uniform,
three-cornered hat and all--inquiring for you, brother!
"'His Majesty, the King, sends this message to Hr. Professor Svensen,'
he said with a gracious bow, and, again bowing low, departed. Karen
and I, as you can well imagine, have been guessing everything possible
and impossible ever since, and given up in despair, waiting for you to
explain it all to us yourself, Thorvald."
By this time, Valdemar's and Karen's eyes were bulging wild with
curiosity, and even Mr. Hoffman's face showed extreme interest. What
could it be?
"I am summoned to the Royal Palace Tuesday at eleven o'clock,"
explained Hr. Svensen, "to begin immediate work upon a statue of His
Royal Highness, the Crown Prince Olaf of Norway, who has graciously
consented to give me a few sittings during his short visit in Denmark."
When Uncle Thor had finished reading, he passed the great white
envelope, headed "Royal Palace," with its interesting contents, over to
his sister and the children. Never before had the King's _Jaeger_ come
to Fru Ingemann's little apartment out on Frederiksberg-Alle!
Valdemar was the first to speak.
"Oh, Uncle Thor! I wonder if dear little Prince Olaf will pose with his
beautiful big dog! He is never without him, you know. And oh, _dear_!
Uncle Thor, can't you take me along with you to mix your clay--keep it
damp for you, and just do lots of things you'd like done? I want to go
with you so much, Uncle Thor, to watch you work! I know I could help
you ever so much, if _only_ you would just take me!" urged the little
embryo sculptor of the now great one.
"My dear little Valdemar," said Uncle Thor with much tenderness in his
voice, "you are very welcome to go with me to the Royal Palace 'to
watch me work.' But, first, I want to watch _you_ work. Watching me
will not do you much good, my little artist, until _you_ have done more
work, yourself! This summons may delay my leaving for my summer studio,
up at Skagen, until the end of the week, and I am willing to give half
of every day, until I go, to teaching you. Now try to have some work
ready to show me by to-morrow. I will bring you more modelling clay
when you have used up what you have here. In fact, I will bring you
some of my own tools, and some casts for you to use as studies. Perhaps
I can fit up a real little studio right here in your own home for you.
I want to see what talent you have, Valdemar."
"Oh, brother, how very good of you!" exclaimed Fru Ingemann. "Valdemar
must work very hard. He has talent, I feel sure."
They had all finished their soup, a kind of very sweet gruel with
vegetables, and a dish of ham was then placed before Fru Ingemann, who
carved it, and passed around the slices, beginning with her nearest
guest. Fish, preserves, and stewed fruits were served with it. Then
followed _Rod-grod_, a kind of jelly to which the juice of different
fruits had been added, tea and coffee, and the little dinner ended
with the same ceremony as breakfast. Karl tried to suppress a smile
as Valdemar and little Karen courtesied to their mother and uncles,
as they said politely: "Thank you for the food," and went around and
kissed them.
"My son," said Karl's father, reprovingly, "I like these beautiful old
Danish customs. I only wish you and all our little American boys and
girls had more of this feeling of gratitude."
"Come, Karl," called Valdemar, "and see my beautiful Della Robbia
'Singing Boys,' that Uncle Thor brought to me all the way from Italy!"
As the boys disappeared, the two men withdrew to the smoking-room for
a chat over their cigars, while Fru Ingemann busied herself assembling
all the "birthday flowers" into the front window overlooking the
avenue, according to an old-time custom in Copenhagen. Then she tucked
little Karen snugly in bed with a great pillow propped up against her
feet to keep the drafts off, for the early June day had grown suddenly
cooler towards night.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 10: Blinking weather.]
[Footnote 11: Sea-side.]
[Footnote 12: Lingering in the country.]
[Footnote 13: "Picture Book without Pictures."]
[Footnote 14: Good day.]
[Footnote 15: Farewell.]
[Footnote 16: Squares.]
[Footnote 17: Hunter, or Messenger.]