Evening Star Newspaper, February 14, 1932, Page 43

PEN PORTRAITS Mme. Ragna Bachke. BY PAULINE A. FREDERICK. BY PAULINE FREDERICK. “And I have loved thee, Ocean . . ¥or I was, as it were, a child of thee . . .” Thus sang the poet Byron. And well might just such lines be woven into the national expression of the great Norse- Jand called Norway; for in the lure of the restless sea may be found one rea- son for its being. So declared Mme. Ragna Bachke, cultivated and talented hostess of the Norwegian legation, recently. “Norway has always depended on the sea for a large part of her existence,” | h she pointed out. “From the time of the early Viking explorers to the pres- ent day, Norway has been a great sea- | faring nation. Besides this, the people have engaged in commerce and fish- " 2 And this is not to be wondered at. Something over line, if the fiords and large islands are counted, bind this great Scandinavian country inevitably to the sea, drawing the land and water together into an in- separable means of livelinood for the sturdy Norwegians. “Our northern coast is washed by the Arctic Ocean,” she continued, “and into it Norwegian sealers go as far as they can each year. The long western coast fronts the Atlantic and the North Sea, which are the greatest highways Norway has to other parts of the world. ‘The Skaggerak, connecting the North Sea with the Cattegat, separates Nor- way from Jutland.” The only boundary, therefore, that 1s | not formed by some body of water is the eastern, where Sweden and Finland fuse with Norway into Europe's great | morthern peninsula. * x k% “I was born in the southern part of Norway,” Mme. Bachke said. Then she preceeded to tell of some of the won- ders with which nature has endowed her country. A great part of this “Winter nation,” mccording to her picturesque descrip- tion, is noted for sturdy mountains from which there emanate s freshness and fragrance of spruce and pine. Over steep cliffs and through narrow gorges, ‘waterfalls tumble in riotous cascades, Tevealing a veritable “beauty born of murmuring sound.” ““For about 400 miles Norway reaches into the Arctic zone,” Mme. Bachke pointed out. “So you see we may claim the phenomenon of the midnight sun as well as that of Winter darkness. But this is only in the extreme north. Nor- way, in most places, offers great oppor- tunities for the lover of Winter sports. Skiing is one of the most popular out- door attractions. It is the means of drawing great crowds of tourists from the so-called warmer countries.” “Does this mean that Norway has no warm weather at all?” she was asked. Her reply was in the negative. “Al- though my country camot be said to have a climate as warm as that of ‘Washingtor: in the Summer time"—and there was a twinkle of merriment in her eyes at being able to draw such a comparison—“we do have some months that are warm. The of this ‘weather is reached in July. But Win- ter. after all, is the most wonderful time of all the year in Norway And this interesting wife of Norway's envoy went on to describe the reign of the snow king in her land which makes fairyland of the mountains and water- falls and playland of the ski tracks. * ok ok % The sea has a peculiar appeal for Mme. Bachke. She was close to it and its ways throughout her early life, for her father was a ship owner, outstand- ing in his chosen field of industry. “My father is 82 years old,™ Mme. Bachke said proudly. ““It is one of the hopes of my life that he may be able to come here to visit us soon.” One could not help uttering the same wish, too, that this- descendant of the hardy Norsemen ha . tThe New Junior Jacket Frock You'll find our Misses’ Shop playing a thrilling, new role in 1932, You will adore this two-piece contrast crepe frock, sporting a white pique ascot tie, red j acket with black sleeves and skirt ... Everything in it so new that you won'’t feel 1932 unless you're in it your- Y $9950 12,000 miles of shore | such a fitting climax to the achieve- .| ments of his life. “My education was scquired in Nor- way,” she continued. “At that time I was especially interested in music. Al- though I am still intensely fond of it, 1 no longer sing, for with moving about from place to place and be: com- pletely occupled with the dutles falling upon & diplomat's wife I no longer have any time for practice.” 2 Mme. Bachke has, indeed, been oc- cupled with the care of a diplomatic ostess. She and Minister Bachke have occupled many Norwegian legations in foreign lands. “I like to entertain and, of course, am called upon to do much of it :mm&gmz the year,” she observed. | at type of entertaining do you prefer?” she was asked. “I'm afraid it isn’t a matter of pref- erence,” Mme. Bachke laughed.® “I feel that each group should have its own particular type of party. For ex- ample, the young people must have a dance, a different group would, per- h‘:ps. like a dinner best, and still t s reception. It all depends the particular guests you invite.” * X X % It isn't every embryonic envoy who has the privilege of learning diplomatic rocedure in his parents’ own home. gut this happens to be the enviable po- sition in which Mme. Bachke's son Christian now finds himself. “My son hLas just gradusted from L'Ecole Libre des Sciences Politiques in Paris,” Mme. Bachke explained. *He has taken a preliminary examination for the foreign service, and has received a temporary appointment as attache here at the legation in Washington, where he will gain his experience until next March. At that time he must re- turn to take his final examinations and to recelve a full appointment some- where.” “You must be very happy that he has advanced that far,” it was suggested. “Yes, am,” Mme. Bachke re- ded. “There is only one tiny re- gret,” and she became very serious— “It means that we can no longer have our motor trips through Europe to- gether. Of course, when he is sent to some distant country, such little vaca- tions together will be impossible. But I mustn’t think of that side of it"—and she smiled again. If music as an avocation went by the board long ago for Mme. Bachke, an- other interest has arisen to fill its place in_her life. Here and there through- out the attractive legation are striking evidences of it. For example, you may be sitting in the cozy library admiring the high-back chairs with their tapestry covers, or the I my Bachke “I copy them Mme. . let, | from some of the outstanding paintings each other for -replies. ented wife of Norway's dlihmn pro- ceeds to tell you of her work, “T learned the art of tapestry making some years back,” she began. “It is an art that flourished in Norway centuries ago, and then was lost for a long time. The seats and backs of the chairs are known as petite point and are done by means of & needle. The wall tapestries The gorgeous colors mingled so ar- tistically—how could she possibly have arrived at such hues, and mingled them so0 exquisitely—was another ques- ton. “Every inch of wool I use, I dye my- self,” she declared. “The dye is vege- table coloring which is non-fadable. I have had these tapestries everywhere, even to the hot countries, where they have been to the sun. The colors today are as firm as the day they were dyed"—and she turned the wro: side of a wall tapestry against the right to show that the coloring, as well as the design was exactly the same. “Incidentally, one thing that distin- guishes Norwegian tapestry from that of France is that the former has the same identical design on both sides.” Surely enough, there in the dining room hung a massive piece, probably 10 feet by 12, portraying four devout matd- ens bearing altar gifts to a cathedral, mhl: design exactly the same on both les. & J. Sloane Have Been Foremost Furnishers of all times. You see this painting” and -she indicated a legendary scene done in oils hanging above the fireplace in the Il ‘s prominent artist in Norway did that for me to copy into tapestry. When I have time to begin work on it, I shall start by copying it about five times larger on a great sheet of paper. Then the wool must be dyed the exact shades that are present in the painting, and I shall be ready to begin the task of weaving.” And what a task that must be! When asked how long it would take her to complete a piece, she replied: “Of’ course, it depends upon how steadily I am to work at it. When I was the plece in the din- ing room I was with my son in the % mountains where he was recuperating from an illness. At that time I was able to do the plece in one year.” Norway, the home of Winter beauty and _indfistrious seaf: people, is also the home of great authors. “Yes, I much admire Sigrid Undset.” Ng | she responded when asked about this popular Norwegian suthor. “She is a very quiet, lovely woman, the mother of five children. “When Sigrid Undset Mme. Bachke continued, upit lonely spots in the mountains, Pl where few people live, and there she builds her characters into the very environment itself. That's why her books seem real and not artificial— she knows whereof she writes, “Only recently sh verted to the Catholic writes,” “she goes of American Homes Since her course, is reflected in ‘Wild Orchids,’ which is being pul in two volumes. It was probably her | wegian conversion, and the period of religious questioning _ through which _young Mme. of ‘the greatest writers her country has as yet produced—Bjorson, Ibsen and Kn%mmam. “With these three writers began what may be'called the real modern national _school” of writing,” Mme. Bachke pointed out. Tbsen, of cousse, she indicated is chiefly ‘Thus, Norway with its nT - vironment huyllven inspiration, n-& only to commerce and play-life as ex- emplified in the Winter sports, but to culture as well. In the opinion of Mme. Bachke, not only have authors helped to spread the name and fame of Norway far and wide, but musicians as well have done their bit. Among these latter she would rank Grieg and Sinding among the first. “Grieg,” she said, “has been called ‘the highest representative of the Norse element in music, the great beating heart of Norwegian musical art.’ His ‘Peer Gynt Suite’ is especlally loved. 8inding is remembered for compositions which are remarkable for their denfands 1843 In this February Sale we are offering Sloane standard merchandise at prices less than is asked for mediocre quality. That’s why it is— A Sale of So Much Importance to You Occasional Pieces for the Living Room Bennington Wing Chair, a piece of generous size and comfort; up- Special Sloane Living Room Ensemble After the English type—the sofa has deep seat, low arm and generous roll back, making it not only unusually comfortable but particularly well adapted to the modern size living room. The companion piece is the lEninsh type chair with loose down-filled back and seat cushions; deep seat and low arm, an ideal chair for long hours of supreme comfort. The ensemble is available in a wide selection of damasks, brocades, brocatelles, tapestries; and friezes, all selected with Sloane taste and applied with Sloane skill.’ Thus it is possible to build these pieces into the present color scheme of your home, Regular Price $310, February Sale Price . . . . 3198 Other Ensembles at propgrtionate reductions Bedroom Furnishings Bed Room Chairs, in designs that are both quaint and comfort- able; covered in a variety of chintz. Regular Price, $45. February Sale Price Chaise Lounge, with loose, down-filled cushions; upholstered in chintz, Regular Price, $120. February Sale Price........385 Sloane Box Spring, a product of our own factories. Regular Price, $35. February Sale Price. Sloane Inner-Spring Mattress; also made in our own factories. Regular Price, $39.50. February Sale Price We shall be glad to have you in- quire as to a charge account, and learn of the added convenience of our Budget Plan of Settlement. 709 Twelfth House holstered in damask, tapestry, brocatelle and frieze. Regular February Sale Price. . Price, $115. 875 Gov. Winthrop Desk, in genu- ine mahogany, careful copy of the original, Regular in design and finish, Price, $110. February Sale Price Open mahogany Book Shelves, genuine construction; both decorative and practical. Regular Price. 825. February Sale Price End Tables, with book trough. Genuine mahogany construction and finished in the fine old red tone. Regular Price, $10. February Sale Price Coffee Tables, genuine mahog- any construction with effectively carved base. Regular Floor Regular Price, February Sale Lamps, bronze finish; three-candle light design, with silk shades. Price, $15. February Sale Price Bridge Lamps, bronze finish; with adjustable silk shade. Regular Price, $15. February Sale Price dressing table and mirror, nite table, chair and bench, Regular Price, $485. February Sale Price . « « « Other Suites at proportionate reductions h € Green S 18th Century English Bed Room Suite Satinwood and mahogany construction, with striking floral decoration. The finish is that soft old tone, which, together with the colors in the decoration, create a charm- ing effects. It is an eight-piece suite, consisting of twin beds, commode and mirror, chest, $360 Wo &J. SLO AN E Just above G hutters remm*ed for his modern | . He gave impetus to the social seemed richer than ever. From Paris my son and I went by motor through Germany, Crechoslovakia and other y on all sides there nnhmih ng stay was really so short that I could do nothing more than get a general impression. W. & J. Sloane “In Northern , of knows that there Is & certetn depres of unemployment, but, somehow, it di 4 seem s0 evident in the everyday life of the people. But every one seems to try to make the best of & hard situs- tion. And, after all, the thing we can do is to hope for the best.” POLICE ADOPT BANKING The police of Berwyn, Ohlcago suburb, have gore into the banking business. To halt the wave of banditry, they , | urged merchants to send their money to the police station to be placed in the safe overnight, and the idea proved * W‘Elllu, e desk sergeant Is cashier. — 709 Twelfth. h .‘ ” A ’0‘0,‘ "0:" KOS Domesti¢ Rugs Fromthe Finest Americanlooms —in the February Sale reductions. ingly deep variety; popular designs. at tempte Excellent sizes; exclusive Seamless Axminster Regular Price $553, February Sale Price The designs are t and other patterns effects on plain grounds creating combination gham > chintz espe- cially effective for bed rooms. Others in period designs with backgrounds or rust, soft greens, etc., suitable for living room and dining room. Size 9x12. Seamless Axminster Rugs Regular Price $35, February Sale Price O ey They have rose. blue and neutral backgrounds, with all-over patterns in contrasting colors—designs that have previously figured in rugs. Size 9x12. only the more expensive Seaniless Worsted Wiltons Regular Price $110, February Sale Price All-over Persian designs in small figures—pastel colors; larger designs in the bolder shades: and also effective Chinese designs. Size 9x12. American Oriental Rugs Regular Price $150. February Sale Price %79 These American Orientals have all the wearability of the worsted wiltons together with that rich luster finish which is characteris entals. tion. Size 9x12. ¢ of genuine Persian Ori- The designs are consistent in color and execu- Axminster Rugs Regular Price $40 to §55, February Sale Price A special grouping of designs in heavy quality. . Beautiful colors and 8.3x10.6. Seamless Wilton Regular Price $60, effectively executed. Size Rugs February Sale Price.....c.ccvvueuen These rugs are 6x9, a most convenient size for the smaller home and in a selection of Persian colors and designs. Seamless Wilton Rugs Regular Price $200, February Sale Price. . $125 The designs are small all-over effects: as well as larger and more pronounced patterns. Featuring 150 Size 11.3x15. Hooked Rugs These are genuine old-fashioned, handmade hooked rugs; flower designs or scenery effects. In the February Sale at $2.50 to $15 W. & J. SLOANE. 709 Twelfth The House With the Just Above G Green Shutters ; A