[Illustration: GUSTAVUS VASA’S ENTRY INTO STOCKHOLM, MIDSUMMER, 1532. _Carl Larsson._] Things are now altering all over the country. Many old customs are passing away. To remind the young Swede of the past, Dr. Hazelius conceived the idea of a museum in which would be preserved old Swedish costumes, furniture, and other things which speak of the past. This has been arranged in a very large building. In connection with it there is a large open-air museum called Skansen. It encloses about 40 acres. It is a Sweden in miniature. Buildings have been brought from every part of Sweden. You can see peasants, farms, and houses, summer houses of different centuries, and a Lapp encampment, where real Lapps live during the summer. The attendants are dressed in the old national costumes. On several days of the week you can see the graceful national dances and games. There are animals, wild and domestic, from all parts of Scandinavia, and plants and flowers are well represented. It is a most interesting place to visit, and gives a peep into the whole of Sweden. Let us now visit the streets, and see something of the life of the people. They live chiefly in flats, and the street-door is generally shut. When the bell is rung, the porter, who is within, touches a spring, which opens the door mechanically. There are lifts as well as broad staircases to the different flats. The houses are heated in winter by means of large porcelain stoves, in which wood is burned. The wood is brought to the harbour in boats from the surrounding districts, and some houses have a man whose daily rôle is to go to the boat, buy the wood, cut it into pieces, and feed the stoves. Very often he is a Dalecarlian, and wears his native costume. There are many open-air markets. Let us visit the fish-market. Here the fish is brought alive in tanks in the boats. We may see the owner of the boat, as we pass along, lift up fish for our inspection. As a rule, fish is sold alive. The boys of this country are accustomed to see at railway-stations automatic machines for the sale of chocolates and a few other small things. In Sweden you find automatic restaurants. They require no waiters. There is a large room with tables, and on each wall are labels over different slots, such as “Tea,” “Coffee,” “Milk,” etc. You put your coin in, and, putting your cup or tumbler under a tap, get what you want. There are some restaurants that also supply a hot lunch after the same manner. These are very popular, as they save time and tips. In the winter there are in the squares of Stockholm huge cisterns containing hot milk, which is sold in the same automatic way. The Swedes are very fond of music, and in their beautiful Opera-House one can hear the finest concerts for a comparatively low price. Altogether Stockholm is a most attractive city. The beauty of its situation, combined with the culture and friendliness of its people, are bound to awake our admiration. CHAPTER VII