d fast in the deep water. Anne Lisbeth got back to her former home,
but was no longer the woman she had been: her thoughts were confused
like a tangled skein; only one thread, only one thought she had
disentangled, namely, that she must carry the spectre of the sea shore
to the churchyard, and dig a grave for him, that thus she might win
back her soul.

Many a night she was missed from her home; and she was always found on
the sea shore, waiting for the spectre. In this way a whole year
passed by; and then one night she vanished again, and was not to be
found; the whole of the next day was wasted in fruitless search.

Towards evening, when the clerk came into the church to toll the
vesper bell, he saw by the altar Anne Lisbeth, who had spent the whole
day there. Her physical forces were almost exhausted, but her eyes
gleamed brightly, and her cheeks had a rosy flush. The last rays of
the sun shone upon her, and gleamed over the altar on the bright
buckles of the Bible which lay there, opened at the words of the
prophet Joel: "Bend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto
the Lord!" That was just a chance, the people said; as many things
happen by chance.

In the face of Anne Lisbeth, illumined by the sun, peace and rest were
to be seen. She said she was happy, for now she had conquered. Last
night the spectre of the shore, her own child, had come to her, and
had said to her, "Thou hast dug me only half a grave, but thou hast
now, for a year and a day, buried me altogether in thy heart, and it
is there that a mother can best hide her child!" And then he gave her
her lost soul back again, and brought her here into the church.

"Now I am in the house of God," she said, "and in that house we are
happy."

And when the sun had set, Anne Lisbeth's soul had risen to that region
where there is no more anguish, and Anne Lisbeth's troubles were over.

CHARMING.

Alfred the sculptor--you know him? We all know him: he won the great
gold medal, and got a travelling scholarship, went to Italy, and then
came back to his native land. He was young in those days, and indeed
he is young yet, though he is ten years older than he was then.

After his return he visited one of the little provincial towns on the
island of Seeland. The whole town knew who the stranger was, and one
of the richest persons gave a party in honour of him, and all who were
of any consequence, or possessed any property, were invited. It was
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