etrothal, that I myself, when the
year was past, might take my wedding bouquet from it. But that day
never came. The eyes were for ever closed that were to have illumined
for me the path of happiness in this life. Away, down in the ocean's
depths, he sleeps calmly--that angel soul! The tree became an old
tree, but I have become still older; and when it died, I took its last
green branch and planted it in the earth. That slip has now grown into
a high plant, and will at last appear amidst bridal array, and form a
wedding bouquet for my friend's daughter."

And tears started to the old maid's eyes. She spoke of the lover of
her youth--of the betrothal in the wood; she thought of the toasts
that were there drunk; she thought of the first kiss, but she did not
speak of that, for she was now but an old maid. She thought of
much--much; but little did she think that outside of her window was
even then a _souvenir_ from that regretted time--the neck of the very
bottle that had been drawn when the unforgotten toasts were drunk! Nor
did the bottle-neck know her; for it had not heard all she had said,
because it had been thinking only of itself.

_The Old Bachelor's Nightcap._

There is a street in Copenhagen which bears the extraordinary name of
"Hyskenstroede." And why is it so called? and what is the meaning of
that name? It is German; but the German has been corrupted. "Haeuschen"
it ought to be called, and that signifies "small houses." Those which
stood there formerly--and, indeed, for several years--were not much
larger than the wooden booths that we see now-a-days erected at fairs.
Yes, only a little larger, and with windows; but the panes were of
horn or stretched bladder, for in these days it was too expensive to
have glass windows in all houses; but the time in question was so far
back that our grandfathers' grandfathers, when they mentioned it, also
spoke of it as "in ancient days," for it was several hundred years
ago.

Many rich merchants in Bremen and Lubeck carried on business in
Copenhagen. They did not, however, go there themselves--they sent
their clerks; and these persons generally resided in the wooden houses
in the "Small Houses' Street," and held sales of ale and spices. The
German ale was so excellent, and there were so many kinds--"Bremer,
Prysing, Emser ale," even "Brunswick Mumme;" also, all sorts of
spices, such as saffron, anise, ginger, and especially pepper, that
was the most valued; and