n
the woods on the Ingmar Farm. The skin was then spread out upon the
floor. The pastor declared that he had never seen a larger or more
beautiful hide. Then Karin went up to Halvor and whispered in his
ear. Immediately Halvor turned to the clergyman, and asked him to
accept the skin as a gift.

Karin bustled back and forth, between the table and the cupboard,
and brought out some choice old silverware. She had spread a fine
hemstitched cloth on the table, which she was dressing as if for a
grand party. She poured milk and unfermented beer into huge silver
jugs.

When they had finished supper, the pastor excused himself, and rose
to go. Halvor Halvorsson and two of his hired men went with him to
open a way through the drifts, steadying the sledge whenever it was
about to upset, and never leaving him till he was safe within his
own dooryard.

The parson was thinking how pleasant it was to renew old
friendships, as he bade Halvor a hearty good-bye. Halvor stood
feeling for something in his pocket. Presently he pulled out a slip
of folded paper. He wondered whether the pastor would mind taking
it now. It was an announcement which was to be read after the
service in the morning. If the pastor would be good enough to take
it, it would save him the bother of sending it to the church by a
special messenger.

When the pastor had gone inside, he lighted the lamp, unfolded the
paper, and read:

"In consequence of the owner's contemplated removal to Jerusalem,
the Ingmar Farm is offered for sale--"

He read no farther. "Well, well, so now it has come upon us," he
murmured, as if speaking of a storm. "This is what I've been
expecting for many a long year!"

HOEK MATTS ERICSSON

It was a beautiful day in spring. A peasant and his son were on
their way to the great ironworks, which are situated close to the
southern boundary of the parish. As they lived up at the north end,
they had to traverse almost the entire length of the parish. They
went past newly sown fields, where the grain was just beginning to
spring up. They saw all the green rye fields and all the fine
meadows, where the clover would soon be reddening and sending forth
its sweet fragrance.

They also walked past a number of houses which were being
repainted, and fitted up with new windows and glass-enclosed
verandas, and past gardens where spading and planting were going
on. All whom they met along the way had muddy shoes and grimy hands
from working