ted Harald to her more than the
former passion for strife had ever done. He found Susanna's manners
altered for the better; there was in them a something quieter, and, at
the same time, gentler than before; whilst she was now always so kind,
so attentive, and thought of everything which could give pleasure to
others. He saw, at the same time, with what silent solicitude her
thoughts followed Mrs. Astrid, who now, at the approach of autumn--it
was then the end of August--appeared to have relapsed into her dark and
silent mood, out of which she had been aroused for some time. She now
very rarely left her room, except at the hour of dinner.

Harald wished that his sister and brother-in-law elect should witness,
before their departure from the dale, some of the popular assemblings
for games and dancings, and had therefore prepared a rural festival, to
which he invited them and Susanna, and to which we also will now betake
ourselves.

THE HALLING.

This peculiar, wild, affecting music, is our national poetry.

HENR WERGELAND.

The violins ringing;
Not blither the singing
Of birds in the woods and the meadows.

Hurrah! hand round the foaming can--
Skal for the fair maid who dancing began!

Skal for the Jente mine! And
Skal for the Jente thine! And
Skal for the fathers and mothers on benches!

NORWEGIAN SONG.

One lovely afternoon in the early part of September were seen two young
festally-attired peasant maidens gaily talking, hastening along the
footpath through the little wood in Heimdal towards a green open space
surrounded by trees, and where might be seen a crowd of persons of both
sexes assembled, all in peasant dresses. Here was the "Leikevold," or
dancing-ground; and as the young girls approached it, the one said to
the other, "It is certain, Susanna, that the dress becomes you
excellently! Your lovely bright hair shines more beautifully than ever,
plaited with red ribbons. I fancy the costume does not suit me half so
well."

"Because you, best Alette, look like a disguised princess, and I in mine
like a regular peasant girl."

"Susanna, I perceive that you are a flatterer. Let us now see whether
Alf and Harald will recognise the Tellemark 'jente' girls."

They did not long remain in uncertainty on this subject; for scarcely
were they come to the dancing-ground, when two peasants in
Halling-jackets, and broad girdles round their waists, came dancing
towards them, whilst