--Be so good, dear madams, be so kind as to be contented."
HOLBERG'S Political Pewterer.

Lemvig lies, as is well known, on an arm of the Limfjord. The legend
relates, that in the Swedish war a troop of the enemy's cavalry
compelled a peasant here to mount his horse and serve as a guide.
Darkness came on; they found themselves already upon the high
sand-banks. The peasant guided his horse toward a steep precipice; in a
farm-house on the other side of the fjord they perceived a light. "That
is Lemvig," said the peasant; "let us hasten!" He set spurs to his
horse, the Swedes followed his example, and they were precipitated into
the depth: the following morning their corpses were found. The monument
of this bold Lemvig peasant consists of this legend and in the songs of
the poets; and these are the monuments which endure the longest. Through
this legend the bare precipice receives an intellectual beauty, which
may truly compare itself with the naturally beautiful view over the city
and the bay.

Rosalie and Otto drove into the town. It was two years since he had
been here; everything seemed to him, during this time, to have shrunk
together: wherever he looked everything was narrow and small. In his
recollection, Lemvig was very much larger.

They now drew up before the merchant's house. The entrance was through
the shop, which was decorated with wooden shoes, woolen gloves, and
iron ware. Close within the door stood two large casks of tea. Over the
counter hung an extraordinary stuffed fish, and a whole bunch of felt
hats, for the use of both sexes. It was a business en gros and en
detail, which the son of the house managed. The father himself was
number one in Lemvig; he had ships at sea, and kept open house, as they
call it, in the neighborhood.

The sitting-room door opened, and the wife herself, a stout, square
woman, with an honest, contented countenance, stepped out and
received the guests with kisses and embraces. Alas! her good Jutland
pronunciation cannot be given in writing.

"O, how glorious that the Mamsell comes and brings Mr. Thostrup with
her! How handsome he is become! and how grown! Yes, we have his mark
still on the door." She drew Otto along with her. "He has shot up more
than a quarter of a yard!"

He looked at the objects which surrounded him.

"Yes," said she, "that instrument we have had since you were last
here; it is a present to Maren from her brother.