ere seemed to be no foundation.

The first thing to be done was to select the bride's maid of honor.
That proved an easy matter, however, for Hulda's choice was already
made. The bride-maid, of course, must be Hulda's intimate friend,
Farmer Helmboe's daughter. Her father was a prominent man, and the
possessor of a very comfortable fortune. For a long time he had
fully appreciated Joel's sterling worth, and his daughter Siegfrid's
appreciation, though of a rather different nature, was certainly no
less profound; so it was quite probable that at no very distant day
after Siegfrid had served as Hulda's maid of honor, Hulda, in turn,
would act in the same capacity for her friend. This is the custom in
Norway, where these pleasant duties are generally reserved for married
women, so it was rather on Joel's account that Siegfrid Helmboe was to
serve Hulda Hansen in this capacity.

A question of vital importance to the bride-maid as well as to the
bride, is the toilet to be worn on the day of the wedding.

Siegfrid, a pretty blonde of eighteen summers, was firmly resolved
to appear to the best possible advantage on the occasion. Warned by
a short note from her friend Hulda--Joel had kindly made himself
responsible for its safe delivery--she immediately proceeded to devote
her closest attention to this important work.

In the first place, an elaborately embroidered bodice must be made to
incase Siegfrid's charming figure as if in a coat of enamel. There
was also much talk about a skirt composed of a series of jupons which
should correspond in number with the wearer's fortune, but in no way
detract from her charms of person. As for jewelry, it was no easy
matter to select the design of the collar of silver filigree, set with
pearls, the heart-shaped ear-rings, the double buttons to fasten the
neck of the chemisette, the belt of red silk or woolen stuff from
which depend four rows of small chains, the finger-rings studded
with tiny bangles that tinkle musically, the bracelets of fretted
silver--in short, all the wealth of country finery in which gold
appears only in the shape of the thinnest plating, silver in the guise
of tin and pearls, and diamonds in the shape of wax and crystal beads.
But what does that matter so long as the _tout ensemble_ is pleasing
to the eye? Besides, if necessary, Siegfrid would not hesitate to
go to the elegant stores of M. Benett, in Christiania, to make her
purchases. Her father would not object