impatient for the return of the party, when the cracking of the guns announced its approach.

A few moments later, a stately procession was seen coming from the kitchen to the banqueting-room. First came the fiddler, playing a wedding-march; then the bridegroom-man; and then the waiting-women, each carrying a smoking tureen of soup, which was placed on the tables round which the guests were already seated. Grace was now said; and the master of the ceremonies having invited 'all who have jongas' [clasp-knives], 'to take them out of their pockets,' adding, 'that for those who had none, some would be provided,' the repast commenced. Towards the close, after the foreman had drunk to the health of the king, and to that of the young couple, accompanying the last toast with a short speech, and after each guest had repeated the toast, when the glass came to him in his turn, the company was called upon, according to old custom, 'to honour bride and bridegroom with gifts for the bowl;' by which was meant, that each guest was expected to place a piece of money in a bowl, or to make promise of some other gift, the proceeds being destined to pay the expenses of the banquet, and to help the young couple to begin housekeeping. The foreman, as in duty bound, announced the amount of each gift, giving at the same time a humorous description of the name, person, and condition of the giver, in order to awaken laughter and merriment, the speaker being, however, bound to contribute before all others, and to raise as hearty a laugh against himself as against others. The parents of the young couple, who generally give one or two cows, or a horse, or some other valuable thing, are always the last of the givers, in order that the costliness of their gifts may not make others feel awkward at giving less.

The company having dispersed for a while, the tables are got out of the way, and now the tones of the fiddle call them back again to see the bridal-dance begin; for the bride, still in full costume, is bound to dance three polskas *-one with the foreman, one with the bridegroom, and the next with the most honoured guests, each partner challenging' the next-that is to say, leading the bride, after having thanked her for the dance, to the person he selects as his successor. After this, the whole company mix in the dance. Suddenly the report of a gun causes a pause, and announces that the most important of all the wedding-ceremonies is about to commence. Followed by their relatives, the bridemaids, and all the persons who have performed any of the functions connected with the festivities of the day, bride and bridegroom proceeded to the other house, where the ceremony was to be performed. Here the bride doffed the wedding-dress, the coronet, and all the glittering baubles which had decked her for the day, and appeared in dark-blue petticoat, snowwhite apron, coloured bodice, and beautifully embroidered linen

*The same dance which, under the name of Schottische, is now introduced into fashionable society.

sleeves, with her hair parted smoothly on her forehead. The bridegroom then advanced, and placed on her head the matron's coif of black velvet, embroidered with bugles; and a couple of verses of an appropriate hymn were sung by the foreman and a few others; while the tears that glittered in the eyes of the bride, as well as of many of the spectators, shewed that they felt the deep meaning of this affecting ceremony, during which the maiden, in exchanging her grand bridal attire for the simple and sombre dress of the matron, is, as it were, introduced to the more serious duties of life. However, smiles soon again broke through the tears, when the young wife, in her turn, placed the woollen night-cap on her husband's head, and pulled it well down over his ears.

Having put on her blue cloth jacket, the young matron was quite ready; and a gun having again been fired, the procession, preceded by music, returned to the ball-room, where the black hood was now to be danced in ;'* for though the matron's coif is black, it does not denote a renunciation of the innocent joys of life.

The night was far advanced before the guests thought of breaking up, and then commenced on the bride's side the distribution of knitted gloves and garters to relatives, intimate friends, and all who have assisted in the various duties of the day. The next day the festivities recommenced, the only change being that bride and bridegroom, having taken over the housekeeping, themselves placed the dinner on the table.

Two months after the wedding at Kjerengen, my mother placed the bridal-coronet on Ragnhild's head. When, after the marriagefeast, the time came for contributing the gifts to the bowl, my grandfather, who was this time of the party, did not allow the master of the ceremonies to announce his gift, but only whispered a few words in Bersvend's ear, who seemed overwhelmed with emotion, and could only express his thanks by a silent pressure of the old man's hand. His aged friend had whispered, that the 200 dollars which he wanted, to get rid of his most pressing creditors, should be forthcoming, and for one year without interest. By this timely assistance, Bersvend was relieved of the floating debts; and by the aid of his beloved and industrious Ragnhild, he succeeded in a few years in ridding the farm also of the mortgage with which it was burdened.

32

* The first ceremony is called 'singing the black hood on.'

THE BLACKSMITH AND HIS FAMILY.

EARLY four hundred years ago, there was, at a short distance from the city of Antwerp, a blacksmith's cottage. It was not much better than a hut-lowroofed, mud-walled, and consisting of only one room. It was situated a little aloof from the high-road, in one of those solitary nooks which are so often found, when least suspected, in the neighbourhood of large cities. Only at times there came through the distance the faint hum of a populous town, and the high spires of the renowned cathedral stood out in bold relief against the sky, which was of that pale bluish gray peculiar to an October evening, when the brilliant autumn sunsets are in some degree gone by.

The blacksmith's wife sat spinning by the half-open door of her humble dwelling. She was a woman of middle age; her face was of that peculiar Flemish cast which the Dutch painters have made so well known-round, fair, and rosy, with sleepy eyes of pale blue, bearing an expression of quiet content, almost amounting to apathy. A few locks of silky flaxen hair peeped from under her Flemish cap, and were smoothly laid over a rather high forehead, where, as yet, no wrinkle had intruded. She looked like one on whom the ills of

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life would fall lightly; who would go on in her own quiet way, only seen by the unobtrusive acts of goodness which she did to others. Such characters are lightly esteemed, and little praised, yet what would the world be without them?

The good Flemish dame sat at her work undisturbed, occasionally stopping to listen for the noise of her husband's forge, which resounded from the high-road, a little way off, where the blacksmith had wisely placed it, as well to deaden the noise of the hammering in his little cottage, as to attract stray customers. At this distance the unceasing sound of the forge was rather lulling and pleasant than otherwise, and no doubt the wife often thought so, as it reached her ears, and told her of the unwearied diligence with which her husband toiled for her and her children. Their cottage had once been alive with many childish voices, but one by one all had dropped off, from sudden disease or inherent delicacy of constitution. Of eight, seven lay in the churchyard not far distant, and one only was left to cheer the blacksmith's cottage-little Quintin, the youngest born. No wonder was it, therefore, that the mother often turned her eyes within, where the child was amusing himself; and at such times the placid, almost dull expression of her face changed into a look of ineffable love, for he was her youngest and her only one.

At last the sound of the forge ceased. The blacksmith's wife immediately put by her distaff, and set about preparing the evening meal; for she knew her husband's daily work was over, and that he would soon be home. The sour kraut and the beer were laid on the rudely carved plank, which, fitted on tressels, served for a table; and all was ready when the husband and father entered. He was a short, stout-built man; his broad face shone with goodnature, and his muscular frame shewed strength which had not even begun to fail, though some gray locks mingled imperceptibly with his light curly hair. He nodded his head in cheerful thanks when his active wife brought him a large bowl of clear water, in which he washed his dusky face and hands; and then, without wasting words, sat down, like a hungry man as he was, to his meal. The wife, with a quiet smile, watched the eatables and drinkables disappear, interrupting him only to fill his plate or cup in silence, as a good wife ought; asking no questions until the first cravings of nature were satisfied.

When the blacksmith had finished his meal, he rested his brawny arms on the table, and looked in his wife's face-then for the first time broke silence. I have had a long day's work, Gretchen; but that is not a bad thing for us, you know. I have shod all the elector's horses. He was travelling, and said none could do it so well as Matsys the blacksmith.'

'It is a good thing to be spoken well of; but great people do not often notice such folks as we are,' answered the quiet Gretchen. 'The elector need not be ashamed of speaking of or to an honest

man, who owes nothing to any one, and whose forge is never seen idle,' said the blacksmith, who was an independent character in his way, though rather phlegmatic, like the rest of his countrymen. 'But, by-the-bye, working all day in the heat of that same forge makes one feel cold even here,' continued he, shivering, and glancing towards the half-open door.

Gretchen rose up and closed it without saying a word.

'You are a good wife, Gretchen,' said the blacksmith, looking at her affectionately: 'you always think of your husband.'

A pleased smile passed over Gretchen's face. 'You know, Hans, it is near the end of October; we must begin to have larger fires, I think.'

'And, thank God, we shall be able to have them, and also warm clothes; for I shall have plenty of work all winter. We will have a merry Christmas dinner, wife, and Quintin shall dance and sing, and have many nice things. But where is little Quintin ?' asked the blacksmith, turning round.

'Here, father!' answered a sweet child's voice; and a little boy crept from out of a dark corner beside the hearth, where he had remained crouched while Matsys was eating his supper. He was slight, and rather delicate-looking, and dressed in the quaint Dutch fashion, which made him appear much older than he really was; and the uncommon intelligence of his countenance did not belie that impression. 'I am here, father; do you want little Quintin?' said the child, lifting up the long dark lashes from his deep, violet-coloured, and beautiful eyes, which indeed formed the principal charm of a face not otherwise pretty.

'I want to know what you have been doing all day,' said Matsys, drawing his son on his knee, and kissing him affectionately. The boy returned his father's rough but loving embrace, and then jumped off his knee, saying: 'Wait a little, father, and I will shew you.'

He ran to a far corner of the room; the mother looked after him, saying: 'Quintin often alarms me: he is always getting near the fire, and working and hammering. When I scold him, he only says that he is doing like his father.'

The blacksmith burst into a loud cheerful laugh, that rung through the little cottage, in the midst of which Quintin appeared, bringing with him two armlets, as he called them, ingeniously worked in iron. The father took one of them from his son's tiny wrist, and put it on his own great thumb, laughing more than ever. "How did you

make this clever little article?' asked he.

'Pray, do not be angry, father,' timidly answered the child; 'but I found an old horse-shoe in the forge, and brought it home; and then I made it red-hot, and hammered it into shape with the poker.'

'And how did you contrive to make this pretty little hand that fastens the bracelet?'