Year: 1871

day enchantment to the child of th
Mines land too beautiful to b
dwelt in always. On Sundays, b
remembered, his father would love t
take him regularly to the uppe
earth. How he used to look forward
during that whole week to that glo
rious holidayl To the village church
standing in its little garden Of rose
and linden trees to the white;hair
ed pastor and his mild words o
peacefulness; of the wondrous altar
piece above the communion-table
wherein Jacob was depicted with hi
holy dream, the ladder Of moonbeam
and the bright winged angels descend
ing to earth and ascending to the up
permost heaven And afterwards
when the service was concluded, tn
ioy it was to him to wander with hi
kind father in the beech forest ane
the Towering meadows to: pluck th'
sunberries, and to gather the sweet
scented field blossoms in his cap
to listen to the silver singing of the
birds, and to float his tiny paper yes
sells on the illied surface of the lake
Not the least delight Of the Sabbath
holiday was his meeting with little
Ebba. the darling playfellow Of hi
childish sports. How delicious tht
evening meal of which they partook
regularly at the homestead in the
beech forest on those happy occasions
how rich the white curdled milk
fresh from the pan how sweet the
black bread, favored with aniseed
and coriander, and the oaten cakes
which crowned the entertainment
Then, when the feast was over, and
Eric's father, and Oluf the wcodcut'
ter, went out into the pretty garden
to smoke their pipes and drink their
foaming ale, he remembered how he
had loved to chase the feet lit le fairy
through the messy boles OF. the trees
beside the still lake and along the
green lawny slopes and glades of the
forest; how they had often stood
then, as they stood. frequently even
now, watching the red sunset on the
mountains and tree-tops, and sadly
awaiting the moment of its disap,
pearance, for that was the signal Of
their separation and of Eric's return
to his underground home. How
gloomy and comfortless it seemed
there; how dreary the descent in
the swinging tub; how harsh the
clanking chains that lowered them
into the mine


"And vet, murmured Eric, as ne
looked around him and at his sleep
ing friends-"and yet I love the
place, and the kind hearts in it.
IT'S an old familiar friend to me now
God bless itl'


The smouldering embers of the
hollow burnt fire fell in, crashing.
few sparks few giddily upwards
then the pale red embers waxed tanlt-
er and fainter, and the last dying
CLEAN faded and expired.


Eric looked up once more to the
far sky, and saw that it was morning.


Other eyes, sacred, gentle, pure
blue eyes, full OF love and trustful as
his own-were looking forth upon
that morning sunrise, in the upper
world, from the windows of Oluf's
forest home. Ebba was leaning forth
bathing her bright hair and her white
hands in. the fresh sunbeams, and
gathering from the rose-bushes that
clustered around the easement some
dewy leaves and buds for her bridal
coronal.


The simple dwelling had been erec
ted on the skirts of the wide forest
At the back it stretched away fol
miles-dark, close. silent, and almost
impenetrable, to the distant noun
tains; a sea of waving leaves, O.
massy shades and tangled under
wood. All around the cottage Olu
had cleared a broad space and plant.
ed it as garden, with flowers anc
fruits and trees-not the lordly beech
es of the forest, but graceful droop
ing willows, beautiful pines, taperine
frs with scarlet cones, fragrant birch
es, blossoming apple and cherry trees
and exquisite laburnums golden with
long-drooping punches of yellow flow
ers. Rose-bushes, violets and king
cups, looked charming in the LITTLE
beds of brown mould that dotted tn
green turf: and long strawberry
beds, silvered all over with white
blossoms, stretched along. each side o.
the garden path. Farther off wa
the rustic gate, and beyond that
wide lawn sloped gently down to the
margin of the ripping lake. Whel
Oluf had first come to dwell in tn
forest, bringing with him his little
orphan babe, the rude hut had beer
built by his own hands in q. clos
dark glen surrounded by tall trees
Slowly his loving care had made tn
rude hut into a pleasant homestead
had cleared away the beeches, hat
planted the flowers and fruit trees
had opened the prospect to the shi
ming waters, and all for the sake of hi
little Ebba, his only treasure.


And thiswas her wedding morning
She looked earnestly and fondly owe
the lake and its green islets TO,
from the opposite shore, where Fab
lum rose with its spires and pima
cles, and where yon dark cloud Q
hanging smoke looked dull in tn
clear air, marking the locality Of th
copper mines-thence' Eric Sture
with his friend and comrades, wit
music and flowers and branches c
evergreens, would come over the wa
ters and make her his bride.


At last the distant boats eppeare
far away, and Ebba FASTENED to dec
herself in the white kirtle and scarle
bodice of bride. The young girl
} her friends and neigh ghborsTTcame t
bring her nosegays and good wishes