dancing. Susanna was so much agitated by what she had heard, and longed so anxiously to return home to her lady, whom she loved more than ever, now that she had heard her so cruelly calumniated, that she begged to be excused from taking part in the Christmas games, and announced her intention of returning home. She would not, however, take Harold away; and determined, fearlessly, to return home alone. She could drive, and she could easily find the way.' But no sooner did Harold perceive her intention, than he prepared to accompany her; and it was of no use for Susanna to say any thing against it. Host and hostess, in their hospitality, opposed their departure warmly, and threatened them with the 'Aasgaardsreja,' which would meet them on the way, and carry them off, if they persisted in their unwise resolu tion. But they did so; and were accompanied by the hostess even to their sleigh. Susanna thanked her warmly for her kindness, promised the amiable Thea that they would often see one another, and kissed tenderly the little Mina who hung upon her neck. No sooner was Susanna in the sleigh, among the hills and woods, than she relieved her heart by repeating to Harold the story that she had just heard; and equal to the horror she had felt, was Harold's anger at these shameful calumnies, and the baseness of her, who propagated these vile creations of her own black heart. He fell into such a passion with old Madam Brown, and made so many threatening demonstrations, and the horse therewith made so many springs and plunges, that Susanna was glad to turn the conversation upon some other subject. She asked him, therefore, what the Aasgaardsreja was, and why their hostess had thought to frighten them with it? Harold now resumed his usual manner, and declared that this was no matter of jest ing. The Aasgaardsreja, said he, 'consists of those spirits that are not good enough to deserve heaven, and yet not bad enough to be sent to hell. In this troop ride those addicted to intemperance, to polite falsehood, or to any of the milder forms of sin. In expiation of their offences, they must wander about till the end of the world. At the head of the troop rides Reisa-Rova, who is to be known by her long train. She is followed by a numerous band of both sexes. The horses are coal black, and their eyes shine in the dark like fire; they are guided by bridles of red-hot iron; and, as they rush over land and water, the wild halloo of the riders, the snorting of the horses, the rattling of the iron bits, is heard to a great distance.— Where they throw a saddle upon the roof, there must a man die; and where they know there will be violence or murder, there they enter, seat themselves on the doorposts, and laugh, and knock, and rattle upon the doors. When one hears the Aasgaardsreja coming, he must immediately throw himself on the ground, and pretend to be asleep; otherwise he will be borne along with the troop, and thrown down at some place at a distance from that where he was taken up. Those who are thus carried off, remain sick and melancholy for the rest of their lives. But he who, on the approach of the train, throws himself down in this way, will suffer no injury, unless some of the company should spit upon him, as they pass; in this case he has only to spit again, after the troop has gone by, and no harm will come of it. Harold added, that this troop was usually out on Christmas night, and that nothing was more possible than that they might meet it themselves that night. In this case, Susanna had nothing to do but to spring quickly from the sleigh, throw herself upon the ground, and hide her face in the snow till the wild band had gone by. Susanna declared she did not believe in the story; but Harold said so seriously, that she would one day be convinced of its truth, and Susanna was naturally so well inclined to believe in the marvellous, that she often, particularly in the narrow passos, cast a look upwards, half fearing, half hoping that the black horses, with their fiery eyes and glowing bridles might show themselves. But only the bright stars looked down upon her, now and then dimmed by the northern lights, that waved their shining, fleeting veils over the vault of heaven. Arrived at Semb, they saw the usual faint gleam of light from the lady's window. Susanna's heart was moved, and with a deep sigh she said, 'Ah, what a wicked world this is! To add to the heavy burden, and make misfortune a crime! What, what can we do for her, to defend her from the attacks of malice?' 'Madam Brown, at least, shall not spread her lies any further,' said Harold, 'I will go to her to-morrow morning, and compel her to swallow her own words, and frighten her from ever letting them pass her lips again.' 'Ah, that is good!' cried Susanna, enraptured. 'If an accident happens to a child,' cried Harold, passionately, 'immediately to suppose a wilful murder! could any thing be baser or more absurd? No, these snakes shall not hiss about the unhappy lady! It shall be my care to crush them!' And Harold pressed Susanna's hand in parting, and left her. 'And it shall be my care,' thought Susanna, with tearful eyes, 'to love her, and to serve her truly. Perhaps when order and comfort are spread about her, and one little pleasure after another is added to her life, who can say?-perhaps she may even become reconciled to life.' QUIET WEEKS WHEN o'er the sullen face of heaven VELHAVEN. HAST thou heard, in deep caverns, the falling of the water-drop, as with its heavy, unceasing, wasting fall, it wears away the ground? Hast thou heard the murmuring of the brook, that flows gayly between green banks, while nodding flowers and the bright lights of heaven are mirrored in its waves? Then hast thou seen the images of the two kinds of quiet life, which are as different from one another as heaven from hell. Both are lived upon this earth, and both were lived at Semb in Heimdale during the following month, the first by Fru Astrid, the second by Susanna; but at times the wearing drops were blown aside by a transient breeze, and at times the waters of the dancing brook were somewhat turbid. January passed away with its increasing sunshine, and its wintry magnificence. The brinks of the waterfalls were planted with flowers, palms, vines, and fruit-trees, of ice. The finches with their scarlet breasts shone like dancing flames upon the white snow. Woods and plains were brilliant with dazzling crystals-the freshness of the air, the song of the thrush, the blinding splendor of the snow-fields - all announced the reign of winter. There was felling of wood in the forest, whence songs from Tegnér's Frithiof resounded-there was riding in sledges in the valley, there was walking on snow-shoes on the mountains. Every where was the fresh, stirring life of winter. The strife at Semb, between Sweden and Norway, had lost much of its vigor since Christmas. It is true, Harold made several attacks upon Swedish ice and Swedish woods, but Susanna did not seem to think them made in earnest, and would not allow herself to be drawn into a contest, and the last attempt upon the Swedish wind failed so entirely, that Harold resolved to give the matter up, and looked about for some other subject of contention to keep himself warm through the winter. February and March came on. This is the severest part of a northern winter. In January he was still young; but now he is grown old, and grey, and burdensome, par ticularly in the huts of the improvident. The stores in the cottage and the cow-yard are nearly spent. It is hard for hungry children to draw home wood from the forest, when it is to cook for them only miserable water gruel, and perhaps not always even that. April came, this is called a month of spring; and the larks sing among the clouds. But often in the deep valleys, the greatest want and suffering prevails. Then the poor peasant often scatters ashes and sand upon the snow that covers his acres, that it may melt the sooner, and that he may plough up his ground between the snow-walls that fence it in. Susanna was during this month well known in the cottages of the valley, and found abundant employment for her sympathy and ready kindness. Harold, not to lose so good an opportunity of inspiring Susanna with horror of himself, and his character, appeared quite unmoved by the accounts she gave of the suffering which she had witnessed, and rejected, with a decided 'No!' all her projects for its relief. He talked much of severity, of wholesome lectures, etc., and Susanna was not slow in calling him 'The most cruel, unchristian mana perfect misanthrope- wolves and bears had more heart!' Never would she ask him for any thing again. She might as well talk to stocks and stones! And Susanna would go away and weep bitter tears. But when she found that want was quietly relieved by the hand of the misanthrope, when she found that in many cases her own plans were followed, then would she weep indeed, but her tears were tears of pleasure; and all her resolutions of unfriendly reserve were forgotten in a moment. By degrees Harold forgot his harshness. The interest of the subject was too great to allow him to maintain it. And before they were aware of it, both were heartily engaged in promoting the same objects but with some difference in the manner. Susanna had begun by giving away every thing she possessed. As she had now nothing more to give, she began to listen to Harold's views of the subject. He thought that, in general, for the poor about them, alms were less necessary than prudent counsel and friendly sympathy, that should give life to the desponding heart, and strength to the weary hands that were ready to sink, and encourage to hope and to labor again. Among the class of people who work for their daily bread, are some who can help themselves, others whom no one can help; but by far the greatest number are those who by wise counsel and assistance may be taught to help themselves, and attain to comfort and independence. Harold thought it very important to turn the attention of the people more exclusively to the raising of cattle, for he was convinced this was the only means by which these regions could become prosperous. And as soon as the snow melted, and the ground was free from ice, he went out with the servants and laborers, and occupied himself busily in clearing the fields of the stones with which these regions are thickly sown. He laid out new pastures, in order to provide better food for the cattle, and Susanna's heart beat with pleasure when she saw his perseverance, and how he put his own hand to the work, and animated all by his example and cheerful spirits. Harold had now often his favorite dishes for dinner, and even Susanna herself began to find some of them very palatable, and among these may be mentioned barley soup and little herrings.* Harold was so busy, in the spring, with his works and his workmen, that he had very little time to pass with Susanna, either in peace or discord. But as it occurred to him that he might possibly in time have weak lungs, he visited the dairy every morning to receive a glass of new milk from her hand. He would present her in return with a fresh spring flower, or sometimes, by way of variety with a thistle, (which was always thrown indignantly into a corner,) and then observed attentively the arrangements of the dairy, and Susanna's motions as she strained the milk from the pails into the milk-pans, and then placed them on the shelf. During this contemplation; he lost himself in the following soliloquy: % 'Well, that is what one may call handiness! How well she looks when she is at This dish, with which in Norway every dinner begins, is thus served-every guest has a plate of soup and a little dish of herrings placed before him, and takes in turn a bit of herring and a spoonful of broth. work, and with such a cheerful, pleasant air; | ment. His white dames, supposing the invitation of the cock to be general, ran upon their long legs as fast as they could, and thrust their heads in between the two hens, intending to take their share in the entertainment. The knightly cock drew back in some surprise, and rather haughtily, but was too much of a gentleman to affront the forward dames; but the two speckled hens turned their backs upon them. The deserted turkey-cock gabbled desperately, and swelling with rage approached his black helpmate, who was silent, and looked up pite Shall we not take a look into Susanna's heart too? There, matters stand thus. Harold had, partly by his teazing and mischief, partly by his kindness, his stories, and the real worth which Susanna could not but acknowl-ously to heaven. edge, so wound himself into all her thoughts and feelings, that she could not possibly banish him from them. In anger or in gratitude, in blame or in approval, she must be always thinking of him. Many an evening she lay down wishing that she might never see him again, but rose in the morning longing to meet him. Her feelings were like April weather. A MAY DAY. FAIRER the first faint blushes of the dawn, It was in the beginning of the month of May; a heavy shower of rain had just ceased. The wind came from the south, was fresh and mild, and drove white fleecy clouds before it over the bright blue sky. In the yard, at Semb, which had been deserted during the shower, all was now life and motion. The ducks were plashing in the puddles, bathing, and washing their soiled plu mage. Under the kitchen windows, a black cat and her family were diverting themselves, with a thousand gambols; while over them the mice peeped down curiously from the gutter, drank the rain-water, snuffed the fresh air, and then crept quietly back under the tiles. The flies stretched their legs and began to promenade in the sunshine. In the yard stood a high ash-tree, from whose top swung a magpie's nest. A crowd of magpies, competitors for the air-palace, assembled about it, fluttering and screaming, each endeavoring to take possession and to drive the rest away. At last two remained conquerors in the nest. There they laughed and caressed each other, rocked by the south wind. The expelled magpies consoled themselves by flying down to the feedingtrough of the house dog, and eating from it, while the proud Alfiero, sitting in front of his kennel, observed them with haughty composure. The melodious whistle of the starlings, was heard from the roof where they had grouped themselves. The grasses shook the rain-drops from them in the wind, and the star-flower, so dear to the singing birds, raised again its little head to the sun, and was greeted by the song of the lark. 'The knight' scratched in the earth, and then began to call aloud, to make it known that he had something good to give away, and when two small speckled hens obeyed The geese waddled cackling over the the summons, he let one grain of corn after grass-plot, biting off the young green shoots. another fall from his beak, which the hens It appeared that a change had taken place in accepted, without further ceremony or com- their society; the tyrant, the white gander, pliment. had, by accident, become lame, and had lost The turkey-cock was in a great embarrass- his power and his consequence. Now had the grey an opportunity to show his noble character, his generous spirit; but no; the grey goose showed nothing of all this. Whatever the white one had formerly inflicted upon him, the grey now retaliated in full; he stretched out his neck, and screamed at him, and kept him at a distance with cries and violence; and the lady geese still gave themselves no trouble about the matter; and the white gander must submit to see his rival rule in the assembly, while he himself I must limp behind, helpless and despised. Susanna, who saw this, lost all her preference for the grey gander, while at the same time, she felt no great sympathy with the white one. She found that one was no better than the other. at them from under a cherry tree, with gree- sanna. Susanna had just returned from a visit that she had made to a cottage, where she had before assisted the housewife in setting up a web, and now helped her to take it down. Her face glowed with pleasure, at the recollection of the scene which she had just witnessed at the cottage. The cow had that morning calved, and the milk flowed free and plentifully, to the inexpressible delight of four pale boys. Their pleasure was divided between their delight in the milk, and their astonishment at the little active, black and white calf; this astonishment was, in the youngest, mingled with some fear. The weaving, too, had succeeded beyond expectation. Susanna helped the mother to cut out the clothes in the best manner, and her cheerful words and hearty sympathy were the cream of the milk breakfast. Thinking on this pleasant scene, Susanna entered the yard at Semb, and was greeted by Alfiero, and all the poultry, with sounds of jubilee. Just then, cries and notes of distress were heard among the birds, and she hastened to the garden. Here she saw a pair of starlings, who with loud cries fluttered round the lowest branches of an oak. Something moved in the grass with a faint hop-making various purchases, and always conping, and Susanna saw that it was a young starling, who had ventured too soon from the nest, and had fallen. It uttered a faint cry to its parents, who seemed to wish, by their fluttering, to keep off a grey cat who glared At this moment, some travelling merchants entered the yard, with their wagon loaded with wares. Harold said he had some purchases to make, and wanted Susanna's advice. Susanna was a woman; and women are very ready to give advice; always good, of course. For some time, Harold had been sulted Susanna, by which she felt extremely flattered, but could not avoid sometimes thinking, 'But he must be very selfish. He thinks only of himself, and buys only for himself, and never for his sister, whom he |