of intention, and fervor of feeling, imparted to menced an interchange of sentiments, as to all his manner and delivery, the natural graces of they had seen and heard in church. oratory, in a higher degree, than the most careful study, and laborious practice of the rules of art could have done; his flexible and melodious voice was modulated by native taste, sense and feeling, his gesture was earnest, dignified and appropriate; his language seemed but the graceful and classic drapery, meant to clothe, rather than adorn striking, luminous, and affecting ideas.

"Oh, was'nt it a sweet sermon," commenced Anna Maria, the eldest of the young ladies, “and then he is so handsome; did you observe how white his hand looked, Mamma, as he waved it towards the conclusion of his sermon, and what beautiful hazel eyes he has?"

“Dark blue,” said Juliana, “not hazel at all." "How absurd, I appeal to Mamma if they are not hazel."

The impression produced by Charles Selden's first sermon on the minds of his hearers, was not "Indeed," said Mrs. Travers, "I did not obonly that of admiration and respect for the speak-serve the color of his eyes; he is certainly a er, but of interest in the subject, at least, during handsome young man though, and very much the time they were listening to his discourse, like his mother. I remember seeing her twentysuch as many of them had never previously felt. six years ago at a ball. She was thought a great It is true, some listened only to find occasion for beauty then, and the instant I saw this young cavil or criticism, others from that love of orato- man, it brought her looks back as fresh to my ry which has always characterized our country-memory, as if I had seen her yesterday." men, but all, except a portion of the young ladies, Here Juliana burst into an uncontrollable fit whose minds were busily employed on other sub-of giggling, and when Mrs. Travers with some jects, listened intently, and this, at least, was a vexation demanded, whether there was any thing great point gained.

Upon reaching the church door, after the conclusion of the sermon, Charles found several gentlemen, waiting to offer the most pressing invitations for him to return home with them to dinner. Each preferred some claim to prove the peculiar propriety of Charles' accepting his invitation, and it was not without difficulty, that he could resist their kindness and importunity. Some looked dissatisfied, when Charles with simple modesty excused himself, by saying, that it was so short a distance from the church to "The Rectory," he could not without a violation of principle as to Sunday visiting, spend the remainder of the day any where but at home, unless there was some particular reason for doing so. It cost Charles some effort to say this, for he understood perfectly well, that such an assertion would be attributed either to a weak scruple, or pharisaical pretension, but he was aware, in taking a new position in society, how much the first step costs, and determined to commence immediately the course he intended to pursue in future. In order to remove as much as possible, the unfavorable impression that he perceived his speech had made, he assured each one of a speedy

visit.

so laughable in what she just said, replied, as soon as she could command her voice sufficiently to speak: "Oh la, no, mamma, I was not thinking of what you said, but just then, I thought of Susan Linton, standing in front of the pulpit, with her demure looks, and her eyes half shut, and her great, red prayer book in her hand, trying to look pretty and sweet with all her might→ if she could only have seen how queerly the crown of her bonnet had got bent, she would have played off a few less airs. I pinched you, Anna Maria, to make you observe her, but you would not take any notice of me."

"Pshaw," said Anna Maria, "you have no soul, Juliana, I was listening to the sermon." "that you "I'll lay a wager," said Juliana, know no more of what was in the sermon than I do; what was the text?"

"I don't remember the words exactly, it is quite sufficient to remember their import."

"Well, what was their import?" said Juliana, mimicking her sister's manner so ludicrously, that Mrs. Travers could scarcely repress a smile.

Anna Maria's heightened color betokened no very gentle reply, when Mrs. Travers hastily interposed, by saying, "No more of this, Juliana, it is plain to see that you have not profited much by the discourse. The text was taken from the

Mr. Travers with undiminished cordiality of manner, invited Charles to spend the following Psalms, and-" day with him, saying, he considered himself as having a peculiar right to his company, since Mr. Selden and himself had been college friends; the invitation was accepted as cordially as it was given, and Mr. Travers begged him to come early to a family dinner.

Mrs. Travers and her daughters had scarcely taken their seats in the coach, before they com

"Oh, mamma," said Juliana, "see what a fine horse the minister is riding. he has just taken the cross road to The Rectory;' how well he manages it too! I had no idea of his riding such a horse as that."

66

Why not?" said Mrs. Travers.

"Oh, I thought a sober old pony would be much more suitable. It is really a pity he should

be a minister. What shall we talk to him about to-morrow, Anna Maria? We shall never be able to get through the day with propriety."

"Answer for yourself, if you please," said Anna Maria, with a contemptuous toss of the head, "I shall not experience the slightest difficulty."

"Then you will be the only member of the family who will not, I dare say. George will abscond, if he can get a hint of the minister's coming to-morrow."

"But he must not get a hint of it," said Mrs. Travers, with a very grave look, “I shall be seriously displeased with you, Juliana, if you mention it to him, until I have prepared him for it." "No danger from me," said Juliana laughing, "I am entirely on your side, mamma, I want George to be caught, if it were only for the fun of the thing."

A DAY IN DALARNE.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "GLIMPSES AT EUROPE."

MORA, August, 1848.

My Dear M—, Many an evening have I spent, as you will no doubt but too well recollect, in attempting to describe to you the peculiar charms of Scandinavian scenery. You would not believe me; you could not understand my fancy for a cold, sterile, colorless country after having basked in the warm light of Italy and seen the burning glare of the setting sun on Mount Hymettus. Granite is gray and a Northern sky is gray, you used to say, and the lakes are dark and the pines have but one verdure; while a Southern sky is azure and crimson and ethereal green, and the fields are clothed in bril

"George will at least behave like a gentleman, liant colors, and the waters smile and shine like in his own house," said Anna Maria, "he knows what is due to a guest, to say nothing of that guest being a minister."

"That guest being a minister, is just the horrid part of the affair. If he was just a common, young gentleman, no one would be better pleased to see him than George."

burnished silver. Who can prefer sombre melancholy to glowing enthusiasm? I can, my dear friend. I love the placid quiet of these waters; I love the gentle whispering in these dark forests; I love the gray, sober, earnest granite. So I left Italy and hastened to the cold North, whence the bold Normans came to conquer the world, and where now, alone of all Europe, peace reigns amid piety and contentedness. Nor do I repent it, now that I have been here more weeks than I expected to stay days. Let me give you an account of one day's travel, my dear madam; a day spent high up in Dalarne, where no nobleman ever dared live, and where men are not ashamed to doff their hats and repeat the Lord's Prayer when they hear a church bell ring! Remember, however, I entreat, how often you have pitied me for not possessing either "sentiment" or "enthusiasm," and how utterly unfit I must therefore be to describe a country so wholly devoid of all "romance."

It was late, very late when we passed the beautiful Dalelf (Valley-river,) for the last time on one of those curious floating bridges which are peculiar to Sweden, and entered the little village of Leksand. The tower of its church seemed to soar high into the air, whilst below it the broad, silvery sheet of lake Siljan spread its quiet waters. Slowly we bent our way through the narrow street to the gaily illuminated tavern. A neat and tidy looking "Mamselle" received us the moment the horses stopped, with the pleasant news that the house was crowded and not a bed could be obtained! There we were, high up in the North of Sweden, at ten o'clock at night, in a place where we knew nobody and where there was but one tavern. The Minister-my travelling companion-made all kinds of hazardous propositions to the sympathising Mam

poor fellow began to think that he himself had committed a crime, but we could elicit nothing to explain the extraordinary conduct of the priest. We packed up our few things and determined directly to leave the first inhospitable roof we had yet found in Sweden. In the adjoining room stood the Dean in all the pompous majesty of two hundred pounds weight and the full dress of his rank. I bowed and said a few formal words of thanks for the “ 'night's rest." The man positively begged me not to mention it, and quoted a verse from the bible commanding the faithful to receive strangers! The Minister said nothing. I was indignant, but I knew not that the worst was yet to come; for on descending the stairs a most savory odor greeted us: the kitchen door stood open and there were halfa-dozen stout cooks at work, boiling, stewing, roasting, baking! This was too much; we hurried past the pale lady with the bouquet and shook the dust from our shoes.

selle, but in vain. His imprecations had no bet- | surprised at something that had happened to ter effect, and even Gustaf, the inimitable Gus- him. We had to ask several times before he taf was at a loss what to do. In the meantime could speak. And strange enough it was. The our Skjutsbonde began quietly to take his horses Dean had met him in the hall, and after inquiring out of the carriage, and told us coolly, he ex- how we had slept and who we were, quietly pected we would not find it too cold during the asked where we thought to get our breakfast? night to sleep on our seats. A bright thought He who has ever spent one day in Sweden, he struck me; there was a church, consequently who ever heard of Sweden, will readily conceive there must be a Prost," or Dean, with his com- our surprise at this most astounding breach of fortable parsonage and his " guest-chamber." hospitality. We questioned Gustaf until the The proposition to honor him with a visit was carried unanimously, and as soon as the horses were put to again, we drove over to his house. Alas! the gates were closed and not a light was to be seen. Fortunately, however, our embarrassing situation and Gustaf's invariable plan to hint something about "Foreign Minister" and "Americans" had excited general sympathy and half the population of Leksand-some in very odd, others in very scanty night costume-accompanied us to the parsonage. The kind Mamselle had preceded us and was negotiating for our reception. It was intensely cold; a bottle of claret and our last two loaves of wheat bread restored us but moderately. At last, after a long hour's waiting, the gates were opened and we entered a large yard, surrounded on all sides with stately wooden houses. We were asked in a whisper to come in; one of the servants evidently not yet quite awake, led us through a large room, filled with beds, into another, where she prepared our own and bade us welcome. I could not help stealing down again, tired and chilled as I was. The moon had just emerged from some dark clouds, which obscured the lower part of the sky and shed a mellow, pale light over the beautiful landscape. Church and parsonage lay on a high promontory, reaching boldly far into the lake. Terraces with flowers and shrubbery led down to the sandy shore, where a little ripple mingled its low, musical notes with the murmur of the light breeze in the tall trees above. On the river lay a tiny steamboat, the first that had ever reached its mouth, and far to the North stretched the lake with its glassy, shining surface, bounded on all sides by high, dark mountains. The white church with its bright copper roof loomed high above the surrounding buildings, and nothing was heard save the low chant of a hymn in one of the distant houses on the margin of the lake.

The Mamselle at the tavern, where we sought refuge, was as much amazed as Gustaf; she could not comprehend our leaving the Prost without our breakfast. Was he not the great Dean of Leksand? Had he not the second best living in the whole kingdom? and was he not all over Dalarnek nown as the rich Prost Schulzberg? An excellent breakfast, in every respect, even in its oatcakes, like a Scotch breakfast, soon consoled us, and the sight from our windows was such as to engage our whole attention. Right before us lay the stately church with its graveyard and huge stone wall, and the lake at its foot! The space between the house and the shore was filled with hundreds of gaily dressed men and women. Family stood by family and parish by parish. All wore a more or less picturesque costume; even the smallest children had their nicely embroidered caps, their short scarlet dresses, their white and blue stockings, Early in the morning all the inmates of the and heavy square-toed shoes with the high heel house were awake. We were hurriedly dress- in the middle of the foot. The men in their long ing, and speculating whether a fair, but thin, pale white and blue coats with rich embroidery on the lady, who gathered flowers in the garden, under shoulders, and their broad-brimmed hats with our window, could be the "Prostiona," when scarlet band and tassels, looked grave and seriGustaf entered with more amazement in his face ous. A beautiful race of men they were; not than I thought him capable of showing or feel-one under six feet, not one badly made, or lightly ing. He was evidently as much distressed as built, they looked like the Dalkarls of old, who

marched down upon Stockholm and seated the of great value. The organ is a superb instruWasa on his throne.

ment, and to hear it played by a master's hand, We strolled down to the church. The doors and suddenly breaking out into one of the most were open and a burial was going on in the grave- beautiful anthems of the old Italian school, was yard. The priests in their rich, many-colored truly startling. And what a parterre of flowers robes, the people in their gay costumes, the lovely below us! Did you ever see one of those garlandscape around us with its dark, solemn back- dens in Germany where twenty or more acres of ground of lofty mountains, the mysterious Sun- land are filled with tulips and hyacinths forming day-stillness, all impressed us with an uncom- curious devices? I could think of nothing else mon sense of the grand and the beautiful. We with which to compare the strange aspect of the walked to the steep precipice where it suddenly various costumes in the church as seen from fell down to the water's edge. How different above. Their service, Lutheran as they call it, the lake looked in broad daylight! From far is not unlike that of the Episcopal church. Only and near boats, large and small, were seen ap- one feature struck me here and in Germany, as proaching. They were rowed with all the pre- far preferable to our custom. They do not decision of a man-of-war's boat, and with a swift- pute a hired band of singers, to praise or thank ness perfectly surprising to us landsmen. As God in their stead, but they all join in the singthey came nearer, we distinguished the different ing for themselves, young and old, taught and costumes-here scarlet prevailed, there blue; untaught—and I assure you it sounded well and that long, narrow boat with its fifty oars has looked far more natural, far more solemn and nothing but white coats; that small one with elevating than our mode of singing. the large birch-tree in it, to serve as a sail, looks We left soon after the beginning of the hymn like a huge yellow-bird. Not a word is spoken, which closed the service, found our carriage waitnot a laugh heard. Silently they land; silently ing for us, and hurried on to Rattvik, where the women and maidens and children get out; there is one of the finest churches of Sweden, silently the men draw the boat up on the fine, where we wished to see the people coming out glittering sand, and walk to the small log-cabins of church and departing for home. Our road along the shore, where they deposite their oars led us along the margin of the lake, and a gloand little provisions. Boat after boat comes in, rious lake it is. Its waters, clear as crystal and until the shore is lined for more than a mile, and smooth without the slightest ripple, showed the the crowd stands close to the church-yard wall. bright, silvery sand below and the deep blue sky The clock strikes nine and the large bell sends on the surface. Tall pines came down to the forth its slow, measured tones. And see, the very edge and rose in solemn grandeur up to men uncover their herds, the women fold their the high summits of the surrounding mountains. hands, and in a low and humble voice they re- Here and there red houses would peep out from peat the Lord's Prayer. The large gate has the dark canopy and the large windows would opened and the venerable old priest in his robes glitter and sparkle in the bright sun. On the appears, with his two assistants at his side. Slow- opposite side another promontory stood boldly ly and solemnly walks he down through the files forth into the lake with its fine old church and the crowd forms by falling back on both sides. lofty steeple, with its parsonage, the very picFor each father has he a kind word, but with ture of rural comfort and abundance, and its row the widow and the orphan he stops and speaks of boats drawn up on the sandy shore. To the words of comfort and consolation. There a tall, right fertile lands stretched far out into the woods, handsome youth blushes and stammers and begs until the hills gradually descended, and another to have his engagement with the stout, fair girl dark, shadowy lake lay before us, surrounded on at his side proclaimed in church; here another the opposite sides by high mountains, with huge Dalkarl in his bright crimson cravat and light granite masses almost overhanging its still wagreen jacket wishes to be married after service-ters. We reached the summit of a far-famed every one has a request to proffer or a favor to mountain, the so-called Bergsaengsbackar, and ask. When all have had an opportunity to see at our feet lay another arm of the lake with its their shepherd, the bell rings again, the church- large church on an island, connected by a small doors are opened, and, without haste or crowd- bridge with the main land. It was Rattvik. ing, the people walk in. Two thousand five hun- Before we descended, however, we had to go a dred persons were that day assembled in Lek- mile or more into the forest to change horses. sand church! And yet it was not filled. It is a This we thought rather troublesome and unnenoble building; constructed after the manner of cessary, so we proposed to our postillion, a little catholic churches, in the shape of a cross, with boy of ten years, to go on with the same horses. galleries around three of the branches, and filled Our plan was received with great indignation; with portraits and pictures of great age and some did we think Olaf Olafson was a child, and knew

not when his horses were tired? Must not Olaf ant evening, the kettle and the bucket, the canOlafson be at home for the afternoon's service? dle and the lamp in a peasant's kitchen begin to We tried to coax the little fellow to do our will, tell stories? The matches too are not silent, and Gustaf in his zeal to serve us spoke rather and boast most loudly of their lofty descent. harshly to him, when down he jumped, and, ere Had not their father been of the greatest of his we suspected what he was about, coolly began kind, a tall, stately fir tree in the forest? When to undo the traces. We had already driven faster they were green yet, they were so happy! Every than we ought, he said, and his horses must be morning and evening they had diamond-tea, that brought home. There stood this boy not yet in was the dew, all day long glorious sunlight, and his teens, in stature hardly reaching up to his all the little birds singing to them and telling them horses' shoulders, and went stoutly, resolutely to fairy-tales. They were among the richest too, work, defying us three grown men! Truly, they for the birches and maples had clothes only in are a fine race of men, these Dalecarlians! They summer, but they were wealthy enough to wear show it in all their manners and customs. Thus their gay, green dress throughout the year. But they say "thou" to every body and demand con- then came the wood-cutter,—that was the great sideration from the highest. When some hun- Revolution,—and their family was cut down; dreds of them, years ago, were employed by the the great ancestor, to be sure, now stood in the late king to level and plant the public park near middle of a large ship and sailed around the Stockholm, it happened that the treasury was world; the branches were sent abroad among empty and they were not paid. One day the the people to enlighten it, but they, the matchking came out and rode through the park; sud-es, alas! were sadly degraded and lay in the denly he finds himself surrounded by these Dale- kitchen of a poor old woman! carlians; they approach, hat in hand, and one of them walks up to him, takes his hand, and says: "Father, surely it is not thy will that we should work for thee and not be paid; if it be thy will, it is not ours!"

Suddenly we came upon a “ clearing" in the forest. A large, newly-built house with its moss between the logs yet golden-green, and its new red color scarcely dry, stood upon the side of a gently sloping hill; two smaller buildings, not finished We yielded, the bold boy leaped on his horse yet, enclosed an open grass-plot, in the centre of and gallopped off, promising to send postillion which a beautiful fountain rose. A little, busand horses from the "Gastgifvergarden," as the tling stream fell behind the principal building stations are called, to our carriage which we left from rock to rock, gaily dashing its waters into on the high road, equally sure that it would not silvery spray, until just under the verandah it be touched, and that it would not be in the way disappeared for a moment, brilliantly again to of any traveller, for travellers there are none. rise in a most beautiful jet glistening like crystal We walked down to the church. And what a in the sun. What a lesson for a desponding, walk we had! Now through dark forests, the cowardly misanthrope like myself! A group of road lined with gigantic trees, now over a bar- gentlemen and ladies stood before the gate, which ren granite rock, crowning an eminence and giv-opened upon a little garden, and gazed curiously ing us such a prospect over lake and plain and at us. But what was our amazement, when on mountain as no country but Switzerland can coming nearer, we discovered a rough sign-board equal. There is something very noble in those over the entrance with the inscription-Water "noble" firs, as Linné used to call them. Dark Cure Establishment! To be sure, there among and sombre is their dress, but how lofty they rise; the rocks, were all their mysterious sheds with never straying aside, never bending and twisting their douches and wave-baths and setting-baths, in fantastic forms, but tall and erect striving up and there stood the luckless company, congratutowards Heaven, throwing off their lower branch-lating each other upon the abundance of red spots es as they ascend higher and higher, until they and pleasant eruptions of skin they observed in bathe their gently waving tops in the blue ether. each other's faces! As your eye follows the slender and yet manly We caused them, I fear, bitter disappointment; stem from its moss-grown foot up to its lofty they had evidently considered us a pleasant adsummit, your soul too seems to ascend from the dition to their number, and must now see us pass earth and your thoughts follow the silent moni- by! A few minutes brought us to the church of tor and wander up to that God who is equally Rattvik, a large stone building with all the tragreat in the tiny moss of yesterday, and the gi-ces of old age, but with gradual additions about it. gantic tree of centuries. Here and there one of It struck me, that the often-mentioned good taste the mighty ones had fallen, shivered by lightning, of the monks of old in selecting the most beautiful and I could not help thinking of Andersen's, the sites for their convents, was by no means confined Danish poet's amusing tale of the bundle of to the Catholic church. Here were large old matches. Do you remember, how, one pleas-churches in considerable numbers, built during a